CEDAR RIVER FLOW paddling, camping & hiking

May 23-25, 2023 (Tue-Thu) The trip started on a high note. As we were driving in on the dirt section of Cedar River Rd we saw a moose in the road - unfortunately, it ran into the woods before I could get a pic. The plan was to car camp for 2 nights at a primitive (picnic table, fire pit, & outhouses) site near Wakely Dam & get in some paddling & possibly some hiking.                                                              Day 1 - After setting up camp, we paddled out onto the flow & headed S staying near the E shore. Passed 1 loon. Paddled up Buell Brook & turned around at a small beaver dam. Continued S - the usual grasses had not grown in yet so it was easy to locate where the river comes in. Soon came a beaver dam - there was an opening on the L but the current + a bit of a lift necessitated a short carry. Another beautiful 1.5 miles of winding stream to the Carry Lean-to where we took a break - bugs not too bad at "the lean-to that hums". Back downstream & down the W shore of the flow. Saw 1 small motorboat (fishing), no other paddlers, none of the backcountry campsites were occupied. 10.8 miles, 5 hours. Light to moderate black fly activity in camp (temp ~70F) - bearable, they go away after sunset. Nice fire, loon calls, loud spring peepers. Moose prints close to camp. Lots of painted trilliums in the area. 3 other nearby campsites were occupied - I would not camp near the dam in summer when one often finds noisy campers who do not value peace & quiet.

Day 2 - The forecast called for some sun in the morning and rain showers in the afternoon, possibly into the evening. Decided to do a short hike on the NPT. The gate to the Moose River Plains had just been opened so we drove over a mile & started hiking S. Stopped to take a look at campsite #6 which serves both NPT & Cedar River Flow - some of the "furniture" I had noted in 2019 is still there. Continued S & turned around at the junction with the Wilson's Ridge Trail. Flowering hobblebush and lots of wildflowers: Red & Painted Trillium, Starflower, Violets, Blueberry, Spring Beauty, Bellwort. Moose tracks; red eft (eastern spotted salamander). 3 hours. Decided to take a drive into the plains - went 13 miles from the gate & got a flat tire - between the 3 of us we got it off & the donut on. Headed back to camp. Rain showers on & off - got a fire going. Very little black fly activity today (cooler temps, high of 65 at 11am & dropped to mid-40s by 3 pm). Cleared, & stars came out before bedtime.

Day 3 - CEDAR RIVER FLOW Day 3 - we planned to leave early so, after getting up at 5:30 am with temp ~32*F with mist over the water, I got out for a short paddle - checked out where Payne Brook flows into the Flow (large beaver lodge & dams), went around the islands (some shallow rocks), etc. Saw 2 loons. Too cold for black flies. Ended up with 2 small bf bites on the inside of wrist from the trip - they do not usually show up & itch for a couple of days after the bite.

CEDAR RIVER FLOW. Late September 2019. I was hoping to get campsite #6 which is where the NPT comes closest to the flow - so one gets access to both water & trail. But, there was a motorboat moored there & a large group of 12 (a permit is needed for camping groups of more than 9 people http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/41282.html ) from PA was camped there for 7 nights (a permit is needed if camping at the same site for over 3 nights). There was a large 10'x30' tent/awning set up & some hammocks, some fine wood furniture, camp chairs, several large coolers (no bear hang), condiments were left out on the table, a good face cord of firewood (don't know if it was gathered on site, it is against the law in NYS to transport wood more than 50 miles), a few canoes & kayaks too - this outfit was not roughing it! I was both outraged & jealous!!! Went back after they left & took a look - still some nice tables there, a wood pommel horse?, a fair amount of firewood, but no trash - nice!

