Lake George South

By Rich Macha

With its clear water, its myriad of islands, and its surrounding mountains that rise up over 2,000 feet above the lake’s surface, Lake George is undeniably visually stunning. Yet it is difficult to recommend this lake to paddlers due to the abundance of motorized vessels plying the waters of this 32-mile-long lake, especially during the summer. However, after Labor Day, the number of motorboats decreases somewhat and the sights can be enjoyed by paddlers who plan carefully.

It is best to plan your trip for a day when winds are less than 10 mph – a 10 mph wind can produce whitecaps on the more open, unprotected areas of the lake. Make note of the forecasted direction of the wind. For example, you don’t want to be going along the eastern shore when the wind is blowing from the west. There is also a good chance that you will be dealing with one-foot waves from boat wakes regardless of the wind, so expect a bouncy ride from time to time. An early morning paddle, when wind and motors are less of an issue, will produce a more relaxing experience than an afternoon outing, and weekdays will be less busy than weekends. It is also wise to wear brightly-colored clothing so that you will be more easily seen by the powerboaters.

Here are some trip ideas on the southern half of the lake.

Dunham Bay Marsh – For a longer 12-mile paddle, you can start at the state boat launch next to Million Dollar Beach. If you don’t have an Excelsior Pass, expect to pay a $10 fee to park here. Start paddling along the east shore and you will soon pass the small beach at Ushers Park. After that, there is no public land for a few miles where you can take a break, so keep that in mind. Houses, docks, and resorts dot the shoreline. Despite the motorized hubbub in this South Basin, I did happen to see a pair of loons here in summer. A replica of the Statue of Liberty adds interest along the way and you will go past Wiawaka, a camp for women, where Georgia O’Keeffe stayed in June of 1908 while on an art scholarship.

Plum Point is reached after paddling 2.4 miles, followed by Woods Point and Dark Bay as you turn to the east – the view over open water to the north is breathtaking, with the mountains rising up from the lake and silhouetted islands below. Bearing south into Dunham Bay, you soon pass under the NY Route 9L bridge and reach a launch ramp owned by Dunham’s Bay Marina – you can start your trip here but expect to pay a fee to launch. It may be possible to launch at the bridge and park at a nearby pull-out but it will be a more challenging entry and exit from your canoe or kayak.

After passing a long row of docks you enter state land, or should I say wetland, because there is no solid land to step out onto in the marsh. A wide channel bordered with lily pads winds through the marsh. After paddling south about two miles from the bridge, the lily pads and underwater vegetation clog the waterway and you may want to turn around and head back. Look for beaver lodges and wildlife. When I paddled here in August, I spotted a solitary sandpiper, osprey, great blue herons, swallows, ducks, and tiny turtles. The marsh is fairly peaceful compared to the open areas of the lake.      

The West Shore and Diamond Island – Again, starting at the state boat launch next to Million Dollar Beach, you can paddle west past the deserted beach which closes on Labor Day, then go by the docked tour boats and the Shepard Park beach. The shoreline is well-developed with motels, resorts and mansions. Tea Island (private) is passed at the 1.7-mile mark. Up the hill to the west is the location of the farmhouse where Georgia O’Keeffe and her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz, spent the warmer months from 1918 through 1934 – unfortunately, the house is no longer there.

After paddling another 1.2 miles, you reach Hearthstone Point Campground and Day-Use Area where you can stop for a break on the beach. In season, you can launch from here, but the campground closes early – on September 12 this year. Next up are Cramer and Cooper points, which shield Green Harbor.  

From Cooper Point, it is just 0.6 miles across open water – watch out for powerboats as you paddle across – to Diamond Island, which is a state-owned island that is available to all for picnicking but not camping. The picnic site at its north end has an interesting 10-foot-high stone monument, the Peace Stone. The view over nearby Dicks Islands – just small rocky islands favored by gulls and cormorants – to the mountains along the lake’s east shore is awe-inspiring.

The Narrows – Starting from the beach at Veterans Memorial Park in Bolton Landing, you can paddle over open water for 1.5 miles to Montcalm Point on the southern tip of the Tongue Mountain Range, and continue into The Narrows where you will find many islands and bays to explore and paddle around. Black Mountain, the highest mountain in the Lake George area, rises up to the northeast. The steep shores are undeveloped state lands in the Lake George Wild Forest where timber rattlesnakes make their homes – they like warm and sunny rocky areas but have been seen swimming in the lake – consider yourself lucky if you see one. I used to be the trail-adopter of the northern section of the Tongue Mountain Range hiking trail but never saw one in all of my visits.

There are campsites on many of the islands. The Lake George Islands camping season goes through Columbus Day and the sites can be reserved through reserveamerica.com. Juanita Island is a picnicking-only island so you could plan to make a stop there. On the east shore, the bays on either side of Red Rock make for interesting destinations. A round-trip paddle to Red Rock and back would be about 10 miles.

Although I have canoed this route as late as November 9, my first choice of vessel would probably be a touring kayak that is at least 14 feet long, and I would use a spray skirt just in case I had to deal with some bigger waves.  

Northwest Bay Brook – There is a car-top boat launch on NY Route 9N about six miles north of Bolton Landing. At first, Northwest Bay Brook is about 20 feet wide with bur-reeds growing at water’s edge, while alders and red and silver maples grow on drier land – remember this for fall foliage season!

After 0.3 miles, you can take a left to explore the east branch which may have lily pads growing from shore to shore. This area can be the most peaceful spot on the trip, although, when I paddled here in August, a jet ski snuck in behind me – luckily, he did not linger and quickly headed back out to the lake.

Turning around and going south, it is about one-mile to Northwest Bay. The brook passes through a wide marshy area and the Tongue Mountain Range looms above the waterway to the east and north. While most of the area is state land, part of the west shore is in the Loines Preserve, which is owned by the Lake George Land Conservancy.  

Northwest Bay opens up as you paddle south and from the mouth of the brook it is another 2.8 miles to Montcalm Point if you so desire to leave the relative calmness of the brook and paddle that far.

I doubt that Georgia O’Keeffe paddled much, but she was quite able to visualize the beauty in the lake and its surroundings that we can still continue to appreciate today.

A lover of wild places, Rich Macha has led many trips for the Adirondack Mountain Club, and has spent 20 years in the paddlesport/snowsport business. More of Rich’s adventures can be found at northeastwild.blogspot.com.