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New York | Warren County / Southern Adirondacks

Schroon RiverStarbuckville Dam to Riverbank / Warren County Canoe and Kayak Access

A distinct 6.7-mile Schroon River whitewater route from the public Starbuckville Dam access to the Riverbank take-out. American Whitewater documents the Class II–III reach, direct Riverbank gauge, alternate put-in, private-bank constraints, and major drop; NYSDEC and local public-access listings supply the launch and take-out context.

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Plan this route

Distance6.7 river miles from Starbuckville Dam to Riverbank
DifficultyHard
Typical timeAbout 2–3 hours for an experienced whitewater group
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Schroon River at the USGS Riverbank monitoring station in New York.
River contextSchroon River at Riverbank; route and gauge context river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Geological Survey

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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distance6.7 river miles from Starbuckville Dam to RiverbankStarbuckville Dam to Riverbank / Warren County Canoe and Kayak Access
DifficultyhardAmerican Whitewater rates the reach Class II–III and describes a major drop, bony lower levels, tree hazards at higher stages, private-bank constraints, and a need to scout before committing. Treat it as hard whitewater for a group with reliable boat control and self-rescue skills.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at the Riverbank Warren County Canoe and Kayak Access on East Schroon River Road, then drive to the Starbuckville Dam hand launch. Verify the take-out landing, dirt-road access, legal parking, dam boundary, and any seasonal restrictions before unloading.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is identified by the route source. Follow current New York boating, PFD, DEC access, parking, park, and posted rules; verify any event-day or seasonal restrictions before launching.
CampingDay tripNo water-access camping is established by the reach sources. Treat nearby DEC campgrounds such as Sharp Bridge or Frontier Town as separate road-access basecamp options, not as shoreline camping within the route; confirm seasonal operation and reservations before relying on them.
SeasonApr-OctAmerican Whitewater and regional paddling guidance describe this as a level-sensitive spring-through-fall whitewater reach. Recent rain can raise the river quickly; late-season low water can make the rapids bony. Confirm the live stage, trend, weather, debris, private-bank constraints, and local access before launch.

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 distinct 6.7-mile Schroon River whitewater route from the public Starbuckville Dam access to the Riverbank take-out. American Whitewater documents the Class II–III reach, direct Riverbank gauge, alternate put-in, private-bank constraints, and major drop; NYSDEC and local public-access listings supply the launch and take-out context.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Starbuckville Dam public hand launch
Open mapDirections to put-in

Starbuckville is a public hand launch near a dam, not a runnable dam feature. Confirm the landing, parking capacity, downstream boundary, and any current municipal or DEC signage.

Finish

Take-out

Riverbank Warren County Canoe and Kayak Access
Open mapDirections to take-out

Riverbank is described as a public Warren County canoe access, but the stored coordinate is an access-area anchor derived from map material. Confirm the marked landing and parking on site before committing vehicles or boats.

Road shuttle

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Access planner

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On-water distance6.7 miMixed access
On-water timeAbout 2–3 hours for an experienced whitewater groupFull route option
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Starbuckville Dam public hand launch to Riverbank Warren County Canoe and Kayak Access is about 6.7 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Starbuckville is a public hand launch near a dam, not a runnable dam feature. Confirm the landing, parking capacity, downstream boundary, and any current municipal or DEC signage.
  • Riverbank is described as a public Warren County canoe access, but the stored coordinate is an access-area anchor derived from map material. Confirm the marked landing and parking on site before committing vehicles or boats.
  • The alternate Route 8 access shortens the trip but carries a specific private-bank and parking warning. Use it only if the public entry and vehicle staging are clear.
  • The route crosses a mix of public and private shoreline. Do not scout, land, portage, or camp on a private bank merely because it is adjacent to the river.