CEDAR RIVER FLOW. Late September 2019. 2,100' el. I wanted an E-facing campsite to get the warming early morning sun, so I headed for campsite #6 Ice House Landing where the NPT comes closest to the flow. Unfortunately the site was already heavily occupied (see separate post) so I took #7 which has an above average landing, privacy, views & swimming, not too flat tho; thunderbox privy; balsam, spruce, maples. Views: Buell Mtn to the E, Lewey Mtn (3,742') to the SE, Blue Ridge to the S (3,860'+, 2nd highest mountain outside of the greater High Peaks, cliffs, higher than the Blue Ridge in the Blue Ridge Wilderness to the N, too many Blue Ridges! Colvin called this one Cloud Cap, a much better name), I could see the fire tower on Pillsbury Mtn (3,597') to the far S. Seen/heard: loons (incl. a juvenile), C geese, barred owls. Day 2 - rain predicted, nice sunrise tho. Bushwhacked 10 minutes to the NPT (on an old road here - easy walking) & headed S - soon started raining. Made it to the Carry Lean-to on the Cedar River in ~1 hour & stayed 2.5 hours until rain stopped. Started back to camp & it started to rain lightly! Ankle-biters came out when it was warmer, Temp range 45-70F, fairly windy, colors near peak, surprisingly not too busy, very quiet 97% of the time, 3 motorboats, no road noise.

July 24&25, 2016 - CEDAR RIVER FLOW from Wakely Dam.  Day 1 - Across the flow, set up camp in the area of lots of burr reeds, headed up the river & past the lean-to.  Tried to find a campsite & path from it to Carry Pond but to no avail - mentioned in 2013 Discover the West Central Adirondacks (but not in my 1988 version).  Pied-billed grebes, loons, bald eagle.  10.7 miles.  Day 2 - early morning paddle, broke camp early due to storms in the forecast.  6 miles.  Very scenic - mountains rise up over 1,600' above the flow - Wakely's fire tower can often be seen.  Some canoes & kayaks, 1 motorboat, 1 guideboat.  Light bug activity - at times some deer flies, no-see-ums, mosquitoes, stable flies - no need for DEET.  Rain stopped on way out so stopped at Mason Lake for a short paddle around the small lake & boggy outlet - quite scenic but close to Rt.30 - did see a pair of loons tho - 2.8 miles.

Aug 11 & 12 - CEDAR RIVER FLOW canoe camping. Lots of folks camping at the Wakely Dam put-in but only 2 other backcountry campsites were occupied. Hoping to see the Perseid meteor showers but clouded over in the evening. Thunderbox at our campsite, possibly at others. Loons not too vocal. After setting up camp paddled up Buell Brook until it got too shallow then up the Cedar River past the lean-to. Area surrounded by mountains that rise over 1,500' from the flow, Wakely's firetower often in view - very scenic. Monday: paddled back up the river to a backwater near a campsite & picked up a path that soon reached an old 4WD road (used as late as 1987, parts had new maples growing densely, will be very hard to follow in a few years). Went E 2+ miles with Little Squaw Brook to our S but out of sight. Took a R & R again to circa 1960 Studebaker Lark wagon & a small van. Lunched below at LSB. No bad bugs in camp or on the water; mosquitoes & non-biting flies on the hike. A couple of small motor boats out but still mostly very peaceful. Wenonah Wilderness, a 15'4" solo canoe, this one made of tough Royalex - Wenonah & Mad River have raised prices of Royalex canoes hundreds of $ - the end of Royalex story.

Sep 28, 2014 - CEDAR RIVER FLOW. August-like temps in upper 70s, also biting stable flies (aka "ankle-biters") are back. Paddled to a campsite next to the NPT on W shore & set up. Paddled up the stream to the west of Cedar River, lifting over 7 beaver dams, to bridge on the NPT. Carried almost half mile SE on the NPT to lean-to, couple of guys with small motorboat encamped here. Paddled upriver on the Cedar for a bit then downstream back to the flow, mostly spruce so very little fall color. The firetower on Wakeley Mtn can often be seen. 0.75 miles up Buell Brook before returning to camp. 8.5 miles round-trip from campsite. Brilliant fall foliage around the flow. Mountains, incl. Lewey & Snowy, rise up to 1,800' above the flow. C geese, wood ducks, beavers, no loony tunes. Lovely starry night, left the fly off the tent.

