Paddling Lake Welch in Harriman State Park

Lake Welch in Harriman State Park is a frequent paddling spot for me. There are a number of causes for that. It’s proper off of exit 14 on the Palisades Parkway, making it supremely accessible. It has a devoted parking space for paddlers behind a locked gate so even on the park’s busiest days I’m nearly assured to have the ability to discover a spot. It’s large enough to get a modest exercise and perform a little exploring so I don’t get too tired of the surroundings.

All of the lakes in Harriman are compromised as pure nature experiences. The place is simply too fashionable and too near the town to search out true solitude.

Most of them are shut sufficient Seven Lakes Drive to listen to site visitors noise, particularly from the various motorcyclists that converge on the world each weekend. Lake Welch advantages from being positioned away from Seven Lakes Drive.

The much less fashionable Kanawauke Drive (Route 106) which bisects Lake Welch, is tame by comparability. Welch additionally doesn’t have summer season camps positioned alongside its shores, which is sweet. There’s a gigantic seashore and picnic space at one finish; I assume you may’t have every thing. So inside the context of the conventional Harriman/Bear Mountain weekend shitshow, Lake Welch is comparatively quiet.

That’s to not say you may sleep in when paddling Lake Welch; the seashore attracts sufficient individuals to trigger the occasional site visitors jam. Your finest wager is to get an early begin, as I did on my most up-to-date go to. There’s all the time anyone that acquired up earlier. As I pulled in, I seen there was a car ready for me to clear the best way so he may get out.

I put my window down to verify he would shut the gate (in fact he would) and drove right down to the boat ramp. The parking/launching setup at Welch is so simple as might be. I pulled into my spot, took my kayak down and acquired my gear prepared.

After launching, I turned north and paddled towards the seashore. I nearly instantly handed some individuals wading outdoors of the seashore space. I continued on, skirted the seashore and made my manner throughout the lake in the direction of the Beaver Pond Campsite. You’ll be able to’t actually see the campground from the lake however I do know it’s there. Following the shoreline because it curves to the south brings you to the dam that created Lake Welch within the first place.

In accordance with the e book Harriman Trails by William J. Myles and Daniel Chazin, a neighborhood often known as Sandyfield occupied this space from round 1760 till the Palisades Park fee began making an attempt to kick out residents after the park was created in 1910. As is usually the case, the neighborhood resisted. The final 4 residents had been ordered out in 1939. In fact there was a cemetery that needed to be moved down the hill to Stony Level.

It looks like each synthetic lake in upstate New York displaced a cemetery. Additionally, it appears that evidently the primary dam constructed there, accomplished in 1929, wasn’t excessive sufficient as a result of a CCC crew started constructing one other one in 1934. They had been lastly able to dedicate the lake by October 1947. It was named after Main William A. Welch, the previous common supervisor of the park who had died in 1941. Im certain Main Welch was a pleasant man and all however I feel I might need honored the residents of Sandyfield or one of many poor souls that was disinterred and carted down the hill. Sandyfield Lake wouldn’t be a nasty title.

One odd factor I seen as I handed the dam was that anyone had left a shoe sitting on prime of it. A costume shoe. You see numerous rubbish in Harriman State Park. Folks from the town come each weekend and completely trash the place however a costume shoe? That struck me odd. I saved paddling south and got here throughout a pair extra individuals swimming from the shore there. The man had on goggles and gave the impression to be scanning the lake backside so I requested if he was looking for one thing as I handed. He stated no. None of my enterprise anyway.

Quickly after that, I reached the culvert which lets paddlers move beneath Kanawauke Street. I made my manner beneath the street and into the extra remoted northern a part of the lake. There’s extra to take a look at on that facet. There are extra nooks and crannies to paddle out and in of, a beaver lodge, plenty of turtles and frogs to take a look at… I even noticed an otter as soon as. You hardly ever see anybody again right here apart from different paddlers or the occasional angler throwing a line in from the street.

I traced the shoreline all the best way round till I got here to a pleasant massive beaver dam, all the best way again, far out of sight and earshot of the street and seashore space. Now it’s a complete totally different vibe. The water on the opposite facet of the dam is a foot or two larger than the primary lake. There are massive boulders sticking up out of the water… it feels genuinely wild. I’ve considered touchdown my kayak again right here and dragging it round to discover additional but it surely doesn’t appear proper to do it. I often take a break right here and take heed to the water trickling over the dam. It’s an ideal spot for a little bit meditation.

I headed again earlier than too lengthy. I noticed just a few turtles on the best way, together with a fats little snapper. I went again underneath the street, and turned left to observe the sting of a little bit bay. There just a few islands out in the course of the primary a part of the lake so I paddled round and between them, disturbing a pair of Canada Geese within the course of.

Then there was only one extra bay to circumscribe earlier than I used to be again on the launch website, having carried out the complete circuit of Lake Welch. The entire thing took about an hour and fifteen minutes and, in response to Strava, was about 4 miles of paddling. No biggie however plenty of enjoyable.