Day Trips from Starkey's Point
Starkey's Point is located in an in-holding of the Five Ponds Wilderness Area on Cranberry Lake. The area across Chair Rock Flow from Starkey's is SUNY ESF's Biological Research Station. Click on the map to see Starkey's location in Google Maps.
Village of Wanakena is 6 miles by boat, west of Starkey's Point. Wanakena is located on the Oswegatchie River and you can paddle or motor right into town. To visit in Wanakena we recommend tying up at the public dock (no overnight tie-ups) on the north side of the Oswegatchie River from where you can explore the village easily by foot.
Also in Wanakena, visit the Pine Cone Grill for great food at great prices. The Pine Cone has its own dock for customers, also on the north bank of the Oswegatchie River.
Village of Cranberry Lake is also 6 miles by boat, north of Starkey's Point. Cranberry Lake hosts the Clifton Community Library with WiFi access, as well as a well-stocked Lakeside General Store,which also serves as a laundromat and gas station. Visit the Cranberry Lake Lodge for a small marina store.
The Stone Manor diner in Cranberry Lake is open 7 days a week and serves many flavors of ice cream during the summer. The Manor is right on Route 3 across the way from the Lodge and the Marina.
The Cranberry Lake 50 Trail is a 3/4 mile paddle from Starkey's Point. This 50-mile loop trail around Cranberry Lake provides hiking access to South and West Flows, Sliding Rock, and even Cat Mountain from the trailhead at Chair Rock Creek. You will find hiking maps with local trails at Starkey's Point. The trailhead is located right next to Chair Rock Creek where it enters Chair Rock Flow at a little waterfall. There is room to pull up a few canoes or even a small boat for a hike. The trailhead is also a canoe carry to Lows Lake, 3.5 miles to the south.
Here are some day hikes that we take from the Chair Rock Creek trailhead:
> West Flow and Sliding Rock -- This is a 3-mile hike with some elevation gain where the trail skirts Indian Mountain. There is a great swimming hole at South Flow 2.25 miles from the trailhead. Turn left at the junction with the trail coming up from West Flow and hike south about 1/4 mile to Sliding Rock, a broad, sloping slab that drops into a shallow pool right off the trail -- you can't miss it. From the trailhead, follow the CL50 trail markers west to the West Flow trail, then turn left (south) at the trail junction towards Cat Mountain.
Also in Wanakena, visit the Pine Cone Grill for great food at great prices. The Pine Cone has its own dock for customers, also on the north bank of the Oswegatchie River.
Village of Cranberry Lake is also 6 miles by boat, north of Starkey's Point. Cranberry Lake hosts the Clifton Community Library with WiFi access, as well as a well-stocked Lakeside General Store,which also serves as a laundromat and gas station. Visit the Cranberry Lake Lodge for a small marina store.
The Stone Manor diner in Cranberry Lake is open 7 days a week and serves many flavors of ice cream during the summer. The Manor is right on Route 3 across the way from the Lodge and the Marina.
The Cranberry Lake 50 Trail is a 3/4 mile paddle from Starkey's Point. This 50-mile loop trail around Cranberry Lake provides hiking access to South and West Flows, Sliding Rock, and even Cat Mountain from the trailhead at Chair Rock Creek. You will find hiking maps with local trails at Starkey's Point. The trailhead is located right next to Chair Rock Creek where it enters Chair Rock Flow at a little waterfall. There is room to pull up a few canoes or even a small boat for a hike. The trailhead is also a canoe carry to Lows Lake, 3.5 miles to the south.
Here are some day hikes that we take from the Chair Rock Creek trailhead:
> West Flow and Sliding Rock -- This is a 3-mile hike with some elevation gain where the trail skirts Indian Mountain. There is a great swimming hole at South Flow 2.25 miles from the trailhead. Turn left at the junction with the trail coming up from West Flow and hike south about 1/4 mile to Sliding Rock, a broad, sloping slab that drops into a shallow pool right off the trail -- you can't miss it. From the trailhead, follow the CL50 trail markers west to the West Flow trail, then turn left (south) at the trail junction towards Cat Mountain.
Sliding Rock (photo courtesy of http://ishouldgohiking.blogspot.com)
View from atop the cliffs overlooking West Flow.
Or, turn right and go down to West Flow where there is a piped spring 10 yards to the right of the trail that the locals use for drinking water. Bushwack from the campsites at West Flow up to the top of the cliffs overlooking the lake for the view you see to the left.
> Lows Lake and Grass Pond -- From the trailhead follow the canoe carry trail markers 3.5 miles south across rolling terrain to Grass Pond. This day hike takes you through upland forest and past beaver meadows. You will also ford two trout streams on the way (no bridges). The trail takes you to Grass Pond, which opens off the north side of Lows Lake, near several DEC campsites.
Tammy and I actually humped a canoe all the way out there two summers ago -- it was a looong carry, but well worth it for Lows Lake! Lows is a motorless lake -- no outboards, just lots of wilderness, peace, and quiet.
> Lows Lake and Grass Pond -- From the trailhead follow the canoe carry trail markers 3.5 miles south across rolling terrain to Grass Pond. This day hike takes you through upland forest and past beaver meadows. You will also ford two trout streams on the way (no bridges). The trail takes you to Grass Pond, which opens off the north side of Lows Lake, near several DEC campsites.
Tammy and I actually humped a canoe all the way out there two summers ago -- it was a looong carry, but well worth it for Lows Lake! Lows is a motorless lake -- no outboards, just lots of wilderness, peace, and quiet.
The cliffs above Grass Pond.
For the truly adventurous: the cliffs in the photo above are accessible along a side trail from the canoe carry, no paddle needed! Turn left when you reach Grass Pond and follow the old track where it skirts the shoreline. In Adirondack Rock, the area is described as "undeveloped with amazing potential in an extremely remote wilderness setting. . . . [A] real gem and one of the more remote cliffs in the Adirondack Park." See the full description and the handful of named top-rope climbs here courtesy of AdirondackRock.com.
One of several terrific views from the summit.
> Cat Mountain -- this is a long day-hike from the Chair Rock Creek trailhead, approximately 10-11 miles each way. The effort is rewarded by spectacular views over the Five Ponds Wilderness area from this site of a former fire tower. The hike is relatively flat until the last mile or so to the summit, but it can be exhausting on a hot day when the bugs are biting.
If you want to visit Cat Mountain without the day-long trek, motor across the lake and all the way down Dead Creek Flow to Janack's Landing where there is a DEC shelter and campsites. Picking up the trail there cuts many miles off the hike!
If you want to visit Cat Mountain without the day-long trek, motor across the lake and all the way down Dead Creek Flow to Janack's Landing where there is a DEC shelter and campsites. Picking up the trail there cuts many miles off the hike!
