Paddling the Ausable
The Ausable River watershed is perhaps better known for its hiking and fishing opportunities than for paddling. Much of the river itself is too shallow or steep for flat water paddling. Although, at certain times of year the river and its tributaries offer excellent and extremely challenging whitewater paddling opportunities. While the flat water options are limited there are some true gems.
Top Ausable Paddling Trips
Chubb River
This is one of our favorite paddling trips in the Ausable River watershed. The Chubb River is a major tributary to the West Branch of the Ausable River and flows through the Village of Lake Placid. The upper portions of the Chubb are in the Western High Peaks Wilderness and allow you to paddle several miles into the wilderness area. As you paddle upstream you will be looking at Street and Nye to the east and the rugged Sawtooth Mountains to the west. There is one short carry around a falls and during low water you might need to drag your boat over several beaver dams if you want to go far up the river. We recommend paddling the river after a heavy rain event, as the water will be higher and you will be able to paddle over most of the beaver dams.
Lake Everest
Lake Everest may be one of the most often overlooked jems of the Ausable River. The put in is at the Wilmington Town Beach where there is a nice launch area and dock. Canoe and kayak rentals are available from the town during the summer months. You can paddle about a mile upstream from the beach area, at which point the Ausable River enters the lake. There are exceptional views of Whiteface and the Sentinal Mountains from the lake. If you want, you can stop at the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge, they have a dock on the east side of the lake about 0.6 miles from the beach. If you would like to learn more about the natural history of the lake and river consider attending a free guided paddling program on Lake Everest.
