Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

New York | Orange and Rockland Counties

Ramapo RiverTuxedo DEC parking access to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park

A six-mile Ramapo River moving-water run from the Tuxedo DEC parking access to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park in Hillburn. American Whitewater describes beginner-friendly Class I–II water with isolated higher-consequence dams and drops, while current KCCNY programming identifies the Tuxedo DEC lot as the launch and Rockland County documents Flat Rock as the river’s best public canoe access. The Suffern gauge is retained as a same-river downstream proxy.

Route location

Loading the route map.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceAbout 6 river miles to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park; the broader American Whitewater listing continues toward Suffern
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 3–5 hours depending on stage
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Ramapo River at the USGS Suffern monitoring station in New York.
River contextRamapo River at Suffern; Tuxedo route and gauge context river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo 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 6 river miles to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park; the broader American Whitewater listing continues toward SuffernTuxedo DEC parking access to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park
DifficultymoderateThe published run is mostly Class I–II but includes dams, waterfalls/large drops, wood, undercuts, pin potential, and isolated higher-consequence features. It is appropriate only for paddlers who can read moving water, portage decisively, and manage cold-water risk; the difficulty rating does not make the route suitable for untrained beginners.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the downstream vehicle at H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park, then drive to the Tuxedo DEC parking access. Confirm both parking locations and the legal carry before committing; the train station/municipal lots may have separate fee, permit, or overnight rules.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is established by the sources. Confirm current DEC/Tuxedo access permission, parking/fee rules, seasonal closures, county park hours, and New York boating/PFD requirements before launching.
CampingDay tripNo route camping is claimed. Flat Rock has no restrooms and is a day-use canoe/fishing access; use a separate, reservation-backed campground or lodging option and do not infer camping rights from county river access.
SeasonMar-NovThe Ramapo is most dependable for moving-water paddling during spring and rain events. Low summer flow can make the upper reach shallow and scratchy, while storms can raise the river quickly and turn wood, dams, and narrow features into serious hazards. Cold-water equipment remains appropriate early and late in the season.

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 six-mile Ramapo River moving-water run from the Tuxedo DEC parking access to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park in Hillburn. American Whitewater describes beginner-friendly Class I–II water with isolated higher-consequence dams and drops, while current KCCNY programming identifies the Tuxedo DEC lot as the launch and Rockland County documents Flat Rock as the river’s best public canoe access. The Suffern gauge is retained as a same-river downstream proxy.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

Tuxedo DEC parking lot / Ramapo River access
Open mapDirections to put-in

The Tuxedo launch is supported by current organized-paddling access information and American Whitewater trip practice, but the town/DEC parking and water-entry rules must be checked at the time of travel.

Finish

Take-out

H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park canoe access
Open mapDirections to take-out

Rockland County calls Flat Rock the best public Ramapo access, but parking is limited and the river carry/landing is not a full-service ramp. Keep vehicles clear of the road and confirm the exact take-out point.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The Tuxedo launch is supported by current organized-paddling access information and American Whitewater trip practice, but the town/DEC parking and water-entry rules must be checked at the time of travel.
  • Rockland County calls Flat Rock the best public Ramapo access, but parking is limited and the river carry/landing is not a full-service ramp. Keep vehicles clear of the road and confirm the exact take-out point.
  • The USGS station is downstream near Suffern and is a proxy for this upper reach. Diversion and Lake Sebago regulation can decouple the reading from local features.
  • NYSDEC public-water access rights still require a legal initial access point. Do not use private land, bridge embankments, or a posted municipal park as an improvised launch or portage.

Watch for

  • USGS 01387420 below the recent 2.9-ft runnable reference, rapidly rising, unavailable, or inconsistent with local depth and current
  • Tuxedo Falls/Augusta Furnace, Sloatsburg Dam/Ramapo Falls, old dams, substation dam, debris, strainers, undercuts, pin rocks, bridges, and changing eddies
  • Tuxedo DEC lot closure or permit/fee change, train-station parking restrictions, Flat Rock limited parking/hours, cold water, thunderstorms, and a failed shuttle

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.

The Ramapo River at the USGS Suffern monitoring station in New York.
Ramapo River at Suffern; Tuxedo route and gauge context river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Geological Survey
USGS public domain

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 moving-water corridorTuxedo to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park; about 6 planning miles

    American Whitewater publishes the Tuxedo-to-Suffern reach and feature sequence; a recent trip report identifies the Tuxedo start and Flat Rock take-out coordinates. This card stops at the county canoe-access park.

    Source

  • Current launch contextTuxedo DEC parking lot at 102 East Village Road

    KCCNY currently identifies the DEC parking lot as the launch for organized Ramapo trips; confirm current rules and water entry before unloading.

    Source

  • Public downstream canoe accessH. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park, 101 Torne Valley Road

    Rockland County documents canoeing and the park’s role as the best public Ramapo access; the stored coordinate follows the paddling access point and remains limited/hand-carry.

    Source

  • Proxy live gaugeUSGS 01387420, Ramapo River at Suffern, NY

    USGS provides continuous stage and discharge telemetry downstream of the route; diversion and Lake Sebago regulation are retained as reasons to compare the reading with local conditions.

    Source

  • Route-specific flow and safety guidanceRecent 2.9-ft trip reference; low-water scratch, dams, wood, strainers, and cold-water hazards

    American Whitewater supplies the route-specific flow observations, named hazards, portage locations, and access sequence. These are planning inputs, not a safety guarantee.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 01387420, Ramapo River at Suffern, NY

    USGS provides continuous telemetry at a same-river downstream proxy; local rainfall, tributary inflow, and dam operations can make route conditions diverge.

    Source

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

    American Whitewater / Kayak and Canoe Club of New York / Rockland County 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.Orange and Rockland CountiesJump to routes in this region.

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Croton RiverBelow New Croton Dam / Croton Gorge Park to Echo Canoe Launch · about 17 straight-line mi awayHard · About 3 river miles to Echo Canoe Launch; do not continue past the documented take-out toward the Hudson without a separate planPassaic RiverSuchorsky Canoe Launch to Pennington Park Canoe Launch · about 21 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 8 river miles including the Great Falls portage contextPassaic RiverDundee Island Canoe Launch to Garfield Boat Ramp · about 23 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 3 Lower Passaic River milesWallkill RiverWalden municipal riverfront launch to Popp Memorial Park launch · about 25 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 2.7 river miles from the Walden launch to Popp Memorial Park

Quick answers

Ramapo River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Tuxedo DEC parking access to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park route on the Ramapo 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 Tuxedo DEC parking access to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park route on the Ramapo River start and end?

This route starts at Tuxedo DEC parking lot / Ramapo River access and ends at H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park canoe access, about 6 river miles to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park; the broader American Whitewater listing continues toward Suffern on the water.

Is the Tuxedo DEC parking access to H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park route on the Ramapo 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