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New York | Hamilton and Herkimer Counties / Moose River Plains

South Branch Moose RiverRock Dam to McKeever

An advanced planning-only 22.1-mile South Branch Moose River reach from the public Rock Dam Road/Trail access near the Red River confluence to the McKeever bridge take-out. American Whitewater publishes the Class II–IV reach, route geometry, endpoint access points, ALC traverse boundary, 2.65-ft McKeever gauge condition, and portage context. NYSDEC documents the public Rock Dam Road end-of-road parking and the seasonal gate/road system; the ALC section is private land governed by navigation-only rules, with no camping, fishing, bank entry, or overnighting inside the traverse.

Route location

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Plan this route

Distance22.1 whitewater river miles
DifficultyHard
Typical timeA full daylight day for an advanced group
ShuttleCar shuttle
South Branch Moose River from Rock Dam to McKeever in New York, shown in American Whitewater route context.
Route photoSouth Branch Moose River Rock Dam to McKeever; route-specific contextPhoto by American Whitewater

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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 distance22.1 whitewater river milesRock Dam to McKeever
DifficultyhardAmerican Whitewater rates the reach Class II–IV and describes long continuous rapids, a 1.8-mile portage that skips roughly five miles, and remote rescue conditions. The ALC order adds navigation-only bank restrictions, daylight and one-day effort requirements, and no safety warranty; low water can turn the route into a slow walk/portage with broken-boat and overnight risk.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the McKeever downstream vehicle only at the confirmed public take-out/parking context, then drive to the Rock Dam Road end through the seasonal Moose River Plains gate system. Confirm both gates, road drying, registration, daylight, and a failed-shuttle/extraction plan; a single vehicle is not an adequate rescue plan for this remote reach.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow the current ALC navigation terms and registration statement, NYSDEC Moose River Plains gate/road and camping rules, New York boating/PFD requirements, and any seasonal closures. The ALC terms provide no safety warranty and do not authorize camping, fishing, hunting, swimming, or general bank access.
CampingOptions nearbyNYSDEC documents numerous legal primitive roadside campsites in the Moose River Plains Complex, including along Rock Dam Road, but the ALC traverse prohibits camping and all non-navigation activity. Camp only at a separately confirmed DEC site outside the private section, and plan to complete the traverse before dusk; no riverbank, bridge, or private-land camping is claimed.
SeasonMay-OctThe ALC traverse is limited by the controlling access order to May 1–October 15, or the later Northern Zone muzzleloader-season start, and requires the McKeever gauge to have reached at least 2.65 ft in the preceding 24 hours. Favor daylight spring/high-water conditions after checking the live gauge, road gates, wood, weather, and the full group rescue margin.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

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WeekendChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

An advanced planning-only 22.1-mile South Branch Moose River reach from the public Rock Dam Road/Trail access near the Red River confluence to the McKeever bridge take-out. American Whitewater publishes the Class II–IV reach, route geometry, endpoint access points, ALC traverse boundary, 2.65-ft McKeever gauge condition, and portage context. NYSDEC documents the public Rock Dam Road end-of-road parking and the seasonal gate/road system; the ALC section is private land governed by navigation-only rules, with no camping, fishing, bank entry, or overnighting inside the traverse.

Access map

Skip map

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Start

Put-in

Rock Dam Road end / Rock Dam Trail access
Open mapDirections to put-in

Rock Dam Road is a seasonal DEC access road; the UMP says it can remain closed after the area initially opens until it dries, and the route source identifies public access down DEC dirt roads. Verify the current gate and road status before carrying in.

Finish

Take-out

McKeever bridge river-right take-out
Open mapDirections to take-out

The ALC section is private property crossed under a narrow navigation settlement/order. Register, respect the specified season and gauge condition, stay on the water except incidental navigation, and do not infer a general public shoreline or camping right from navigability.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Rock Dam Road is a seasonal DEC access road; the UMP says it can remain closed after the area initially opens until it dries, and the route source identifies public access down DEC dirt roads. Verify the current gate and road status before carrying in.
  • The ALC section is private property crossed under a narrow navigation settlement/order. Register, respect the specified season and gauge condition, stay on the water except incidental navigation, and do not infer a general public shoreline or camping right from navigability.
  • The McKeever point is an American Whitewater route-source take-out anchor near the Route 28 bridge, not a surveyed ramp. Confirm the current river-right landing, parking, traffic exposure, and safe carry before launch.

Watch for

  • USGS 04254500 below 2.65 ft, rapidly rising/falling, unavailable, or inconsistent with local visual conditions and the ALC terms
  • Rock Dam Road gate/road closure, required registration, Red River confluence, long rapids, low-water rock gardens, strainers, undercuts, bridge hydraulics, cold water, and limited rescue access
  • ALC property boundary, no-bank-entry/no-camping restrictions, daylight deadline, portage decisions, McKeever bridge traffic, take-out landing, and any downstream continuation pressure

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

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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

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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.

South Branch Moose River from Rock Dam to McKeever in New York, shown in American Whitewater route context.
South Branch Moose River Rock Dam to McKeever; route-specific contextPhoto by American Whitewater
American Whitewater route image

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 corridorSouth Branch Moose River Rock Dam to McKeever; 22.1 miles; Class II–IV

    American Whitewater publishes the distinct reach, endpoint access points, class range, portage option, and route-specific private-land restrictions.

    Source

  • Public upstream accessRock Dam Road end / Rock Dam Trail access

    NYSDEC documents Rock Dam Road end-of-road parking and the public seasonal Moose River Plains road/gate system; American Whitewater supplies the river-side endpoint anchor.

    Source

  • Private-land navigation termsALC traverse: season, registration, 2.65-ft McKeever condition, daylight, and navigation-only bank restrictions

    The official UMP reproduces the controlling traverse terms. They are access conditions, not a safety certification or general public land-use authorization.

    Source

  • Direct gauge and route flow conditionUSGS 04254500 Moose River at McKeever; 2.65-ft preceding-24-hour traverse condition

    USGS provides current gage-height telemetry at McKeever; the 2.65-ft condition comes from the official traverse terms and route source.

    Source

  • Camping postureDEC roadside primitive campsites outside the ALC section; no camping during the private traverse

    NYSDEC documents the Moose River Plains campsite network, while the ALC terms prohibit camping and other non-navigation activity on the private section.

    Source

  • Route imageAmerican Whitewater South Branch Moose River image used as route-specific feature context

    The image is sourced from the named reach and presented as route context; it does not certify current water level, wood, access, or a runnable line.

    Source

  • Direct live gaugeUSGS 04254500, Moose River at McKeever, NY

    USGS 04254500 is the direct McKeever gauge used by the route source and the ALC access terms. The 2.65-ft reading is a preceding-24-hour legal traverse condition; use the live gage-height trend with local rain, releases, wood, cold water, road status, and visual scouting. A qualifying number does not certify a safe line or public bank use.

    Source

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

    American Whitewater / NYSDEC Moose River Plains and Black River Wild Forest access context 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

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

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Quick answers

South Branch Moose River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Rock Dam to McKeever route on the South Branch Moose 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 Rock Dam to McKeever route on the South Branch Moose River start and end?

This route starts at Rock Dam Road end / Rock Dam Trail access and ends at McKeever bridge river-right take-out, 22.1 whitewater river miles on the water.

Is the Rock Dam to McKeever route on the South Branch Moose River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a hard 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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