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Canoeing & Kayaking
13th Lake near North Creek NY
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Copyright 2000 Alfonso Vazquez-Cuervo - See Terms of Use

Our Route Summary

  • Submitted by: Diane Rocque
  • Date Submitted: 10/2000
  • Email: ddsrocque@cs.com
  • Location: Near North Creek NY in the Gore Mountain Ski Center, Adirondack Mountain Region near the northern part of the Hudson River
  • Class: Typically flat water lake
  • Distance Paddled: 2 miles long lake
  • Water: fresh
  • Wildlife: You can see many fish (about which I have no clue but people tell me you can get trout, bass, bullhead). I also saw ducks, loons and ospreys. In fact the call of the loons was just awesome to hear on the lake.

Entry and Exit

  • Directions: Take the Northway (Rt.87) to the Warrensburg exit. Continue north through Warrensburg to 28 N through North Creek to an even smaller town called North River. Then follow the signs to Garnet Hill Cross Country Ski Lodge. 13th Lake Road is off the road that goes to the lodge. Best thing to do is ask directions once you get to North Creek. The nearest airport is Albany, New York.
  • Fee: none
  • Description: dirt beach
  • Parking: adjacent unpaved
  • Facilities: Campground

What We Saw

The lake is one of many small, natural lakes in the area I grew up in. 13th Lake is approximately 2 miles long which makes for an easy morning paddle. The water is fresh, clear and the lake is surrounded by a beautiful, northern forest. As you're paddling the lake you'll see small individual campgrounds that you can reach to camp out on for the night.

You can even hear your echo. No motors are on this lake. I did see other kayakers, canoeists and a couple of rowboats with people out fishing. I rented a couple of Wilderness System kayaks (Manteo) from one of the many rafting companies in the area. The Hudson River is nearby for the white water kayak enthusiasts.

Remember the time of year really affects kayaking in the area. By November it will be getting too cold to enjoy the water. The lakes start to freeze in December and won't thaw until late March.
Oh yes, before I finish, the first weekend in May is the Annual White Water Derby Weekend in North Creek. It is a full weekend competition for canoe and kayak on the Hudson River. The river is high with the snow melt and there are all sorts of different competitions and classes. I won't be getting into that but it is fun to watch if you're not participating.

Please feel free to contact me if you need any information on my neck of the woods in upstate New York. If I can't answer your questions, I can sure get the answers for you.