High Falls Dam to Rosendale

Levels and Description provided by John Ditmars Rondout Creek, High Falls to Rosendale This is a pretty fun class 2-4 (5) river run that is accessible to both beginners and experts. The level coincides with difficulty, like most rivers, but all of the rapids have a nice recovery zone which makes it a great learning river. There are also numerous play spots on the river that come in at various levels. Intermediates and experts would probably prefer play boats on this run to ride the holes and waves the Rondout has to offer. There are two put ins. Paddlers may choose to run Little Falls, which is a roughly 12 foot falls that can have a beefy kickback. It’s been run as low as 10 feet and as high as 13 feet, as far as the locals know. The best line is along the left side, just be sure to not pencil in because there is a rock shelf at the bottom, instead, boof right off the peak. That shelf is along the whole drop, more or less. Word on the street is there’s a fun play hole above Little Falls called Johnny-On- The-Spot that comes in at certain levels. The other option is to put in below Little Falls. The first rapid below Little Falls is called Spin Cycle. Spin Cycle itself is actually the very strong eddy line with ripping whirlpools at the bottom. What makes running this rapid difficult for beginners is the fact that if you swim, you’re gonna get banged up a bit, and will end up at the bottom in the boil and whirlies. It’s not a particularly hard rapid, a class 3 really...but you want to be on top of your line. The second rapid has no name but there’s a fun blasting hole called Blast Hole on the river right side. Above 12 feet it can be a bit sticky. Next thing that comes up is a little low head dam. Some locals call the rapid Outta Nowhere (class 2+/3). It can be surfed on river left at moderate to flows, and at high flows the entire can form a nice surf wave. After that is a another wave just above the island called 007, and next to it on river right is a blasting hole called The Slab. Run the right side of the island for more fun. You’ll come across some class 2, a couple of fun splat walls, and a few eddy lines for the next while before you come to the rapid of the day, called the Eye Ripper, class 3+4 (5). Maybe scout this rapid before you run it. The Eye Ripper is actually the name of the burly surf hole (you can’t miss it) in the middle of the drop. This is a fun rapid to play, skills depending. After the Eye Ripper’s washout, you’ll enjoy heading left around the island (avoid the hole on your far left) much more than you will going right (you’ll see why). Next rapid is The Ruins (class 3), which has some fun surfing at certain levels. Right after that are two surf holes called Tripple Hole and it’s buddy right behind it. Look out for rocks. Cruise down to the take out. Put in is in High Falls, just below the big dam. Take out is in Rosendale, at the bridge abutments where James Street crosses over the river. Walk up the hill on either side to where you’ve parked, which probably will be in the parking lot across the street from the church on river right. It should be noted that there is great food and drinks near both ends of the run. There are also several excellent creeks within a few miles of the Rondout Creek. For some details see " New York Exposed: The Whitewater State Volume II," by Dennis Squires. A great book, and a must for all Eastern NY Paddlers. Catskills Area Reaches Basic CreekBatavia Kill Bear Kill Beaver Kill (Delaware Trib)Beaver Kill (Hudson Trib) Beer Kill Beer Kill, W. BranchBowery Creek Bush Kill Callicoon Creek, E. BranchCallicoon Creek, N. Branch Catskill Creek (1.) Catskill Creek (2.)Catskill Creek (4.) Claverack Creek Coxing KillDelaware Delaware, E. Branch Delaware, W. BranchLittle Delaware Dry Brook East KillEsopus Creek (1) Esopus Creek (2) Esopus Creek (3)Esopus Creek (4) Esopus Creek (5) Hannacrois CreekKaaterskill Creek (1.) Kaaterskill Creek (2.) Kinderhook Creek  (3.)Kiskatom Creek Mombaccus Creek Mill BrookNeversink (1.) Neversink, E. Branch Neversink, W. BranchPeters Kill Platte Kill Plattekill CreekPotic Creek Roeliff Jansen Kill (1) Roeliff Jansen Kill (2)Rochester Creek Rondout Creek (1) Rondout Creek (2)Rondout Creek (3) Sandburg Creek Saw Kill (1)Saw Kill (2) Saw Kill (3) Schoharie Creek (1.)Schoharie Creek (2.) Shingle Kill Creek Squirmer CreekStony Clove Creek Ten Mile Creek Thorp CreekTremper Kill Wallkill West KillWoodland Creek Vly Creek Downstate New York Area Reaches Beer Kill Beer Kill, W. Branch Callicoon Creek, E. Branch Callicoon Creek, N. Branch Coxing KillCroton Delaware (1.) Delaware (2. Mongaup Wave) Delaware (3.) Fishkill Creek Mombaccus CreekMongaup Moodna Creek Neversink (1.) Neversink (2.) Neversink, E. Branch Peters Kill Pocantico Popolopen Brook Ramapo Rochester Creek Rondout Creek (1.) Rondout Creek (2.) Rondout Creek (3.) Sandburg Creek Stony Brook (1.) Stony Brook (2.)Wallkill Wappinger Creek Google Map of New York Whitewater New York Whitewater Paddlers Facebook Group