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See all 4 routes on Schroon River

New York | Warren County / Chester and Horicon

Schroon RiverSouth Horicon Bridge hand launch to Starbuckville Dam hand launch

A planning-only short Schroon River moving-water route from the municipal hand launch at South Horicon Bridge to the public Starbuckville Dam hand launch above the dam. Current public-access listings identify both water-entry areas, while the Town of Chester and regional corridor material describe the intervening Schroon section as a canoe/kayak reach with Class II water and bridge/choke-point concerns. The card ends at the dam launch and does not imply running or approaching the dam.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 2.6 planning river miles from South Horicon Bridge to the Starbuckville Dam hand launch
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 1–2 hours for a capable moving-water group
ShuttleCar shuttle
Schroon River at Riverbank in Warren County, New York.
Route photoSchroon River downstream 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.
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceApproximately 2.6 planning river miles from South Horicon Bridge to the Starbuckville Dam hand launchSouth Horicon Bridge hand launch to Starbuckville Dam hand launch
DifficultymoderateThe corridor is short and publicly accessed, but the Town of Chester describes Class II water between Starbuckville and South Horicon, with bridge and choke-point concerns. Treat it as moderate moving water until local level, wood, current, team skill, and the dam take-out are verified.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at the Starbuckville Dam public hand launch, then drive to the South Horicon Bridge hand launch. Verify both carries, parking, waterlines, bridge conditions, road access, and the no-approach dam boundary before launching; retain an alternate extraction plan if either access is closed or unusable.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current NYSDEC Warren County launch rules, municipal access and parking requirements, New York boating/PFD and invasive-species rules, posted seasonal restrictions, and all dam and private-property boundaries. Public hand-launch listing does not authorize overnight parking, private-bank landings, or dam scouting.
CampingDay tripNo on-route or endpoint camping is claimed. Use nearby managed campgrounds such as Sharp Bridge or other current Warren County/DEC facilities as separate road-access basecamp options only; confirm dates, reservations, fees, and launch rules, and do not camp at either hand launch or on private shoreline.
SeasonApr-OctThe South Horicon-to-Starbuckville section is a short, level-sensitive moving-water reach. Spring rain can raise the river and increase current, wood, and bridge hazards; summer and late-season low water can expose shallow gravel. Use the downstream Riverbank gauge only as broad same-river context, then inspect the launch, bridge constrictions, rapids, dam boundary, and take-out locally.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A planning-only short Schroon River moving-water route from the municipal hand launch at South Horicon Bridge to the public Starbuckville Dam hand launch above the dam. Current public-access listings identify both water-entry areas, while the Town of Chester and regional corridor material describe the intervening Schroon section as a canoe/kayak reach with Class II water and bridge/choke-point concerns. The card ends at the dam launch and does not imply running or approaching the dam.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

South Horicon Bridge municipal Schroon River hand launch
Open mapDirections to put-in

The current launch directory supplies public Schroon River access context at South Horicon Bridge and Starbuckville Dam. Confirm the exact carry, parking, waterline, and current signage in the field rather than relying on a bridge or shoulder alone.

Finish

Take-out

Starbuckville Dam public Schroon River hand launch above dam
Open mapDirections to take-out

The approximately 2.6-mile distance is a planning estimate between public access-area anchors, not a surveyed wetted trace. Local channel choice, water level, portage, and the dam approach can change the usable distance.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The current launch directory supplies public Schroon River access context at South Horicon Bridge and Starbuckville Dam. Confirm the exact carry, parking, waterline, and current signage in the field rather than relying on a bridge or shoulder alone.
  • The approximately 2.6-mile distance is a planning estimate between public access-area anchors, not a surveyed wetted trace. Local channel choice, water level, portage, and the dam approach can change the usable distance.
  • The route ends above Starbuckville Dam and is not a route card for the downstream Starbuckville-to-Riverbank reach. Do not substitute a private bank, bridge shoulder, or downstream shoreline for the named take-out.

