Genesee River Recreation

The Rochester Regional Sierra Club project for Rediscovering the Genesee River began in 2001 as a way to highlight the recreational opportunities for our closest waterway. The Adirondacks and Finger Lakes are wonderful New York state assets but why is our Genesee River not utilized for recreation? After several years of canoeing the various sections on the river, I have come to realize that there are many people who love this river, paddle it, and are fascinated by its variability by season and its personality by region.

The Port of Rochester focus on the fast ferry will bring new people in contact with the river at its mouth. Public boat docking for trailered boats can be used to get car-top boat onto the river. (There is a plan [in 2004] to have toilet, public shower and changing room for lake-going boats just downstream from the ferry location.) Canoe and kayak paddling upstream from dock to the Lower Falls is a nice afternoon’s adventure. The City of Rochester has highlighted the scenic beauty by building Genesee Riverway Trail for hiking and biking along the banks of the river. Canoe access is part of the planned recreation development. Some paths are overlooking the river and some are at river level. They are also in the process of building a boardwalk (in 2004) in the turning basin to connect Maplewood and Charlotte along the west side at Turning Point Park. The Trail will connect city neighborhoods to this natural resource.

Within Rochester, NY, there are numerous walkways, overlooks, and bridges, which allow views of the river. Nowhere within the downtown is there safe access to the water due to high falls, power generation, and dams. North of Corn Hill section there is a dam, which guarantees a certain water level in the NYS Erie Canal/Barge Canal throughout the boating season. Gates on the canal close in the fall allowing the canal to drain while the river continues to flow north in the winter.

The Genesee Waterways Center, located south of downtown in Genesee Valley Park, provides a canoe and kayak rental site on the Genesee River in an area of flat deep water. Red Creek, the Erie Canal, and Black Creek are within paddling distance of the Center. Rentals are not available for off site use. Farther south in Monroe County, there are several DEC Fishing Access locations, Scottsville, Honeoye Creek, Industry, to name a few. In Avon, the NYS DOT is constructing (2003-2004) a DEC fishing boat ramp as they complete a new bridge structure over the Genesee. This cooperative approach delivers to New Yorkers a two-for-one bonus. It is anticipated (2004) that the rebuilding of the bridge over the river at Mount Morris will provide another boat-top car access. However, canoeing from Mount Morris to Avon is a 30 mile trip by water and much too long for a day trip.

The Genesee River from Mount Morris to Rochester meanders through fertile farmland and has a sluggish sediment laden current. It is a section that is near villages, farms and businesses yet it is in a tree-lined serene setting. Slow waters that are the norm provide respite from the frantic pace of modern life. Depth of water makes this a reliable paddling area. Bird watching and paddling can go hand in hand.

Within Letchworth State Park near Mt. Morris, there is access to a white water section of the river only upon registration at Visitors Center and adherence to the park rules. South of Letchworth State Park is a whole new type of river. Gone are the slow waters and here is a lively flow, where hills shed rain quickly. My favorite river run is from Caneadea to Filmore and if time permits, on to a “Whiskey” bridge landing just south of Portageville. When I first paddled in this region, I was thrilled to see the river slope down like children’s playground slide. The view from the top was magnificent of the hills and trees. Close up, the hills along the river show signs of glacial deposits of sand and gravel. These waters are little effected by industrial pollution. Farming is the major economic engine in Wyoming and Allegheny County.

Bridge crossings of the river are the logical access points, as they are public property and have a history of use by locals. Although these southern reaches of the river are not part of our regional Sierra Club, they are part of the Genesee River system. It behooves us to understand the ecology and dynamics that effect our region. Slope from PA to Letchworth State Park is about 8.9 feet per mile resulting in a faster ride and from Mt. Morris to the mouth is 0.8 feet per mile which indicates its lake-like nature.

Generally, if Wellsville has 5 feet of water in the river, the rest of the river will have enough water for a comfortable paddle. Portageville water level at 9 feet is a good sign and not too fast and furious. Early spring rain and water run-off lead to fast rising water levels and dangerous conditions.

The rural landscape draws quiet recreation. Camping is not found on the river but there are campgrounds listed with the tourism associations in each county. Cleaner and clearer waters in the southern hills make the river a treasure to trout fisher folks. There are five low water dams in the Wellsville section, which restrict canoeing. We advise against portaging. The rural landscape draws quiet recreation. A Genesee Headwaters Watershed Association is actively monitoring the river and working to keep the watershed clean in Pennsylvania.

“Know what to expect before you go” is a prudent safety rule. “Real-time Streamflow”, which is the gage readings for the river (listed by state), can be viewed online at the USGS website http://ny.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt . Go to Statewide Streamflow Table, then scroll down to 04130002 Upper Genesee (southern NY) with three listings and 04130003 Lower Genesee (northern NY) with 6 listings. Viewing the website graph will let you know water level, if the river is still rising or if it has started to drain off, after a rain.

A Canoe Access Map was produced for this grant as a result of paddling the length of the river. Many thanks for the moral support from the Executive Committee of Rochester Regional (NY) Sierra Club. Thanks to my canoeing partner and GPS enthusiast Jonathan Arney, to Bob Kraus and Sue Mihalyi for our scouting expeditions, to Charlie Appel for insights on the river, to Bob Pierson for canoe expertise and editing, and especially to Don Welch for making the map a reality. And the many paddlers who enjoyed the Genesee River outings. Grant money came from the education fund of the Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club.

Access Point	River Mile	Distance in miles from one access to the next	Elevation in feet from DEC map
Lake Ontario	0.00	Begins at north end of pier	247
Charlotte/ Port of Rochester	0.75	0.75
Turning Point Park	2.5	1.75
Seth Green Island/ Lower Falls	6.0	3.5
Downtown Rochester	6.0-8.0	No boating due to high falls	513-247
Corn Hill	8.0	Dam to control Erie Canal
Genesee Waterways Center	10.5	2.5	513
Ballantyne Bridge	14.00	3.5
Scottsville	21	7.5
Industry	23.5	3.5
Avon	35.25	11.75
York	44	8.75
Geneseo Rt 63	52.5	8.5	550 feet
Geneseo Rt 39	60.0	7.5
Mt Morris	65.5	5.5	580
Letchworth State Park	66-87	No boating due to high falls except in designated areas with registration	585
Portageville	87	Not applicable	1080
Whiskey Bridge/ River Road	89.25	2.25
Filmore	100	7.0
Caneadea	107	6.5
Belfast	113.5	5.0
Near Angelica	118.5	8.0
Belmont (dam)	126.6	5.5
Scio	132	5.25
Wellsville (5 low dams)	137.25	Boating within town difficult, concrete channel
Following sections will be shallow except in Spring high water:	River mile	River distance from previous access
Stannards Corners	140.8	3.55 from Wellsville
Shongo, NY	146	5.2
Genesee, PA	156.5	10.5	2500 feet