Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

New York | Suffolk County / Smithtown, Kings Park, and Long Island Sound

Nissequogue RiverPaul T. Given County Park / Smithtown to Nissequogue River State Park / Kings Park

A 5.5-mile one-way tidal Nissequogue River route from Paul T. Given County Park in Smithtown to the Nissequogue River State Park launch in Kings Park, with a conditional Sunken Meadow State Park mouth access. Suffolk County describes the 5.5-mile paddle, NYSDEC lists the public launch coordinates and kayak/canoe restrictions, and NYS Parks documents the tide-dependent launch window and mud-flat limitation. The route is planning-only: tide, wind, shallow water, park access, bridges, marsh channels, and the choice to reverse direction can matter more than the historical USGS record.

Route location

Loading the route map.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceAbout 5.5 tidal river miles from Paul T. Given County Park to Nissequogue River State Park
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 2.5–5 hours one way depending on tide
ShuttleCar shuttle
Nissequogue River near Smithtown, New York, used as same-river context for the Paul T. Given to Nissequogue River State Park tidal route.
Route photoPaul T. Given to Nissequogue River State Park tidal route contextPhoto by U.S. Geological Survey

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
View Primary Source
Embed this route

Route alerts

Email me when this route improves

We'll email you when this route climbs into Good or Strong. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

We only email on a new threshold crossing.

Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 5.5 tidal river miles from Paul T. Given County Park to Nissequogue River State ParkPaul T. Given County Park / Smithtown to Nissequogue River State Park / Kings Park
DifficultymoderateThe route is generally sheltered tidal flatwater, but current reverses with the tide and the channel can become too shallow to launch or land. Wind, mud flats, bridges, marsh channels, shallow water, water quality, park access, and the Long Island Sound mouth make a short mileage deceptively consequential.
ShuttleCar shuttleFor a one-way trip, stage the downstream vehicle at confirmed Nissequogue River State Park, then drive to Paul T. Given County Park. Reconfirm tide direction and both park access windows immediately before launch; retain a turnaround plan if the tide, wind, depth, or landing does not match the plan.
PermitsCheck posted rulesConfirm current Suffolk County and NYS Parks launch, parking, vehicle-fee, park-hours, tide-window, kayak/canoe-only, marina, fishing, swimming, and seasonal rules. Check Long Island Sound marine advisories and comply with New York clean-drain-dry requirements before departure.
CampingDay tripNo on-route camping is claimed. Nissequogue River State Park and Sunken Meadow are day-use launch contexts; arrange separate lodging or a currently open managed campground and do not camp at the river banks, marsh islands, launch docks, or park facilities without explicit authorization.
SeasonApr-NovThis 5.5-mile tidal Nissequogue route is seasonally accessible and controlled by tide window, mud-flat exposure, wind, shallow water, bridges, marsh channels, water quality, and park access rules. Confirm NOAA tide predictions, current weather, park hours/fees, and the actual launch before departure.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A 5.5-mile one-way tidal Nissequogue River route from Paul T. Given County Park in Smithtown to the Nissequogue River State Park launch in Kings Park, with a conditional Sunken Meadow State Park mouth access. Suffolk County describes the 5.5-mile paddle, NYSDEC lists the public launch coordinates and kayak/canoe restrictions, and NYS Parks documents the tide-dependent launch window and mud-flat limitation. The route is planning-only: tide, wind, shallow water, park access, bridges, marsh channels, and the choice to reverse direction can matter more than the historical USGS record.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

Paul T. Given County Park hand launch
Open mapDirections to put-in

The stored coordinates follow current NYSDEC public-launch records. They identify the launch area, not a guarantee that the dock, beach, carry, parking, or park access is open at the planned tide.

Finish

Take-out

Nissequogue River State Park kayak launch
Open mapDirections to take-out

Paul T. Given and Nissequogue River State Park are public hand launches; Sunken Meadow is retained as a conditional mouth-area access because the state directory separately lists the Nissequogue/Long Island Sound Field 3 launch.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Choose a shorter tripOptional

Access planner

Choose your launch and take-out

This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.

On-water distance5.9 miMixed access
On-water timeAbout 2.5–5 hours one way depending on tideFull route option
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Paul T. Given County Park hand launch to Sunken Meadow State Park Field 3 Nissequogue launch is about 5.9 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The stored coordinates follow current NYSDEC public-launch records. They identify the launch area, not a guarantee that the dock, beach, carry, parking, or park access is open at the planned tide.
  • Paul T. Given and Nissequogue River State Park are public hand launches; Sunken Meadow is retained as a conditional mouth-area access because the state directory separately lists the Nissequogue/Long Island Sound Field 3 launch.
  • Nissequogue River State Park launching and returning are explicitly tide dependent, and the state guide warns of mud flats at low tide. Do not force the boat through exposed mud or use an unlisted bank as a substitute landing.
  • The route ends at Nissequogue River State Park before the Long Island Sound mouth. Continuing into the Sound, using a different park field, or entering upstream freshwater requires separate current, access, and marine-safety planning.

