news
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner John P. Cahill today announced that the famous "northern flow" corridors of the Deer, St. Regis, Oswegatchie and Grass rivers opened to public use today for the first time in more than a century.
Access to the corridors was part of the largest land conservation transaction in New York State^s history, an agreement announced by Governor George E. Pataki last month that preserves 144,300 acres of forest land formerly owned by Champion International Corporation. The property encompasses three large, non-contiguous blocks of land located in portions of 10 towns in St. Lawrence, Franklin, Lewis and Herkimer counties within the Adirondack Park. The balance of the lands will open to public use next summer.
"For the first time in more than 100 years, the public will have access to the famous ‘northern flow^ river corridors that boast some of the best canoeing areas in the country," Cahill said. "Although dry weather may temporarily curtail water recreation in some areas this season, this property will provide vast new recreational opportunities for years to come."
Because low water conditions prevail across the North Country, DEC recommends that people contemplating a canoe or kayak trip contact DEC^s regional offices in the North Country for the latest conditions.
Opened today are portions of the 29,000 acres that the State has purchased in fee surrounding the "northern flow" river corridors. In order to separate public and private uses of the lands, public use of the fee lands will be limited to 500 feet on either side of the rivers. Hunting, fishing and trapping will be allowed on those lands beginning July 1, 2000.
On the 110,000 acres of private lands that will be opened to public use through a conservation easement, private hunting clubs retain exclusive hunting and trapping rights during the big game season for the next 15 years. Consequently, these lands will be closed to the public (except for primary access corridors used to reach the fee lands) from Sept. 1 through December 31, until 2014. Beginning in 2015, those lands will be open to the public year-round.
The river corridor lands opened today consist of three properties known as the Santa Clara, Tooley Pond and Croghan tracts. The lands were purchased for their significant stretches of high quality recreational water.
The three properties are all within the Adirondack Park and are subject to its rules and regulations. Following are special use regulations for the corridors opening to the public today and information on how to access these rivers. Information on the property also is available on the DEC web site at www.dec.ny.us.
More information on the Croghan tract is available by calling DEC^s Lowville office at (315) 376-3521, or writing the office at RD3, Box 221A, Lowville, NY 13367. Information on the Tooley Pond tract is available by calling DEC^s Potsdam office at (315) 265-3090, or writing the office at 6739 U.S. Highway 11, Potsdam, NY 13676. More information on the Santa Clara tract is available at DEC^s Region 5 office by calling (518) 897-1200, or writing the office at Route 86, Box 296, Ray Brook, NY 12977.
Special Rules And Regulations For the Croghan, Tooley and Santa Clara Tracts
Many of the following special rules and regulations are temporary and will serve until a detailed plan is developed for the area:
The public must stay on designated primary access corridors or on public highways to access this property. Some primary access corridors will be open for public use only during certain times of the year, while others will remain under exclusive use of lessees until 2004. Snowmobile use is permitted only on access corridors designated for such use.
Motorboats are permitted only in areas posted. A 10-horsepower limit has been established for motorboats.
Camping will be available on designated sites only. Camping permits are required for groups of 10 or more or for stays of more then three consecutive nights at one site.
Do not to trespass on adjacent private lands. Property boundaries are provided on maps available from DEC.
Canoes, kayaks and cartop boats may be used on water bodies in the tracts. All boaters need to have approved, wearable, personal flotation devices. Operators of motorboats are required to conform with New York State Parks and Recreation Law.
All water bodies in the Croghan Tract Forest Preserve are flat water. Short canoe carries have been built to Mud Pond and Sand Pond in the Croghan Tract.
The other rivers in the Champion properties have varying levels of difficulty and risk. Natural hazards, such as over-hanging trees, logjams, rocks and boulders, exist on all rivers. Beaver dams require special care in crossing. Varying water levels may mean different degrees of risk and difficulty in passage. A particular section of river can range from a high-water torrent to a virtual rock garden depending on spring snow melt and rainfall.
Visitors are advised to assess each situation based on their own abilities to navigate these portions of the rivers. In some cases, it may be wise to carry, wade, or line around rough sections. U.S. Coast Guard personal flotation devices are required of all water craft users.
Croghan Tract - Location and Access
The Croghan Tract is located in Herkimer and Lewis counties in the towns of Webb, Croghan and Watson. The Forest Preserve portions of this land are located in three separate sections:
The western portion is in Lewis County north of the Prentice Road, east of the Adirondack Park Boundary, south of the Lassiter Conservation Easement Lands, and west of the Future Farmers of America^s Camp Oswegatchie property;
The central parcel straddles the Lewis and Herkimer county lines and includes Sand Pond and Spring Pond; and
The eastern tract is the Greggs Lake Lot surrounding Greggs Lake and Green Pond in Herkimer County.
