Route Planning
A sample of some of the most popular routes that our BBX Guides have recommended for 4-5 day treks in the Adirondacks. All these routes can be customized, extended, or shortened to match your crew’s skills – feel free to customize. Details on the routes can be found in Adirondack Paddler’s Guide (4th Edition) and the Adirondack Paddlers Maps by Dave Cilley. Copies are available from www.paddlesportspress.com
Crews are encouraged to design their own canoe route, with some considerations:
- Routes can be on either flat water or moving water less than Class II.
- We recommend that routes generally will be no more than 6 hours or 10 miles in duration per day.
- Consider building in a "layover day" mid-week, possibly with a side hike
- Custom routes must be reviewed by Birchbark Expeditions staff in advance.
Note that routes each have a Maximum Crew Size – dictated by the NYS DEC, accommodating the crew plus the guide. Some also require permits for crews over 9 (including the guide).
Suggested Treks
| Trek # | Route | Features |
| ADK1 | Cranberry Lake Circumnavigate Cranberry Lake, camping and hiking along the way GPS Track Put-in/Take-out DEC Launch at North end of lake | Varies Difficulty: Easy |
| ADK2 | Oswegatchie River to High Falls and Return Easy twisty stream paddle through a very remote area. Options for nice day hikes to High Falls, High Rock and Five Ponds. Put-in: Inlet on Oswegatchie River Oswegatchie River, High Falls and return. GPS Track Take-out: Inlet on Oswegatchie River | 35 miles 2 Portages Difficulty: Easy Side hikes |
| ADK3 | Floodwood Loop – Saint Regis Wilderness Put-in: Floodwood Pond Access Fish creek, Follensby Clear Pond, Hoel Pond, Turtle Pond, Slang Pond, Long Pond, back to Floodwood Pond GPS Track Take-out: Floodwood Pond Access | 18 miles 6 Portages Difficulty: Easy |
| ADK4 | Saint Regis Ponds Loop Put-in: Floodwood Pond Access Long Pond, Nellie Pond, Kit Fox Pond, Fish Pond, Ochre Pond, St. Regis Pond, Little Clear Pond, Hatchery Brook, Upper Saranac Lake, Fish creek Ponds, Follensby Clear Pond, Fish Creek, back to Floodwood Pond GPS Track Optional hike up Long Pond Mtn. Take-out Floodwood Pond Access | 18-25 miles 10+ portages Difficulty: Intermediate Crew Max: 11 Permit Required |
| ADK5 | Oswegatchie Traverse Put-in: Lowes Lower Dam Access Hitchens Pond, Bog River, Low’s Lake, Big Deer Pond, Oswegatchie River GPS Track Take out: Inlet on the Oswegatchie River | 35 miles 6 Portages Difficulty: Intermediate-Difficult Very Wild |
| ADK6 | Long Lake to Upper Saranac Lake Put-in: Long Lake/Rte 30 Long Lake, Raquette River, Stony Creek, Upper Saranac GPS Track Optional side hike to Ampersand Mountain GPS Track ake out: North end of Saranac Lake (Saranac Inn) | 40 miles 2 Portages Difficulty: Intermediate-Difficult |
| ADK7 | Long Lake to Tupper Town Put-in: Long Lake/Rte 30 Long Lake, Raquette River, Raquette Falls, Simon Pond, Tupper Lake GPS Track Can be extended by paddling further down into Tupper Lake Take-out: Tupper Lake Town Park Extended version take-out: Setting Pole Dam | 44 miles (extend to 50 miles) 1 Portage Difficulty: Intermediate-Difficult |
| ADK8 | Floodwood to Tupper Lake – Saint Regis and Saranac Put-in: Floodwood Pond Access Little Square, Fish Creek Ponds, Upper Saranac Lake, Stone Creek Ponds, Stony Creek and Raquette River to Tupper Lake. GPS Track Optional side hike to Ampersand Mountain GPS Track Take-out: Moody Launch on Tupper Lake | 30-45 miles 1 portage Difficulty: Intermediate-Difficult |
Notes:
1) Camp sites on Middle and Lower Saranac Lake require reservations and additional fees.
2) Each area within the Adirondacks has a maximum number of persons per campsite, dictating the maximum crew size. Double crews cannot camp within one mile of each other and must keep their distance while traveling. Permits are required for groups of 10 or more (double crews).
3) Any of the loop or flat-water routes can be reversed, allowing double crews to pass each other during a trek.
