Salmon River Cabin Kayaking



	Whitewater Kayaking Black River: 140 Newell Street, Watertown, to Fish Island, Dexter Watertown New York Whitewater Kayaking Routes Preview: While the scenery on the Black River in Jefferson County, New York, may be schizophrenic, the big-volume, drop-pool nature of the rapids is consistent throughout the seven-and-a-half-mile paddle. Starting off in downtown Watertown, mill buildings, city bridges, and urban-associated pollution create a bleak backdrop for the first half of the paddle. Once past the city limits, the scenery changes dramatically, as the river enters a narrow, secluded canyon where great blue herons, cedar waxwings, and even a pair of bald eagles have been spotted. All signs of the city are gone: deer are often seen watering along the banks, and barred owls hoot majestically form lofty perches. Activity Type: Whitewater Paddling Nearby City: Watertown, NY Length: 7.5 total miles Gradient: 28 feet per mile Skill Level: Class IV (V in high water) Season: May through late October Crafts: Kayaks Local Contacts: Included with eTrail Local Maps: Black River: 140 Newell Street, Watertown, to Fish Island, Dexter Topo Map USGS Watertown and Dexter Guide book: Appalachian Whitewater: The Northern States Guide Book Black River: Watertown to Brownville Watertown New York Whitewater Kayaking Routes Preview: Set in the midst of a dying mill town only a few miles from Lake Ontario, at first glance the Black seems an unlikely location for a whitewater run. But less than 100 yards from the put-in youÕll become a believer, as you shred the silky-smooth waves and catch the well-defined, powerful eddies of Club House Turn and Burns Wall. Carved out of flat-lying limestone, the Black River drains a large area of the western Adirondacks. Its character is very different from most other northeastern rivers, which are low volume and littered with glacier-worn boulders. You wonÕt see many boulders in the Black, but ledges are plentiful, undercut walls are everywhere, and the volume is high (1,000 to 8,000 cfs). Because of its many undercuts, you should take special care in running the Black. One rapid in particular, Knife Edge, has claimed several boatersÕ lives where the current slams up against a seemingly innocuous ledge that is actually undercut about 20 feet. But despite the terrible scenery for the first mile or two and the many undercuts, the Black is a tremendous class IIIÐIV river with several opportunities for surfing waves and holes, running big drops, and generally Òmessing aboutÓ in kayaks, canoes, and rafts. Activity Type: Whitewater Paddling Nearby City: Watertown, NY Length: 7 total miles Gradient: 28 feet per mile Skill Level: Class III - IV Local Contacts: Gauge location and water level information is provided in the eTrail if available. Local Maps: Black River: Watertown to Brownville Topo Map Guide book: Classic Northeastern Whitewater Guide Guide Book