Browns Tract Inlet

By Rich Macha

Browns Tract Inlet flows out of Lower Browns Tract Pond and meanders for over three miles on its way to Raquette Lake. The stream is in the northern part of the Moose River Plains Wild Forest. Every year, in early September (September 6 in 2024), about 250 watercraft utilize the lower 2.5 miles of the stream as the Adirondack Canoe Classic, also known as the 90-Miler, race competitors pass through while making their way from Old Forge Pond to Blue Mountain Lake on day one of the race. It is also the route of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. On most other days, it is a typical, quiet Adirondack stream and a paddle to be savored and not rushed.

The stream is often paddled as an out-and-back trip from Raquette Lake for a round trip of five to eight miles depending on how far upstream you travel. However, I will describe it here as a four-mile one-way trip from Lower Browns Tract Pond to Raquette Lake, and you can decide for yourself what challenges you are willing to pursue. I last paddled the route in early August, so the details below are relatively up to date.

When the Brown (for some reason NYSDEC drops the “s” in Browns) Tract Pond Campground and Day Use Area is open (in 2024, it closes on September 2), you can put-in at the boat launch on the northeast shore of Lower Browns Tract Pond and paddle 0.7 miles to the pond’s south end to find the outlet, which is Browns Tract Inlet. I recommend paddling around the pond’s big pine-topped island which, to me, looks like a giant snapping turtle when seen from a certain angle, where the rocks on the end of the island are its head. Note that there is no cell service and no showers at this campground – on the other hand, it is a beautiful location on a motorless pond and is likely to be quieter than the average state campground. Wildlife around the pond includes loons, osprey, and ducks.

In the past, I have paddled from the Lower Pond to Upper Browns Tract Pond, but the channel is very difficult to find and may be riddled with obstructions, including a short carry around a footbridge.

The outlet stream soon reaches Uncas Road (formerly Browns Tract Road) and a short carry across the road is necessary to continue downstream. Uncas Road is a good dirt road and sees very little traffic. When the campground is closed, you can start your trip here. The stream is narrow and twisty for a while and at times only about four feet wide – that is part of its attraction. After a few minutes of paddling, there is a downed tree blocking the way and a short but muddy carry can be done on the right – just be aware that the water is fairly deep at both ends so be careful where you step when exiting and reentering your craft.

After a few more minutes of paddling, there is a low bridge where a trail crosses the stream – if the water level is high, there will not be enough room to paddle under it and you will have to carry around it. The stream then slowly gets wider, and after going about a mile from Uncas Road, reaches the dock which serves as the end of the 1.2-mile carry from Eighth Lake and where the 90-Miler racers enter Browns Tract Inlet. From here, it is another 2.5 miles to Raquette Lake. In August, we encountered three beaver dams in that stretch – all were about one-foot high and runnable without the need to get out and pull over them. This dock or the low bridge upstream would be the best places to stop for a lunch break.

In summer, many fragrant white water lilies line the channel. You will also see the flowers of yellow pond lily, water shield, and pickerelweed. The shores are grassy but there are also sphagnum mats floating about. Tamarack trees, conifers that drop their needles in late fall after turning golden in late October, grow in the wetlands. Note the cliffs on Fox Mountain which rises steeply to the north of the stream. Watch for northern harriers (marsh hawks) weaving their way above the water and keep an eye out for boreal birds such as Canada jays and olive-sided flycatchers. Just before coming out onto Raquette Lake, look for an active osprey nest at the County Route 2 bridge.

Once out onto the lake, turn left or north and paddle 0.2 miles to a small beach in the hamlet of Raquette Lake. There’s lots of parking nearby, but it does tend to be busy in the summer. Raquette Lake, itself, has a fair amount of motorized use. Raquette Lake’s General Store, Tap Room and Hotel are also conveniently located – so how about rewarding yourself with an ice cream or a frosty brew?

Directions: From NY Route 28, drive 0.4 miles north on County Route 2 to the hamlet of Raquette Lake. To get to the campground entrance, keep driving north through the hamlet for 0.4 miles and take a left on Uncas Road. Continue for 1.9 miles, or about 2.5 miles if going to the bridge over Browns Tract Inlet.

A lover of wild places, Rich Macha has led many trips for the Adirondack Mountain Club and has spent 20 years in the paddle/snowsport business. For more of Rich’s adventures, visit: northeastwild.blogspot.com.