For the first year, all access to these new sections of Forest Preserve will be via Long Pond Road. To reach the Croghan Tract, take NYS Route 812 to Croghan. Turn onto Belfort Road (County Route 10). At Belfort, turn right on Long Pond Road.
To reach the western section of the property, take Long Pond Road to the West Branch of the Oswegatchie River. A trail accesses Mud Pond at this point or you can continue on Long Pond Road, which passes through the parcel in several places. You can also turn off on Prentice Road and, after crossing the Adirondack Park boundary, the lands are on the north side of the road.
To reach the central portion of the Croghan Tract, take Long Pond Road to Prentice Road. Follow Prentice Road to the intersection with the Champion Main Haul Road. Turn onto Main Haul Road and, staying on the access road, follow the signs to the intersection with Jakes Pond Road. At that point, you are at the boundary of the central section of the new Forest Preserve. You may use Jakes Pond Road and Sand Pond Road for further access.
To reach the eastern section of the Croghan Tract, four-wheel drive is recommended. Take Long Pond Road to its end at Bergens Clearing. Cross the parking lot and proceed up Bear Pond Road. Turn south on Tied Lake Road to the parking area. Motor vehicle access is not permitted beyond this point.
Tooley Pond/ Northern Flow River - Location and Access
The Tooley Pond Tract is located in the northwestern portion of the Adirondack Park in south-central St. Lawrence County, within the towns of Clare and Clifton. To reach the area from the south or east, turn north on Tooley Pond Road from NY Route 3, about a mile west of the hamlet of Cranberry Lake. You will enter the parcel approximately four miles north of Route 3. From the north and west, Tooley Pond Road is located three-quarters of a mile east of the hamlet of Degrasse, along St. Lawrence County Route 27.
The Grasse River from the east boundary of the tract to New Bridge is relatively inaccessible, except where Spruce Mountain Road crosses. The rough waters (falls and rapids) are relatively well dispersed on this section from the east boundary to just above Rainbow Falls, which makes this upper section of the river suitable for canoeing. Each carry around rapids and falls will be clearly marked, as will several take-out points.
The section below Rainbow Falls has numerous waterfalls and rapids spaced fairly close together and is easily accessible from Tooley Pond Rd. This makes it more suitable for expert kayakers, and for shoreline users, such as anglers and hikers, interested in exploring the falls. Carries around the major falls and drops will be identified, but not at each rapid. Several takeout points also will be identified.
Santa Clara Tract - Location and Access
The Santa Clara Tract is located in west-central Franklin and eastern St. Lawrence counties. The State-owned portion of this tract, which supports the "northern flow" river corridors, is located entirely in Franklin County, in the towns of Waverly, Santa Clara and Duane.
From the west, from Potsdam, N.Y., follow Route 11B east to Nicholville. Turn right onto Route 458. Follow Route 458 to St. Regis Falls. To reach Everton Falls access point, or the Deer River corridor, follow Red Tavern Road (County Route 14) east. For all other access points, stay on Route 458.
From the north, take Route 37 south from Massena to Malone. In Malone, pick up Route 30 and continue south. To reach the Deer River corridor and the East Branch of the St. Regis River from the Everton Falls Preserve, turn right when you come to Red Tavern Road (County Route 14). For all other access points, continue south on Route 30 and turn right when you reach Route 458.
From Saranac Lake south of the tract, follow Route 86 north to its intersection with Route 30 at Paul Smith^s. Turn left onto Route 458 for southern access points or continue to Red Tavern Road (County Route 14) for northern access points. From Tupper Lake in the south, follow Routes 3 & 30 east until they split at Wawbeek. Continue on Route 30 north passing through Lake Clear and Paul Smith^s. Turn left onto Route 458 for southern access points or onto Red Tavern Road (County Route 14) for northern access points.
From Plattsburgh, east of the tract, follow Route 3 west until you pass Merrills Corners near Loon Lake. Turn right onto the Gabriels-Onchiota Road (County Route 30) passing through Onchiota and Rainbow Lake. Turn right onto the Jones Pond Road (County Route 31) and follow it to Route 86. Turn right onto Route 86. When you reach Route 30 at Paul Smiths, turn right once again. Turn left on Route 458 for southern access points or the Red Tavern Road (County Route 14) for northern access points.
Uploaded: 8/6/1999
Uploaded: 8/6/1999