Esperance to Fort Hunter

1: Esperance to Burtonville - 4.25 miles The access point in Esperance is at the end of Steuben St.  There is a small dirt pulloff with enough room for around 3 cars, and a gravel path that leads into the water.  This section starts with a long section of flat water, but then enters a gorge where the water picks up considerably.  It ends with the biggest drops near the Burtonville Bridge.  There are 7 distinct river-wide ledge drops, and two solid playspots, including a park-and-play at Burtonville. \-\-\------------- 2: Burtonville to Mill Point - 8 miles The access point at Burtonville is the fishing access next to the Burtonville Bridge.  It is a medium sized parking area with room for several cars.  From Burtonville to Mill Point there is a lot of class II and some class III (especially as water levels reach 3.0cfs on the Burtonville gage). This is an enjoyable section with beautiful scenery and several sections of rapids. There are the remains of a dam below Lost Valley that provides a wave to surf. Stay river right of the island and there are often waves in the narrow channel. A quarter mile farther, under the 300 foot cliffs there are three small ledges the river drops over. Don't miss noticing the falls coming off the cliff to your left. \-\-\------------- 3: Mill Point to Fort Hunter - 6.5 miles The access point at Mill Point is underneath the bridge.  There is a small gravel "road" leading underneath the bridge with enough room for 3 or 4 cars to park.  There is a small pool to put-in or take-out.  To join the main flow you'll need to paddle upstream a short way, then run the first rapids underneath the bridge. This section is milder than the ones above, but still has some solid class II and one that approaches a class III.  The first mile will have sets of class I-II, then you'll hit the narrows, a section that is class II+ even at low water levels.  Watch out for holes on river left and center.  There is a convenient pulloff on river-right that is a good place to scout the drop.  Shortly after the narrows you'll come to a large set of powerlines that mark about 2 miles of class II rapids, one after the other.  There are several "islands" along this section.  In general, the bigger faster water goes left of the islands, and the shallower easier water is river-right.  About 3 miles into the run you'll pass a farm on river-right that marks the end of the hardest rapids, and the start of a long section of class I and flat water to the Mohawk. Take-out for this run is at Fort Hunter at the boat launch and park.  It has a very large parking area with a playground, picnic tables, and grills. --------------- CFS changes dramatically on the Schoharie Creek, at 2 feet the gage shows 1580 cfs, at three feet 4430, and at 8 feet 36,300. The Creek runs 40,000 cfs or over during Spring runoff or a rainy autumn week. Since the work has been taking place on the Schoharie Reservoir and the tube is sending water into the Esopus the Schoharie Creek is over 2 feet less often. Mohawk Valley Area Reaches Canajoharie Creek Caroga Creek Cincinnati Creek East Canada Creek Fish Creek, E. Branch Ninemile Creek North Chuctanunda Creek Nowadaga Creek Mohawk (1.) Oriskany Creek (Clinton)Oriskany Creek (Oriskany Falls) Schoharie Creek Sprite Creek (Upper) Sprite Creek (Lower) Spruce Creek Timmerman Creek West Canada Creek Capital Region Area Reaches Basic Creek Batten Kill Claverack Creek Cobleskill Creek Fox Creek Hannacrois Creek Hoosic Hudson (Lock 2) Kinderhook Creek  (1.) Kinderhook Creek  (2.) Kinderhook Creek  (3.) Kline Kill Normans Kill (1.) Normans Kill (2.) North Chuctanunda Creek Mohawk (Upper Cohoes Wave) Mohawk (Cohoes Wave) Poesten Kill (0.) Poesten Kill (1.) Poesten Kill (2.) Quacken Kill Schoharie Creek Stony Kill Wyant's Kill Google Map of New York Whitewater New York Whitewater Paddlers Facebook Group