St. Lawrence County has no shortage of waterways. We are lucky to have 3 of the 10 longest rivers in New York State with the St. Lawrence, the Raquette, and the Oswegatchie within our boundaries. Adventures abound for paddlers, be it on flat water, whitewater, or anything between. A blueway trail is when these opportunities are catalogued under a "trail" and resources are made to create more and higher quality opportunities along rivers for recreation.
Below are three blueway trails that are being developed in St. Lawrence County!
The Raquette River is one of the most diverse bodies of water in New York state. At 146 miles in length, it is the third longest river entirely within the borders of New York, spanning from Blue Mountain Lake in the Adirondacks, to Akwesasne territory near Massena. Within St. Lawrence County, the river is used heavily for Hydro-electric production, and is dammed in several spots. This provides for ample opportunity to paddle on the several reservoirs created along the rivers course. Whitewater runs also exist along Stone Valley in Colton, NY provided that water levels are adequate.
The Grasse River is small but mighty, running its 115 mile course through the wilderness of Fine and Clifton through to the pastoral farmland in the northern St. Lawrence Valley. The southern branches of the Grasse provide ample opportunities for experienced whitewater paddlers to experience some of the most exciting rapids the northeastern US has to offer. Further downstream, there is ample opportunity for flatwater exploration between the hamlet of Morley and the town of Louisville. During particularly cold winters, cross-country skiers and ice skaters can take advantage of the placid, frozen surface of the river to enjoy miles of pristine ice and snow.
The Oswegatchie River is the furthest west of the blueway trails in St. Lawrence County, and includes some of the most extensive opportunities for remote paddling in the Adirondack Park. The river begins its course in the Five Ponds Wilderness, runs through Cranberry Lake, and ends up draining into the St. Lawrence River in the city of Ogdensburg. In the Five Ponds Wilderness, there are several lean-to's and primitive campsites along the river until it drains into Cranberry lake. Further downstream, the Oswegatchie is wide, and far calmer. There are several put-ins for canoes and larger craft along the way.
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