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Kayaking Horseshoe Lake, Aug 12

Horseshoe Lake is located on South Eastern Saint Lawrence County, on a dead end state highway, NY 421, a spur from NY 30 South of Tupper Lake. It offers 6 campsites scattered along the lake, with 6 others on nearby roads. It is also near the Bog River Flow Canoe/Kayak Area.

Six Miles to Horseshoe Lake. This is the turn off for NY 421, one of the strangest state highways in the state. It is a dead ended highway, that leads to gravel roads around Horseshoe Lake and Bog River Flow. It is very twisty and narrow, and portions have not been resurfaced in over 50 years.

Six Miles to Horseshoe Lake

Towards Mt Morris. Paddling across Horseshoe Lake. As you can see, the land around here is very flat, former timber country. In the distance is Mount Morris, near Tupper Lake.

Towards Mt Morris

Choppy Waters. The water was somewhat choppy on Horsehoe Lake as there was a steady breeze as the weather was clearing out.

Choppy Waters

Northeast Tip. This is the upper tip of the Horseshoe Lake, in the most North-Eastern portion.

Northeast Tip

Heading Around The U. Horseshoe Lake is fairly large, all things considered. The open bays can be a bit rough, especially when you get into the wider portion of the U in the horseshoe.

Heading Around The U

Blinding Sun. Heading West across the Lake, I was going directly in the path of sun at 7 PM. Even with sunglasses on, the sun was bright and painful, leading to a temporary sunblindness. I ended up tacking North-West then South-West to avoid the sun, and the choppiness of the water.

Blinding Sun

Glare. In the background rises Silver Lake Mountain, that beautiful ridge one sees most clearly from paddling around Hitchins Pond/Lows Lake in the Bog River Canoe Area.

Glare

Other End of Lake. This is where NY 421 first hits the lake, heading west on NY 421 from Mountain Camp. You could say that it’s other tip of the Horseshoe. About 3 campsites, spaced 1/2 mile apart, are located on the lake.

Other End of Lake

Kayaking Mason Lake, August 11

Mason Lake is located in the Adirondacks just off NY 30. It has primative camping, I camped their last night (August 10th), and also camped there on July 31.

NY 30

It’s a two hour drive from Albany, so it’s not as far north as Moose River Plains, and can be done on a Friday night. It’s fairy popular, but there is usually some of the 6 out of 12 non-lake side campsites are always avaliable, and it’s not like it’s ever crowded on the lake in a boat.

Pine Trees Reflect On Mason Lake

I paddled down to the southern end of the lake, with a stream exiting Mason Lake. This part of the Jessup River is unpassable by kayak due to many trees crossing on it.

Stream Exiting Mason Lake

It was a beautiful day at Mason Lake with puffy clouds above.

Clouds and Marsh at Mason Lake

Thru Swampy End of Mason Lake. You had to watch out for trees on the bottom that you could get hung up on.

Thru Swampy End of Mason Lake

Pond Lilly

Jessup River Road. As seen from the southern end of Mason Lake paddling around.

Jessup River Road

Great Blue Heron, standing tall on an Island on Mason Lake.

Great Blue Heron

Another Island on Mason Lake

Snowy Mountain. As seen from the middle of Mason Lake.

Snowy Mountain

Lower Blue Ridge. As seen from Mason Pond. Beyond this ridge is Moose River Plains and Cedar River Flow.

Lower Blue Ridge

Kayak Parked at the Mason Lake Parking Area, where people pull off NY 30, totally oblivious to the camp sites across the lake.

Kayak Parked

Lakeside Campsite. This was the lake campsite at Mason Lake I camped out on Tuesday night. It was pretty nice that night, although I didn’t get any pictures, because I was dead tired after driving up two hours after work.

Lakeside Campsite

Truck’s All Packed. All I have to do now is put the kayak on the roof of my truck, and head north to Cedar River Flow for the next day of camping out.

Truck's All Packed

Lake Side Parking. This by where I camped down at Mason Lake.

Lake Side Parking

The campsite I stayed at with it’s views at Mason Lake. It was real nice.

Campsite with a View

Styrofoam Canoe Blocks I Made. I cut up an old styrofoam sleeping pad, rolled it up, cut notches, and duck taped it all together. It worked well, far better then trying to let the kayak ride directly on the roof of the pickup.

Styrofoam Canoe Blocks I Made

Here is a map of the lake. 12 Campsites are located along Jessup River Road, 3 which are RV/truck accessible with water, 3 that tent sites, and about 6 nearby the water. It’s great.