Aug 8 & 9, 2010 - CEDAR RIVER FLOW canoe camping. Snagged a campsite on the E shore - saw previous occupants leave, they also left some trash, beer cans & fire burning (all no-nos). Paddled into Buell Brook then up the Cedar River (lots of spruce; some balsam; no cedar) to the lean-to, a motorboat made it up past the leanto. Walked the Northville-Placid Trail N for a third of a mile to footbridge over unnamed stream (US) to see if it looked navigable. Next day I paddled up the Cedar River again, carried over to the NPT taking a short-cut on overgrown old road a bit N of lean-to. The carry took 9 minutes - I just slung the Merlin II over my shoulder & went (had left the removable yoke in the Nehasanemobile). Put in next to footbridge on US. US sort of parallels the Cedar River but goes right thru the heart of the vast wetland S of CR Flow. Shores are grassy with some tamaracks, spruce & alder. Went over ~5 small beaver dams, then a confusing area with multiple channels & then after 15 mins. reached the spot where I had turned around on July 4. The stream gets wider & I sometimes push thru lilypads before reaching the flow. Lots of flowers incl. Joe-Pye weed, turtlehead, gentian, goldenrod, yellow pond lily, bladderwort. Loons, mergansers, wood ducks, gb herons, C geese, muskrat.

May 3-5, 2003 - CEDAR RIVER & FLOW canoe camping, W of Indian Lake in Central Adks. 1st night camp on flow (well below freezing in am), 2nd night on the river (slightly below freezing overnight). The flow is flanked by mountains, some of which rise 1,700' above the lake (a flow is a lake formed by the damming of a river or stream). Paddled 3 miles along the flow into the river & another 2 miles on the river past the leanto, paddling/poling up class 1 rapids in last stretch. Some mosquito activity late Sunday - they like the warm sun as much as we do. Hiked to Carry Pond along path in cove behind campsite - passed a hunter's campsite (thanks for the firewood), R on old logging road then soon L on short path to pond. Beaver show in the evening - watched one groom itself & nibble on a stick for about an hour. Monday, hiked old logging road (no trail markers, but obvious & on the USGS & ADK maps) up Little Squaw Brook valley - 8 miles, 4.5 hrs. Bear tracks near where road crosses the brook to the W of Snowy Mtn. Found 3 old rusted mid-century vehicles. Blooming spring beauties & trout lilies. Gusty winds on paddle out - whitecaps in middle of lake - stayed close to shore in case of capsize. Bell Merlin II , a 15' solo composite canoe, handled the 1.5' waves fairly well, got sprayed a couple times with 20+mph beam winds. Merlin tracks well but is a bit hard to turn in the winding stream but heeling (leaning) it over makes it turn easier.

July 4, 2002 - Cedar River Flow canoeing. Area is SW of Indian Lake village at the edge of the Cedar Lakes Wilderness. Put-in at Wakely Dam - free camping around the dam if you like to camp near others. Followed E shore into a headwind (what's new?), couple of miles down & I poke into Buell Brook for an hour - worth the side-trip - waded & lined the canoe a bit til it was impossible to go any further - stream bottom mainly sand & rocks. Back to the flow to the sounds of loons - take a break at a campsite (only 2 out of the 6 backcountry sites I saw were taken - bit of a surprise to me). Mountains rise almost 2,000' to W (Wakely) & to the E (Lewey, Snowy). S end of the flow is grassy & it is a bit of a challenge to find the mouths of the inlets - all part of the fun. Staying close to E shore find the Cedar River (interestingly enough, no cedar trees, mostly spruce, some tamarack) & follow it upstream for a winding 1.5 mi. to leanto. No beaverdams. Wanted to take a nap but every time I started dosing a fly would bite me - scenic spot, tho. Returned on W side of flow where I see 2 adult loons with 1 chick. Across I see a doe with 2 fawns & then another deer (where's the moose?). Some blackflies (mainly in parking area) & fair amount of deerflies, no mosquitoes (they come out in the evening). Dragonflies & damselflies land on me. Sheep laurel starting to bloom, blue flag. ~10 mi., 6.5 hrs. Nice swim at the dam afterwards. Only other boats I saw on the water were 2 kayaks & 1 small motorboat - surprised to find things so peaceful on July 4. Merrimack Baboosic, 14' solo Kevlar canoe with cherry ribs, handled very well, easy to turn in the streams, seat position good for both kneeling & sitting.

