Letchworth State Park boasts a spectacular, meandering 550-foot deep river gorge lined with slate cliffs. It is called the "Grand Canyon of the East."

Within the gorge, the Genesee River is class II run at low levels (9.0 feet) but becomes a respectable class III river with great surfing opportunities at higher water (stage 10.5 feet). The Genesee River is consistently at its highest during March and April. The river periodically floods between October and June. The highest recorded flood peak was 90,000 cfs on June 23, 1979. The river is closed to kayakers at stage 14.0 feet and higher. Every October, the draining of Rushford Lake augments river flow through Letchworth Gorge by about 1.0 foot.

Logistics:
Sign the release and get a Waiver # at the Admin center near the South end of park.  Get a map at the gate when you pay your $6 park Entry Fee so you can find everything.

Sometime around 2015, the road to access the put in was washed out.  The new put in is on the east side of the river.  

Take Out: St Helena parking lot. From the visitors center turn right out of parking lot on park road (3.4 miles) Turn right at the second sign for St. Helenas and go to parking lot (0.2miles). Take out is down the gated restricted access road, river left (0.45 miles)

Put In:
From check in office, Turn right out of parking lot on park road (0.75 miles)
Turn left onto Denton corners Rd and exit park at castile exit (2.1 miles), Turn left on 19A (2.1 miles),  Turn left on 436 (1.4 miles),  Turn left of east parade Rd (3.0miles),  At cross roads (42.60124, -78.00288) there is a porta-john and a gated road to the left.  Park there and walk 0.5 miles to the put in which is on river right.

(Put in was at Lee's Landing, a 1/2-mile carry downhill from the parking lot east of the swimming pool/Letchworth Outfitters (Raft Co.) Look for a gate across the grassy area north of parking lot near the CCC statue. Follow the dirt road to the bottom of the hill. Right to Lee's Landing, Left at the bottom, then Right in 300 yards to Red Ball.)

If you run the Loop, no shuttle is necessary. The carry back uphill is about 1/2 mile from either Red Ball (airplane/helicopter warnings on power lines) or Lunch Rocks (the next rapid below Red Ball).

If you pass Lunch Rocks you are committed to about 5 miles of Canyon to St. Helena's. This is the last takeout before the dam. Go with somebody that knows how to find it. In early Spring, there may be a lake backed up above there from the dam--not likely to be a worthwhile trip. Stick to the Loop in those conditions.
REPORT THAT YOU ARE OFF THE RIVER IN PERSON OR BY PHONE USING YOUR WAIVER # TO ADMIN CENTER. INSTRUCTIONS ARE ON YOUR WAIVER. DON'T FORGET UNLESS YOU WANT THE PARK POLICE SEARCHING FOR YOU.
 

Western New York Area Reaches

Beaver Meadow Creek                     Canadaway Creek (1.)                                      Canadaway Creek (2.) 

Canaseraga Creek                           Cattaraugus Creek                                           Cattaraugus Creek, S. Branch 

Cazenovia Creek, W. Branch (1.)    Cazenovia Creek, W. Branch (2.)                     Chautauqua Creek 

Clear Creek, N. Br.                           Conesus Creek                                              Eighteenmile Creek 

Eighteenmile Creek, S. Br.                Ellicott Creek                                                    Genesee (Letchworth) 

Honeoye Creek                               Keshequa Creek                                            Little Chautauqua Creek 

Murder Creek                                  Niagara                                                             Oak Orchard Creek 

Oatka Creek                                    Rushford Lake Outlet                                       Sugar Creek 

Twentymile Creek

Hoppy's post on the FLOW Massage Board)

Google Map of New York Whitewater

New York Whitewater Paddlers Facebook Group