Off limits. The river passes behind the Fort Drum Impact Zone (Firing Ranges) There do appear to be a number of large drops just behind the firing range that from Google Earth look to be Class 4/5.
The other run located on base is
Black Creek
Robert Morgan, formerly a local in the area, shared:
The Indian River has one of few breeding wild trout populations in the East, but they ain't a bit easy to catch.
However the stretch of river from Natural Bridge to Antwerp is completely within the impact zone of Fort Drum US ARMY and is totally OFF-LIMITS to recreation or anything. The 10th MT Division trains there and they are GOOD and they will catch you. And be rather upset, there is also a lot of unexploded ordnance in there, including a lot of those depleted uranium shells. _Note: some others with local knowledge are very skeptical of the notion that there's depleted uranium in or around the river here._ There is no way to get a permit to go there. Even if you could get a permit, it is way way longer than 3.5 miles--probably more like 20 by river to Antwerp and would be more than a day trip. The country is real wild, the insects terrible, there are no roads, escape is impossible, a lot of it is up-land swamp, the river banks may be several hundred yards from the actual shore and lots of beaver dams upstream from Indian River Lake. The fishing is worth it but you better get out before dark.
There are falls in Natural Bridge but above the falls there is a most pleasant smooth river for 13 miles to Indian River Village, beaver dams excluded. Best native trout fishing but again the black flies and mosquitoes. There are no campsites along the whole way, but a few deep "holes" to stop and swim, etc. It is wild country though.
Governour - Cranberry Lake Area Reaches:
Black Creek Boland Creek
Indian (Oswegatchi Tributary) Island Branch
Jenny Creek Little
Oswegatchi (Owbow to Elmdale) Oswegatchi East Branch Sect. 1
Oswegatchi East Branch Sect. 2 Oswegatchi East Branch Sect. 3
Oswegatchi East Branch Sect. 4Oswegatchi Middle Branch Sect. 1
Oswegatchi Middle Branch Sect. 2 Oswegatchi Middle Branch Sect. 4 (Sluice Falls)
Oswegatchi West Branch (Bisha to Jerden) Oswegatchi West Branch (Fullerville to Oswegatchi)
Sawyer Creek
Google Map of New York Whitewater
New York Whitewater Paddlers Facebook Group