See all 2 routes on Rondout Creek
New York | Ulster County / High Falls and Rosendale
Rondout Creek
High Falls Dam to Rosendale / Wallkill River
Check current paddling conditions for this Rondout Creek route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A planning-only 6.4-mile Rondout Creek whitewater reach from the High Falls Dam access area to the Rosendale/Wallkill River finish. American Whitewater rates the named section Class II–IV with possible V/V+ features, including an approximately 12-foot Little Falls, a low-head dam, strong eddy lines, holes, and the Eye Ripper. Riverfacts supplies the mapped endpoint anchors; the direct Rosendale gauge is context, not a go signal, and every feature and landing requires same-day inspection.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
High Falls Dam Rondout Creek access areaRiverfacts provides endpoint GPS anchors for the named reach, but neither point is treated as a survey-grade ramp. Confirm legal parking, carry, waterline, landing, signs, and current landowner/manager permission before staging.
Take-out
Rosendale / Wallkill River Rondout Creek access areaThe High Falls access has dam, hydropower, utility, and Little Falls boundary questions. Do not cross barriers or use a nearby bank/roadside pull-off as an alternate launch without current authorization.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Riverfacts provides endpoint GPS anchors for the named reach, but neither point is treated as a survey-grade ramp. Confirm legal parking, carry, waterline, landing, signs, and current landowner/manager permission before staging.
- The High Falls access has dam, hydropower, utility, and Little Falls boundary questions. Do not cross barriers or use a nearby bank/roadside pull-off as an alternate launch without current authorization.
- The Rosendale endpoint is mapped near the Wallkill River and is not interchangeable with the separate DEC Creek Locks Road launch downstream. Confirm the exact take-out and keep the mandatory downstream boundary explicit.
Watch for
- USGS 01367500 unavailable, rapidly rising/falling, or inconsistent with the High Falls visual; recent rain, snowmelt, hydropower diversion, and local tributary response
- Little Falls, low-head dam, Spin Cycle eddy line, Blast Hole, Eye Ripper, ledge holes, undercuts, wood, cold water, and limited recovery/rescue margins
- High Falls parking/carry, utility and private boundaries, Rosendale landing and parking, Wallkill/Sturgeon Pool continuation pressure, and a failed shuttle or extraction plan
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Rondout Creek at Rosendale, NY |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | Not calibrated yet |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater publishes the route gauge and flow-dependent difficulty but no defensible numeric cutoff in the route record. Use Rosendale stage as direct context only; scout Little Falls, the low-head dam, Eye Ripper, wood, and recovery margins locally before committing. |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
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 corridorHigh Falls Dam to Rosendale; 6.4 miles; Class III–V(V+)
American Whitewater publishes the distinct reach, length, difficulty range, Rosendale gauge, Little Falls, low-head-dam, hole, and Eye Ripper feature context.
- Mapped endpoint anchorsHigh Falls Dam 41.82979, -74.1325 to Rosendale/Wallkill River 41.85359, -74.0489
Riverfacts maps the named High Falls Dam to Wallkill River section and supplies both GPS anchors. Treat them as access-area coordinates requiring current field verification.
- Direct gauge contextUSGS 01367500 Rondout Creek at Rosendale
The live same-creek station supplies stage/discharge trend, but it does not certify upstream features, hydropower diversion, wood, access, or safe runnable conditions.
- Route-specific safetyLittle Falls, low-head dam, strong eddy lines, holes, Eye Ripper, and scouting/portage decisions
American Whitewater’s reach description supplies the feature sequence and flow-dependent difficulty; no numeric cutoff is invented.
- Camping postureNearby basecamp or lodging only
No on-route camping right is claimed from the mapped whitewater access or riverbank; arrange separate legal lodging/camping.
- Approved route imageRondout Creek near Kingston used as same-river context
The Wikimedia Commons image is clearly labeled as same-river context and does not depict the High Falls features, current, access, or take-out.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 01367500, Rondout Creek at Rosendale, NY
USGS 01367500 is a direct same-creek station at Rosendale, but stage at the gauge does not certify the upstream High Falls launch, hydropower diversion, individual rapids, wood, or safe rescue options. Use the live trend with local visual scouting and current access conditions.
- Safety and river conditionsCheck live gauge, recent rainfall, trend, debris, bridges, and access conditions before launch
American Whitewater / Riverfacts Rondout Creek High Falls–Rosendale and its linked safety material warn that conditions change rapidly and require local inspection.
- Image decisionApproved same-river context image used for route presentation
The image is labeled as river-level context when it depicts the named river elsewhere, not this exact reach.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- American Whitewater / Riverfacts Rondout Creek High Falls–Rosendale route record
- Riverfacts Rondout Creek High Falls Dam to Wallkill River map
- USGS Rondout Creek at Rosendale current conditions
- American Whitewater Rondout Creek feature and hazard guidance
- USGS 01367500 monitoring location
- USGS 01367500 current conditions
- Rondout Creek context image
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Rondout Creek paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Rondout Creek?
Paddle Today watches Rondout Creek at Rosendale, NY and uses Not calibrated yet as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Rondout Creek route start and end?
This route starts at High Falls Dam Rondout Creek access area and ends at Rosendale / Wallkill River Rondout Creek access area, about 6.4 whitewater river miles on the water.
Is this Rondout Creek route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.