Watch for

  • NOAA tide prediction, current wind, or observed depth inconsistent with the launch window
  • Nissequogue State Park mud flats, shallow bends, reversing current, bridges, marsh channels, strainers, cold water, water-quality advisories, and Long Island Sound wind/wake exposure
  • Paul T. Given parking and carry, Nissequogue State Park hours/fee and landing, Sunken Meadow Field 3 access, tide restrictions, and private or restricted shoreline

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.

Browser plans

Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.

Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

------------

Weather

Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

Loading today's forecast.

Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
----Loading--

Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

Nissequogue River near Smithtown, New York, used as same-river context for the Paul T. Given to Nissequogue River State Park tidal route.
Paul T. Given to Nissequogue River State Park tidal route contextPhoto by U.S. Geological Survey
USGS station photograph; same-river context

Sources

Data and sources

Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.

NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Named tidal corridorPaul T. Given County Park to Nissequogue River State Park; about 5.5 miles

    Suffolk County describes the public park as the start/end of a 5.5-mile Nissequogue paddle and directs paddlers to call ahead for tidal information.

    Source

  • Public launch coordinatesPaul T. Given, Nissequogue River State Park, and Sunken Meadow State Park Field 3

    NYSDEC lists the three public kayak/canoe launch contexts with current map coordinates and park/operator restrictions.

    Source

  • Tide and mud-flat safetyNissequogue State Park launch/return is tide dependent; low tide can make launching and landing impossible

    The NYS Parks Long Island guide supplies the four-hours-before/after-high-tide window, mud-flat warning, and rising-tide planning guidance.

    Source

  • Current tide planningNOAA Northport Bay tide predictions used as nearby tidal context

    NOAA provides official tide predictions for the nearby Northport Bay station; local wind, shallow water, and channel conditions can still differ.

    Source

  • Historical same-river gauge contextUSGS 01304000 Nissequogue River near Smithtown

    The USGS station has historical stage/discharge records but no current continuous data in the current record; no numeric route threshold is asserted.

    Source

  • Route imageUSGS Nissequogue River station photograph used as clearly labeled same-river context

    The presentation image is same-river context and does not claim to depict the full tidal route.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 01304000, Nissequogue River near Smithtown, NY (historical USGS site)

    USGS 01304000 is a historical Nissequogue River station near Smithtown with no current continuous data available. It is retained as same-river context only; use NOAA Northport Bay tide predictions and local water depth, current, wind, and park conditions for current planning.

    Source

  • Safety and river conditionsCheck live gauge, recent rainfall, trend, debris, bridges, and access conditions before launch

    NYSDEC Suffolk County launch directory / NYS Parks / Suffolk County Parks and its linked safety material warn that conditions change rapidly and require local inspection.

    Source

  • Image decisionApproved watershed/proxy-gauge context image used for route presentation

    The image is clearly labeled as watershed/proxy-gauge context and does not claim to depict this exact reach.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

See recent photos and notes from people on the route.

Share your trip

Help build the route page

Add photos or send a quick condition report.

Photos

Upload route photos

Add access, hazard, or on-water photos.

No files selected yet.

Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in New York

All 282 routes
New York route guideBrowse every tracked New York route.Suffolk County / Smithtown, Kings Park, and Long Island SoundJump to routes in this region.

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Carmans RiverCarmans River DEC access off Montauk Highway to Beaver Dam Road kayak launch · about 18 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 2 tidal river miles from the Montauk Highway access to Beaver Dam RoadPeconic RiverRiver Road East/West to Edwards Avenue and Mill Road · about 23 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 2.0 paddling miles from the River Road access area to the Edwards Avenue/Mill Road access and dam boundaryPeconic RiverForge Pond / South River Road to Peconic River Canoe Launch / Upper Mills · about 25 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 3.0 paddling miles from Forge Pond/South River Road to the Peconic River Canoe Launch at Upper MillsPeconic RiverUpper Mills to Weeping Willow Park · about 27 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 1.5 planning miles from the Upper Mills canoe launch to Weeping Willow Park

Quick answers

Nissequogue River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Paul T. Given County Park / Smithtown to Nissequogue River State Park / Kings Park route on the Nissequogue River?

This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.

Where does the Paul T. Given County Park / Smithtown to Nissequogue River State Park / Kings Park route on the Nissequogue River start and end?

This route starts at Paul T. Given County Park hand launch and ends at Nissequogue River State Park kayak launch, about 5.5 tidal river miles from Paul T. Given County Park to Nissequogue River State Park on the water.

Is the Paul T. Given County Park / Smithtown to Nissequogue River State Park / Kings Park route on the Nissequogue River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.

Flag a change

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.

Report a changeEmail update