Backpacker Magazine – June 2008

Top 3 Paddling Treks

These weekend float trips have side hikes that rival the paddling for scenery and solitude.

by: Kellie Schmitt

Nancy Lake SRA, AK | Floodwood Pond, NY | Village Creek, TX

Photo by George Wuerthner

Floodwood Pond, NY
Paddle your way to mountain peaks
From the top of 2,530-foot Long Pond Mountain, the St. Regis Canoe Wilderness unfolds in a breathtaking maze of interlocking waterways amid thick green forest. The trail to this rarely hiked peak is accessible only by paddling the Floodwood Pond Loop in the northern part of The Adirondack Park, about three hours from Albany. From Floodwood Pond, paddle five miles through eleven small lakes to Follensby Clear and its two-dozen tent sites. The next day, continue six miles northwest past sunlit sandy banks to the base of Long Pond Mountain. Exchange paddle for boots and summit via a steep, 1.6-mile trail. Paddle two hours to the takeout. Or grab one of the two dozen secluded sites tucked between towering pines along the twisting shoreline.

Canoe Rental
St. Regis Canoe Outfitters in Lake Clear (888-775-2925, canoeoutfitters.com)

The Way
From Seranac Lake, take CR 18 eight miles west to NY 30. Turn south, and head 2.6 miles to Floodwood Road. Turn right and drive four miles to Floodwood Pond.

Nancy Lake SRA, AK | Floodwood Pond, NY | Village Creek, TX

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