The Harriman Blog

Paddling Lake Welch in Harriman State Park

Posted on by Brownski

Lake Welch in Harriman State Park is a frequent paddling spot for me. There are multiple reasons for that. It is right off of exit 14 on the Palisades Parkway, making it supremely accessible. It has a dedicated parking area for paddlers behind a locked gate so even on the park’s busiest days I am almost guaranteed to be able to find a spot. It’s big enough to get a modest workout and do a little exploring so I don’t get too bored with the scenery.

Lake Welch boat launch

All the lakes in Harriman are compromised as pure nature experiences. The place is just too popular and too close to the city to find true solitude.

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Tagged: Harriman, Paddling6 Comments

Lake Tiorati Paddle

Posted on by Brownski

As much as I would have loved skiing the bumps at Killington this past weekend, I was coming off of two long drives — one to central Pennsylvania last Saturday to pick up a new minivan I’d ordered ten months ago and then an eight hour round trip on Friday to help my son move out of his dorm. I wasn’t ready for another marathon drive, I was looking for local adventures to get outside.

Lake Tiorati parking

Last year I spent a lot of time paddling at Harriman State Park but I was too late to register my boats for one of the limited number of spots in the paddlers’ parking lots at Lake Tiorati and Lake Welch. Parking is a problem during the summer so having access to the boaters’ parking is a big advantage.

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Tagged: Downstate NY, Harriman, Paddling3 Comments

Silvermine Lake Paddle

Posted on by Brownski

Long time readers might remember that I spend a lot of time recreating around Silvermine Lake in Harriman State Park. In the past I’ve written about taking my kids to explore the ruins of the defunct ski area, using the still-skiable trails to fool around with touring gear in the winter and as a spot for an easy loop hike around the lake, utilizing a portion of the Appalachian Trail and the CCC era Silvermine Ski Road. What first drew me to the spot though was the lake.

Lewis Brook

It’s not a big lake and doesn’t offer anything challenging but it’s still a cool spot to paddle a canoe or kayak. What sets it apart from most of the other lakes in Harriman is that there are no camps or picnic areas directly on its shores.

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Tagged: Harriman, Paddling6 Comments