2025 NYSDEC Canoe Program Schedule

Event Details

NYSDEC Hudson River Research Reserve offers FREE educational canoe trips at selected sites along the Hudson River Estuary. Learn about tidal marsh ecology, Hudson River research, and challenges facing estuarine habitats. Trips average 2.5 hours including orientation and paddling instruction.

DIRECTIONS and links to interactive maps are in right-hand column.

NOTE: If your browser does not show site directions,please try using Mozilla Firefox as your browser.

To ensure access to as many people as possible, please limit your participation to one trip per season. If you sign up for more than one trip we will cancel all but the earliest reservation.

Ages six and up welcome. No more than two children under sixteen per adult.

• No experience necessary
• One trip per person, reservation required
• Canoes, paddles and safety gear provided
• For safety reasons, we do not allow additional boats to join our group
  Bring food, water, hat and sunscreen
• Prepare to be knee-deep in water - wear old sneakers or sturdy water shoes - no flip flops!

Cancellation Policy

Help us reduce the number of "no-shows" and ensure that as many people as possible get to experience the magic of these places. Please contact us as early as possible to change or cancel your trip at james.herrington@dec.ny.gov .

Programs generally run rain or shine, but we may cancel a trip if high winds, heavy rain, or thunderstorms are predicted. Call (845) 889-4745 x109 to check on your trip's status. For a morning trip call the night before. For an afternoon trip call the morning of the trip.

Site Descriptions

Stockport Flats

Watch for herons and eagles as we explore Columbia County's Stockport Creek. Weather permitting, we paddle to an island featuring bank swallows and a great swimming beach.

Stockport Flats is the northernmost site in the Hudson River Research Reserve. It is located on the east shore of the river in Columbia County, a few miles north of the city of Hudson, in the towns of Stockport and Stuyvesant.

Directions to Stockport Creek :298 Station Road, Hudson, NY.
GPS coordinates are: Latitude 42.310117, Longitude -73.772013.From the south: Travel north on Route 9 through city of Hudson. After leaving the city, the road travels down long hill, then goes over Stockport Creek. After crossing bridge, take immediate left onto Station Road. Travel about one mile until road dead-ends at river.

Tivoli North Bay

This fascinating tidal marsh in Dutchess County offers spectacular plants, interesting wildlife, and scenic views of the Catskills. Witness its unique sights, sounds, and smells as you wander through one of the most amazing protected sites on the Hudson. Paddle on winding tidal channels with Reserve naturalists. (Photo: Rebecca Houser)

Kidd Lane Parking Areas provide access to the Tivoli North Bay trails and a canoe launch (42.046229°N, 73.906715°W) Google Maps (leaves DEC website)

• From south of Tivoli: Take Route 9G north and pass Bard College signs and the sign for Route 103. Pass sign on left for DEC Tivoli Bays Wildlife Management Area, then turn left onto Kidd Lane. Turn left at another sign for DEC Tivoli Bays Wildlife Management Area. Follow dirt access road down the hill approximately 0.7 miles and park in second parking area on right (first parking area is at beginning of access road).
• From north of Tivoli: Take Route 9G south. Pass signs for Route 78 and town of Tivoli. Go approximately one more mile and turn right onto Kidd Lane. Follow the directions as stated above from Kidd Lane.
• NOTE: The parking lot at the cul-de-sac at the bottom of the hill is reserved for car-top loading and unloading only.