Watch for

  • USGS 01317000 unavailable, rapidly rising, or inconsistent with the local visual level; the 3.9 ft minimum is planning guidance only
  • Starbuckville Dam, Big Drop, bony shallow sections, pourovers, holes, trees in current, strainers, cold water, and bridge hazards
  • Riverbank road and landing condition, private-bank boundaries, alternate-put-in parking, daylight, recent rain, and shuttle failure

Plan this paddle

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

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Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

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Weather

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Route gallery

Photos

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

Score & sources

Why this score

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Data status
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Why this scoreData reliability: checking

This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.

Why
  • Checking data sources and update times.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times

These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.

Gauge siteSchroon River at Riverbank, NY
Gauge heightChecking
DischargeChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Preferred rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floor3.90 ft
High thresholdWater-level guidance unavailable
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial and local sources
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreAmerican Whitewater and local paddling guidance: about 3.9 ft or higher is the practical minimum for the lively section; higher stages change feature character and require stronger skills and scouting
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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 New York corridorStarbuckville Dam to Riverbank; 6.7 miles; Class II–III

    American Whitewater publishes the reach boundary, distance, difficulty, direct Riverbank gauge, and route-specific feature notes.

    Source

  • Public water accessStarbuckville Dam hand launch and Riverbank Warren County Canoe and Kayak Access

    NYSDEC lists the Starbuckville public hand launch; regional paddling guidance identifies the Riverbank public access and take-out road. The Riverbank coordinate is retained as an access-area anchor pending field verification.

    Source

  • Route-specific flow guidanceAbout 3.9 ft or higher as a practical minimum; higher water changes the feature hazards

    American Whitewater and local paddling guidance describe the level-sensitive Class II–III character. Preserve the minimum-only posture rather than fabricating a hard upper cutoff.

    Source

  • Direct gaugeUSGS 01317000, Schroon River at Riverbank, NY

    USGS provides current gage height at Riverbank, downstream of Starbuckville Dam; current stage is the best available direct telemetry but still requires local scouting.

    Source

  • Camping and basecamp contextNearby DEC campgrounds; no route water-access camping claimed

    DEC campground pages provide nearby road-access camping and shoreline recreation; they do not authorize camping on the whitewater reach.

    Source

  • Direct live gaugeUSGS 01317000, Schroon River at Riverbank, NY

    USGS 01317000 is a direct stage station on the Schroon River at Riverbank, approximately 6.4 miles downstream from Starbuckville Dam. Current telemetry is gage height, while historical discharge records and regulation effects limit any direct translation to a universal runnable rule; use the route-specific minimum as planning guidance and scout the actual reach.

    Source

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

    American Whitewater Schroon Starbuckville to Riverbank / NYSDEC Warren County launches and its linked safety material warn that conditions change rapidly and require local inspection.

    Source

  • 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.

    Source

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Reports

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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 / Southern AdirondacksJump 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 launchSouth Horicon Bridge hand launch to Starbuckville Dam hand launchWarren County / Chester and HoriconModerate · Approximately 2.6 planning river miles from South Horicon Bridge to the Starbuckville Dam hand launch

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Hudson RiverRiparius Bridge canoe launch to The Glen / Glen Bridge canoe access · about 6 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 13 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 14 straight-line mi awayModerate · Approximately 14 river milesHudson RiverNorth River / Thirteenth Brook to Riparius Bridge · about 15 straight-line mi awayHard · About 13 Hudson River miles

Quick answers

Schroon River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Starbuckville Dam to Riverbank / Warren County Canoe and Kayak Access route on the Schroon River?

Paddle Today watches Schroon River at Riverbank, NY and uses 3.90 ft as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.

Where does the Starbuckville Dam to Riverbank / Warren County Canoe and Kayak Access route on the Schroon River start and end?

This route starts at Starbuckville Dam public hand launch and ends at Riverbank Warren County Canoe and Kayak Access, 6.7 river miles from Starbuckville Dam to Riverbank on the water.

Is the Starbuckville Dam to Riverbank / Warren County Canoe and Kayak Access route on the Schroon River suitable 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.

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