Northeast Wild

  July 1, 2022 - At the western edge of the High Peaks Wilderness Area, Stony Creek is not much over 1.5 miles long but one's trip can easily be extended by paddling Stony Creek Ponds to the north, Ampersand Brook to the east, and/or the Raquette River to the south. One can find a good access by the Coreys Road bridge that crosses over the creek – from NY 3 (halfway between Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake), drive south on Coreys Road for 2.5 miles (the last mile on dirt) to the bridge. You can also start your paddle on the northwestern lobe of the ponds or at Axton Landing on the Raquette River. From the bridge, we paddled upstream. It comes as no surprise that this stream meanders about, but, unlike the East Branch, this time silver maples rise up from grassy shores and the Joe Pye weed was slightly more advanced in its flowering display here. Once again, damselflies were also seen in abundance. Grasses and other underwater vegetation bent downstream in the light current. A straight...

  Paddling the Raquette River article. August 11, 2025 - RAQUETTE RIVER paddling upstream from The Crusher boat launch. 1.4 miles to the Trombley Landing lean-to in a backwater. Meanders, lots of cardinal flowers blooming. Lower floodplain shores with silver maples, higher shores with mixed woods and towering white pines. Gb heron. Sewards in view. At 4 miles, up the outlet of Follensby Pond, over a beaver dam where I found an old axe. You can go half a mile through this wide marshy area before seeing new no trespassing signs, although the stream is navigable for over twice that. An eagle hit the water then over to the trees. Pickerelweed and water lilies in the backwaters. Stopped for lunch on some rocks further up the Raquette. Headed back. 2 motorboats (1 a female ranger), 3 jetskis, quite a few paddlers. Temp rising through the 70s and 80s, no clouds. No bad bugs. 11.4 miles, 5.2 hours. Sep 12, 2016 - RAQUETTE RIVER & FOLLENSBY POND OUTLET upstream from The Crusher boat lau...