Hudson
1. Indian River to North River(Hudson Gorge)
| Difficulty | III-IV |
| Length | 15.4 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Hudson River at North Creek Ny |
| Flow Rate as of 55 minutes | 4.28 ftrunnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | August 3, 2025 |
River Description
Indian River to North River runs through the remote Hudson River Gorge. Difficulty varies with water levels.
This section of the Hudson is unique in that its release is by way of a tributary, the Indian River.
As of 2025, the releases from the dam on Lake Abanakee happen only on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, between May and September.
The Hudson River is runnable without the Indian River release most of the year due to rains or melt. Rafts need the release at put in on the Indian River.
When the Lake Abanakee Dam on the Indian River isn't releasing, one can drive down Chain Lakes Road all the way to the Old Gooley Clubhouse, and put in on a path to the Hudson river.
If the dam is releasing, the trip actually starts out on the Indian River which usually only releases from 09:30 AM until 11:30 AM.
Releases happen only on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Put in about a half mile down from the dam for the normal raft put-in.
There is a great Class IV+ warmup on the Indian (Otter Slide) if you start directly below the dam. Otter Slide has a slightly technical lead-in to a ~10ft drop at low water. During releases, this drop becomes a massive boiling hole. Beware of undercut rocks on river left, the normal line is right of center, where a small amount of water shoots through the hole.
Below Otter Slide, the river is nearly continuous Class III for a mile with a break and then close to a mile of slightly easier nearly continuous class III. The hardest parts of the gorge are harder than the Indian and has no good egress, so if you are struggling on the Indian consider calling it a day. The road is close to the river just above the big island after the 1st rapid on the Indian and you can walk out from the confluence as well. Neither the Indian nor the harder rapids on the Gorge are good places to swim.
The Hudson River Gorge is surrounded by Wilderness Study Areas.
At levels below 4 feet the riv
...River Features
Put In
Avoid parking in the east (far end) of the upper (main) lot as rafter's turn around and stage there and it's rafters that assure the regular releases.
Take Out
Private parties should take out at the 'river exhibit' pullout just below (southeast) of 78/13th Lake Road or below. The rafters and land owners have asked private parties not use the rafter's pullouts.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportRan this at 4.5 ish feet recently. If your like us and going read and run for ur first run watch out for widowmaker a nasty keeper hole in the center left of the river at the top of the narrows. It has a really strong strong re circulation with almost no foam. There is a huge pillow in front of it it's easy to see just don't mistake it for a good boof like we did. I managed to get out but it was extremely difficult.
I have run this river many many times with levels from bone dry to 9ft on the gauge, and find this to be completely hyped up. In reality with the exception of Soup Strainer and Otter-Slide there is little above a III on this river. Most of this run is read and run relatively easy moves. The left side 'sneak' line on Grey Hound is huge, and the one on the right is easy if you eddy hop down or hug the shore. In many cases there are pools below the larger drops to collect swimers, but there are rapids that would be a bit more of a challenge especially as you are getting worn out towards the end of the day.
If you don't know where to go follow the rafts, otherwise enjoy a NY classic read and run III/IV with characteristic long flatwater stretches.
looking upstream at Chet running some typical Hudson rapids. continuous and wide. i don't know which rapid, but its between the Narrows and Givneys
looking downstream at Chet running the same rapid from another picture. this is a mild rapid, but the surroundings are what these 14 miles will generally look like.
this is the put-in (for this reach of Hudson) if you skip Otter Slide rapid on the Indian. not hard to find if you follow the rafts.
a sight like this means the Givneys rapid is close, i believe a couple rapids away. the day i took this we found out by running right down the middle (we soon remembered this wasn't the suggested line). the level was 5.25' with the release, 4.75' without.
this is what you'll see when approaching the Blue Ledges. the river then curves left (the inside corner may be a good lunch stop) and afterward the Narrows section begins.
I can confirm the river-right 'sneak' in Giveny's below 5 feet. The line hugs the right shore, way right of Soup Strainer. There are a few nice hits which are easily avoided or run, your choice. This line is definately easier than the center-left-center line and is probably advisable for newer paddlers. Above 5 feet the line is still there, but the hits become much bigger. Your choice where to go.
William G. Prime and members of the Kayak and Canoe Club of New York, an AW affiliate, led a trip on the Hudson River Gorge with Senator Kennedy, Interior Secretary Udall, and their families to dramatize river sports, water pollution control, and the pending Wild Rivers bill (passed the next fall as the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act). Within 200 miles of New York City--crystal clear in its upper stretches but polluted as it passed through population centers--the Hudson River Gorge was an ideal choice. The story of this trip is detailed in the Autumn 1967 issue of the American Whitewater journal.
William G. Prime and members of the Kayak and Canoe Club of New York, an AW affiliate, led a trip on the Hudson River Gorge with Senator Kennedy, Interior Secretary Udall, and their families to dramatize river sports, water pollution control, and the pending Wild Rivers bill (passed the next fall as the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act). Within 200 miles of New York City--crystal clear in its upper stretches but polluted as it passed through population centers--the Hudson River Gorge was an ideal choice. The story of this trip is detailed in the Autumn 1967 issue of the American Whitewater journal.
William G. Prime and members of the Kayak and Canoe Club of New York, an AW affiliate, led a trip on the Hudson River Gorge with Senator Kennedy, Interior Secretary Udall, and their families to dramatize river sports, water pollution control, and the pending Wild Rivers bill (passed the next fall as the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act). Within 200 miles of New York City--crystal clear in its upper stretches but polluted as it passed through population centers--the Hudson River Gorge was an ideal choice. The story of this trip is detailed in the Autumn 1967 issue of the American Whitewater journal.
William G. Prime and members of the Kayak and Canoe Club of New York, an AW affiliate, led a trip on the Hudson River Gorge with Senator Kennedy, Interior Secretary Udall, and their families to dramatize river sports, water pollution control, and the pending Wild Rivers bill (passed the next fall as the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act). Within 200 miles of New York City--crystal clear in its upper stretches but polluted as it passed through population centers--the Hudson River Gorge was an ideal choice. The story of this trip is detailed in the Autumn 1967 issue of the American Whitewater journal.
The Otter Slide
This is me on my 1st saftey boating expirience on the Hudson for Wild Waters Outdoor Center. No one swam lucky for me.