Watch for

  • 01317000 downstream proxy trend, recent rain, local stage, shallow gravel, wood, strainers, bridge constrictions, cold water, and changing current
  • South Horicon launch parking/carry, Starbuckville hand launch landing, limited parking, dam exclusion zone, daylight, and shuttle reliability
  • private shoreline, unauthorized scouting or landings, posted restrictions, invasive-species controls, and the mandatory above-dam take-out boundary

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

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Trip schedule

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

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Gauge

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

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

Schroon River at Riverbank in Warren County, New York.
Schroon River downstream contextPhoto by U.S. Geological Survey
USGS same-river proxy station context photo

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.

  • Distinct public moving-water corridorSouth Horicon Bridge to Starbuckville Dam; approximately 2.6 planning miles

    Municipal planning material identifies the Schroon River canoe access at South Horicon Bridge and the Class II water between South Horicon and Starbuckville, with bridge and choke-point concerns.

    Source

  • Public upstream water accessSouth Horicon Bridge municipal Schroon River hand launch, 43.653657, -73.761558

    Current launch listings identify the Chestertown Schroon River hand-launch coordinate; confirm the exact waterline, carry, parking, and posted use conditions.

    Source

  • Public downstream take-outStarbuckville Dam public Schroon River hand launch, 43.675947, -73.779409

    NYSDEC lists the Starbuckville hand launch with limited parking. The access is an above-dam take-out, not permission to approach or run the structure.

    Source

  • Route-specific safety contextBridge/choke-point, Class II, flooding, wood, and dam-boundary review

    Town and regional Schroon River planning material identifies the intervening river section and flags the need to treat the bridge and dam corridor conservatively.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 01317000, Schroon River at Riverbank, NY

    Use current stage only as downstream trend context; local level, debris, bridge features, and the dam take-out control the decision.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby managed basecamp only; no endpoint camping claim

    Nearby DEC campgrounds are separate road-access facilities and do not authorize camping at either hand launch or along private river frontage.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 01317000, Schroon River at Riverbank, NY

    USGS 01317000 is a live stage station on the Schroon River at Riverbank, downstream of this subsection and below Starbuckville Dam. Retain it as broad trend context only; it does not certify the upstream reach, dam take-out, bridge constrictions, or local debris, and no numeric cutoff is asserted.

    Source

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

    NYSDEC Warren County launch directory / Town of Chester recreation plan / Town of Schroon river-corridor study 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

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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.Warren County / Chester and HoriconJump to routes in this region.

More on Schroon River

All 4
River Street public access in Warrensburg to the small park above the next bridge toward Thurman StationWarren County / Warrensburg and Thurman StationHard · Approximately 0.6 river miles from River Street to the small park above the next bridgeSchroon Falls Hand Launch to municipal Schroon Lake Dock Street launchEssex County / Upper Schroon RiverModerate · Approximately 10 river-and-lake miles from the Schroon Falls Hand Launch to the municipal Schroon Lake launchStarbuckville Dam to Riverbank / Warren County Canoe and Kayak AccessWarren County / Southern AdirondacksHard · 6.7 river miles from Starbuckville Dam to Riverbank

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Hudson RiverRiparius Bridge canoe launch to The Glen / Glen Bridge canoe access · about 7 straight-line mi awayHard · About 7.3 Hudson River miles from Riparius Bridge to The GlenHudson RiverWarren County Fish Hatchery to Thurman Station Bridge · about 11 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 2.5 one-way planning miles from the Warren County Fish Hatchery hand launch to Thurman Station Bridge; confirm the wetted channel and current shoreline on siteHudson RiverThurman Station Bridge canoe access to Hadley Canoe Takeout / Sacandaga confluence · about 12 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 14 river milesHudson RiverNorth River / Thirteenth Brook to Riparius Bridge · about 16 straight-line mi awayHard · About 13 Hudson River miles

Quick answers

Schroon River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the South Horicon Bridge hand launch to Starbuckville Dam hand launch route on the Schroon 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 South Horicon Bridge hand launch to Starbuckville Dam hand launch route on the Schroon River start and end?

This route starts at South Horicon Bridge municipal Schroon River hand launch and ends at Starbuckville Dam public Schroon River hand launch above dam, Approximately 2.6 planning river miles from South Horicon Bridge to the Starbuckville Dam hand launch on the water.

Is the South Horicon Bridge hand launch to Starbuckville Dam hand launch route on the Schroon 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.

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