It was a visit to Cedar River Flow many years ago that may have changed Nehasane's life. A friend & I had borrowed an aluminum canoe & paddled here. As we were taking a break on shore a solo paddler approached in a white Sawyer Cruiser, a 17'9"L 33"W tandem canoe - he was moving right along - it was a beautiful sight. A while later I was at Andy's Sporting Goods in Latham & there was a red Cruiser for sale in a Goldenglass layup - it was my first canoe - fast but not real stable as canoes go (I thought that was normal) - a canoeing nut I became.

Dec. 3, 2001 - Cedar River Flow & Wakely Pond canoeing. Camped the night at Wakely Dam where you can find a dozen drive-in campsites (well-used in summer). The dam turns the Cedar River into a 3 mile long flow. Going solo, so which canoe do I bring? Merlin, Wildfire Rx, Baboosic? No, the Bell Northwind, 17'6" tandem Kevlar w/kneeling thwart. Wind from the S & have to paddle into it so I put a rock in the bow to try to make canoe a little bow heavy. Got to an island just off point on W shore & did not like what I saw - whitecaps - wind was coming across the marsh & onto the flow. Gorgeous to look at on this otherwise pleasant day - mountains rise 2,000' to the E. Decision time. Have a rule that I follow called "3 Good Reasons" - if I can think of 3 good reasons to back off, I will. Today: wind, cold water, paddling solo so turned around (in summer it would have been a go). Saw some ice in a protected bay then explored Payne Brook. Went over 1 beaverdam but at second I could see 2 more not far ahead so turned back. Still lots of time so I drive over to Wakely Pond & paddle the circumference - good views of Wakely Mt. Used a beavertail paddle most of today - good for doing in-water recoveries (the act of slicing the blade forward between strokes without taking it out of the water) - by not taking the paddle out of the water you don't lose control in the wind - a paddle out of the water is doing you no good. Never thought I'd still be paddling in the Adirondacks in early December. Still waiting for snow.

Dec. 2 - Wakely Mountain hike, W of Indian Lake. Depressed after being snubbed by Britney Spears & not being invited to her birthday party, Nehasane heads N once again. Start of hike is on dirt 4WD road thru second-growth woods. Could see Wakely Pond thru the woods to the N. Much of the way a stream is near the trail & after 2 days of rain lots of water cascades over small falls. Gain about 500' in 1.9 mi. Bear L off trail to visit an old beaverpond shown on the map. Remains of dams still there but pond is now basically a stream - real interesting to explore. Peaceful day - no sounds or sights of man - that's way I like it. Climb almost 1,200' in the next 1.1 mi. Boreal chicadees flit about. Forest becomes spruce/fir with lots of moss. Firetower has 11 flights of stairs. No real view without climbing it. Each level had more ice & I chickened out at the 4th level - steps beyond had rime ice & I could not risk going up - no chain link fence like most foretowers have. Temp. a bit over freezing. Could see Cedar River Flow, Lewey & Snowy Mtns. to the SE; Lake Kora to the W - do not see any man-made structures, just wild lands. Need to go higher to see High Peaks & Moose River Plains. Last day of deer hunting season in the Adirondacks.

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