Jersey Shore Sea Kayak Association – Launch site directory

Driving Directions:

• New York State Thruway to exit 18 (Poughkeepsie / New Paltz)
• Right on SR-44 East and follow over the Mid Hudson Bridge.
• Continue on SR-44 to SR-9 North.
• Follow SR-9G south to SR-9.
• Stay on SR-9, Past Marist College, FDR Home, Hyde Park.
• Continue on SR-9 North for approx. 5 miles and watch for Old Post Road on left (and signs to Margaret Norrie Mills State Park).
• Make Left on Old Post Road, and then next Left into Park entrance (on Norrie Point Way).
• Bear right and go over railroad bridge.
• At next intersection, continue straight (NOT toward Marina).
• Bear Left at split.
• Road turns to gravel and you'll come to a gate.
• Go through gate and bear right at tall stone monument and go down the steep hill becoming paved again.
• At the point where the road becomes gravel again, look immediately to right. This is the launch.
• Unload here and park car 100 ft up road at dead end.

Address:

Old Post Road

Staatsburg, NY 12580, Dutchess County

Land owner: State

GPS Coordinates: L 41^o 50.77' N    Lo 73^o 56.66' W

Water: Brackish

Water type: River

Launch area is: Rocks

Launch area surface is: Rocks, Stones

Facilities: No facilities at this site (rest rooms at Marina area)

Launching considerations / restrictions:

Dawn to Dusk, Wood Gate is opened at dawn and closed at dusk.

Parking situation:

Parking lot for 8 or so cars. Can fill up fast with picnicers and fishermen on the weekends. One should unload boat and gear near launch and then drive further to park at the end of the road. No fee!

Comments:

Picnic tables, large gazebo (Can be used as a refernce to look for the launch from the river. The launch has a bit of large rocks and underwater pylons (from an old concrete/wood dock) so it is sketchy. Launch one at a time. Low tide may pose a minor hazard to launching. So check the tide tables. The Hudson is tidal until about Troy NY.

Suggested trip from paddler:
An excellent daytrip would be to go up to the Rondout Creek, past the Esopus lighthouse and the Rondout Lighthouse and then stop at either the Steelhouse or the Mexican restaurant next door for lunch (they have a dock you can use), then paddle up the Rondout to explore the creek which is fun. The rondout becomes a bit hairy downstream, falls to portage, class II I think, but nothing too serious. Then a paddle back to Mills Norrie and the putout.

Related Links:

Satellite image showing launch site.

Satellite image close up.

Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park

Mapquest street map

Last Update: 7/8/2009

Copyright © 2011 by Jersey Shore Sea Kayak Association - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No warranties are expressed or implied.