River tubing?

[AvalanchePass]

Hi guys,

Coming down for a week with the family to hike a couple of the 46 peaks.

Not everyone in the family is into hiking so we're looking for some fun things to fill in the week.

Stumbled across this company that offers guided tubing on the Sacandaga for $60/pp. But our kids are 14, 15, 17 so two of them don't meet the minimum age.

Seems like we should be able to do it on our own and avoid the $300 charge. Kids are resonable swimmers and we will all have life jackets. Found this guy's blog who details doing the trip w/o hiring a guide.

We're camping near Lake Placid so it would be a bit of a drive. Is there anywhere closer that you guys would recommend? There's Ausable Chasm but it's private property so I'm not sure if there would be a safe place for us to launch and disembark.

If we do the Sacandaga it's not clear to me where the put-in is. Stewart's Dam has a lot of fencing blocking river access?

Looks like the take-out might be the Old Corinth Rd bridge? Can we leave a car by this gazebo?

This site has the release schedule for the dam. Is the river runnable anytime or does it have to be timed with the release? Or should the river be avoided during a release?

Thanks.

[AvalanchePass]

OK, found the put-in.

The top review suggests that you can park there.

But this site says you need to park at the intersection of Route 4 and 7.

[AvalanchePass]

Hi, just putting a bow on this for those that find it going forward.

You can indeed park at the put-in linked to above. From there you exit the back of the parking lot and join the portage that goes around the dam. About 300 yard carry to the river.

Takeout is not the bridge as described above. Some dangerous rocks on river left before the bridge. Stay right. Takeout is river left immediately after the bridge at a paved ramp. Walking up the ramp brings you to the Sacandaga Outdoor Center.

This site suggests you can park there. Not sure, we left a vehicle across the road at the gazebo.

Fun family activity, highly recommended. Obviously, wear life jackets. We were told not everyone does.