Thinking of paddling and staying a few nights on Stillwater. Was looking at the sites at eastern end like 25 or 26. Any recommendations?
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Stillwater Reservoir
- Thread starter billconner
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#25 is on a small peninsula with an open to the lake "frog pond" on the north side. Years ago (1970's ), Several times I would paddle the family in our Grumman to our favorite #25 for a few days with wife and 2 kids and a dog to catch frogs, son would terrorize his younger sister and I would spend a few hours bushwhacking to a circuit of several of the more interior remote ponds and small lakes to the north. Our next most favorite was #3, much closer if it was windy, and with the trail into Evergreen and beyond. Don't know about #26, but the west wind on Stillwater is legendary and it could be rough there. In following years, visiting those ponds and others of the region became my passion to hone my precision traditional map and compass skills.
Another time (among many) I soloed that Grumman into the Loon Lake bay on the south shore. Bull frogs kept me up all night and I made tasty breakfast from a few of them. The west wind was so strong that morning that I could not turn the canoe on the main lake or paddle into it without being blown across to the north shore. Luckily wife at home knew enough (from our and my previous experience and instruction) not to panic, surmising that I would have trouble getting out until the wind died down the next day. Stillwater was a lot like that with me. That Grumman taught me a lot about how to solo control a big canoe in weather conditions.
Make the hike on the Red Horse Trail to Clear Lake if you can. there may be a leaky boat there to use if you dare. Look for makeshift paddles in the woods if not in the boat. The water is spring fed and is absolutely swimming pool clear and cool, unlike most all normal brown tannin colored Adirondack lake water. Very unique. You can see sunken logs and boulders with clarity 20 feet below. Well worth the trip.
Another time (among many) I soloed that Grumman into the Loon Lake bay on the south shore. Bull frogs kept me up all night and I made tasty breakfast from a few of them. The west wind was so strong that morning that I could not turn the canoe on the main lake or paddle into it without being blown across to the north shore. Luckily wife at home knew enough (from our and my previous experience and instruction) not to panic, surmising that I would have trouble getting out until the wind died down the next day. Stillwater was a lot like that with me. That Grumman taught me a lot about how to solo control a big canoe in weather conditions.
Make the hike on the Red Horse Trail to Clear Lake if you can. there may be a leaky boat there to use if you dare. Look for makeshift paddles in the woods if not in the boat. The water is spring fed and is absolutely swimming pool clear and cool, unlike most all normal brown tannin colored Adirondack lake water. Very unique. You can see sunken logs and boulders with clarity 20 feet below. Well worth the trip.
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Only been there once, stayed at the lean to on Trout Pond.
We carried and paddled to Clear Lake, but I was more pleased with Witchhopple and the outlet which feeds Salmon Lake.
Be careful of the weather there, even light winds can whip up quite a froth...
We carried and paddled to Clear Lake, but I was more pleased with Witchhopple and the outlet which feeds Salmon Lake.
Be careful of the weather there, even light winds can whip up quite a froth...
Hi Bill, sorry I am late to this thread.
I paddled & camped on Stillwater in 2022 (mid-September) and 2024 (3rd week of August). On both visits, I stayed at site 23 and enjoyed it thoroughly. I saw very few canoers on both trips, especially from site 23 and beyond. I have checked out sites 25 and 26 and would not hesitate to camp at either site. I particularly like site 26 (I took a long lunch break there on two occasions), and the only reason we didn't camp there in 2024 was that my paddling partner was spent after we battled some serious headwinds, so we wisely called it at site 23. Sites 25 and 26 are down-lake from the isolated village of Beaver River, so there is less boat traffic in that area of the lake. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of either site. The eastern end of the reservoir has lots of large sandy beaches (sites 23 and 26 have particularly nice beaches when the water is low). There also are seemingly endless stump fields dating back to the era of logging and formation of the reservoir. I found they really added to the intrigue for exploration. Fishing for smallmouth bass was also quite good.
Wind can be a factor given the reservoir's east-west alignment, especially during summer afternoons. I found it comforting to stay close to the northern shore due to headwinds and rough conditions when paddling in on both visits. Also, keep an eye out for submerged stumps (and of course rocks).
A visit to the funky, isolated village of Beaver River is a must. A paddle to the end of the reservoir and upstream on the Beaver River is also worth the effort. You can even get a meal at the Norridgewock Lodge. We did in 2024, and it was good! If you paddle down to the Beaver River, keep a close watch on the wind.
As you are probably aware, there is a large kiosk at the landing with a map listing each campsite. You are supposed to self-reserve a campsite there.
Good luck and enjoy your visit if you go.
Beaver River
Thanks! Just what I was looking for.
Good morning, Bill. My apologies, but after looking through some additional photos of my trips to Stillwater that I had archived, I realized I confused sites 25 and 26 in my initial response to your post. I guess age is catching up to my memory
. Site 25, and not site 26, as accurately described by yknpdlr above as being on a small peninsula, is actually the site that I found to be most appealing. Here are the pictures I found in my photo archive. 
Thank you. Still intrigued by 26.
So if you go to the hotel for dinner, can you be picked up on the way back to camp for PWI?
So if you go to the hotel for dinner, can you be picked up on the way back to camp for PWI?
