Kinderhook Creek
3.) Valatie to Colombiaville
| Difficulty | I-II(V+) |
| Length | 11.2 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Kinderhook Creek at Rossman Ny |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 3.03 ftrunnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | April 21, 2016 |
River Description
The lower section of Kinderhook Creek as it falls over carved shale into the Hudson is quite steep with regular flow. This section starts in the town of Valatie, (meaning 'Little Falls'), drops over a hundred feet in Stuyvasent (originally Glencadia meaning 'creek region of simple pleasurees') and continues to the Rt. 9 Bridge in Columbiaville. However, due to numerous large drops it is not run in it's entirity. Usually river running is done on the upper section, and from Rossman Rd to Stockport.
Those visiting this area should also be sure to check out Claverack Creek, Stony Kill, and the Upper Kinderhook Creek.
Park and Huck - There are many large drops for park and huck; a combination of original formations, capped with mill dams. In order they are:
Beaver Mill (Valatie) Falls: Class IV, ~25 ft - A fun park and huck with great access runnable with normal flows. Keeping your bow up is mandatory to avoid a pin between the two lines. Put in below or portage on river right under the bridge. There is also a river left side of the drop which opens up at higher water, however care should be taken to avoid rebar and safety should be set at the bottom hole which can be very retentive at certain levels.
Upper Stuyvasent Falls: Class V, ~65ft - A no joke double drop, starting with a winding left turn which lauches onto a shelf before riding a tongue for a clean drop. Portage on river left.
Lower Stuyvasent Falls: Class V+, ~60 ft - An untouched drop with many options as dicey as the next. Portage river left.
Rossman Falls: Class IV+: ~40ft - *Unrun* Pick your spot and go. Be sure to check your landing first!
Hidden Gem Falls: Class V: A jumbled cascade falling about 50 ft with 3 distinct steps, this drop is acutally on a tributary to Kinderhook Creek and is visible from theshuttle route near the confluence with Claverack Creek. Be wary of the last drop and be sure to land far to the right.
...River Features
Put In
Beaver Mill Falls
Beaver Mill Falls at the Rt.203 Bridge in Valatie. Dropping in 5 ft right of the bend in the dam on river left either turn right for the boof ledge leading to river center or break left to continue downstream and boof the 'nose' for a clean drop. The drop is easily scouted from the stream-side park and bridge, and has access for easy lapping. Total drop is about 25ft.
Upper Stuyvasent Falls
Upper Stuyvesant Falls. The line is to go through the slot where the tree is snagged on river right- boof, hug the pool, and ride the tongue back to the right in a zig- zag. In all the drop is 65-70 feet. First run in fall 2012 at 6 feet, this will run down to 3.25 before the landing onto the shelf is bare rock.
Lower Stuyvasent Falls
View over the lip of the slide line on Lower Stuyvesant Falls. A 60+ foot drop that may or may not be runnable at certain flows.
Rossman Falls
A ~40 ft drop in total. Looks straightforward, just scout your landing.
Hidden Gem Falls
Runnable only at times of heavy run-off, this was dubbed 'Hidden Gem Falls,' the drop marks where a small tributary stream drops over 50 feet down a steep 3 step cascade. While there is no set line, the final drop must be landed flat on river right to avoid a piton. From the putin at the Fitting Rd Bridge to the Urban St. Bridge the stream drops about 70 feet along W Ghent Rd/ County Rt 22
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportPerhaps the first decent of Rossman Falls! I took a small tongue just right of center (though I missed it by a couple feet to the right) and boofed it to try and minimize penitration on landing. As it was I felt the bottom and my paddle came out of one hand on my first roll attempt. Got it on my second. Would be good to study the landing at low water to find the deepest pool. I think if I'd penciled in I would have pitoned on the bottom.
6.5ft on the gauge and high tide
Sweet squirt spot below the Rt.203 overpass
Runnable only at times of heavy run-off, this was dubbed 'Hidden Gem Falls,' the drop marks where a small tributary stream drops over 50 feet down a steep 3 step cascade. While there is no set line, the final drop must be landed flat on river right to avoid a piton. From the putin at the Fitting Rd Bridge to the Urban St. Bridge the stream drops about 70 feet along W Ghent Rd/ County Rt 22
Running Valatie Falls at low water.
Man-made feature just downstream of Beaver Mill Falls and the Rt. 203 Bridge in Valatie. Comes in around 3.75 ft.
Upper Stuyvesant Falls. The line is to go through the slot where the tree is snagged on river right- boof, hug the pool, and ride the tongue back to the right in a zig- zag. In all the drop is 65-70 feet. First run in fall 2012 at 6 feet, this will run down to 3.25 before the landing onto the shelf is bare rock.
Beaver Mill Falls at the Rt.203 Bridge in Valatie. Dropping in 5 ft right of the bend in the dam on river left either turn right for the boof ledge leading to river center or break left to continue downstream and boof the 'nose' for a clean drop. The drop is easily scouted from the stream-side park and bridge, and has access for easy lapping. Total drop is about 25ft.
Right below put-in, behind Main St.
View over the lip of the slide line on Lower Stuyvesant Falls. A 60+ foot drop that may or may not be runnable at certain flows.