Chemung River Basin events and programs Spring means warmer weather and more opportunities to paddle, hike and enjoy our rivers. Below is the list of guided paddles, canoe races, river trash cleanups and other events in the Chemung and Susquehanna rivers watersheds:
May 4-6: Ben Newton Memorial Civil War Event, Grove Street Boat Launch, Elmira, N.Y. on the grounds of the former Elmira Federal (Civil War) Prison Camp of 1864. Educational programs, historic guided bus tour of Elmira, memorial service at Woodlawn National Cemetery, 5K trail run, civil war camps, drills and artillery competitions, living history demonstrations, open field battle reenactment and candle light tour. Sponsored by the Chemung Valley Living History Center, www.chemungvalley.org.
May 5: Addison Race Fest, 11 mile canoe race from Cameron Mills N.Y. to Addison, N.Y. Categories: racing canoe, recreational canoe, Coleman canoe and novice canoe; registration 7:30-9:15 a.m. at Cameron Mills Boat launch. Race director: April Emerson (607) 795-0795 or april@equinoxbroadcasting.com
May 18-20: Endless Mountains Heritage Sojourn on the Susquehanna River, 40 miles from Sayre, Pa. to Friendenshutten, Pa. Camping along the way. Don Shappelle will provide music at French Azilum campsite. Sponsored by the Susquehanna River North Branch Water Trail Committee and Endless Mountains Outfitters, 80-paddler limit, www.emo444.com
May 19-24: A six-day, 85 mile guided paddle on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River from Curwensville, Pa. to Renovo, Pa. Camp one day or for the entire trip on this remote and beautiful section of the river. Due to the trip remoteness and length (22 miles in one day) it’s recommended that only intermediate and advanced paddlers participate. Registration due by May 4. Sponsored by the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership. www.susquehannagreenway.org.
May 20-21: Moravian Heritage Sojourn on the Susquehanna River, from Friedenshutten, Pa. to Nesbitt Park, Pa. and on to Shickshinny, Pa. Sponsored by the Susquehanna River North Branch Water Trail Committee and Endless Mountains Outfitters, www.emo444.com
June 2: Chemung River Friends beginners paddle, Grove St. Boat Launch, Elmira, N.Y., 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Beginner or novice paddlers will be paired with an experienced canoeist. Learn basic paddling strokes and canoe safety and then paddle 2 miles to the Dunn Field Boat launch, Elmira, N.Y. Includes lunch. $10/person. Advance registration required. 10-person limit. Contact Chemung River Friends, (607) 846-2242 or riverfriends@stny.rr.com.
June 9: Elmira River Fest Paddle, 9 a.m.-noon, 11 miles from Bottcher’s Landing Boat Launch in Big Flats, N.Y. to the Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira, N.Y. and the 8th Annual River Fest. Free. Chemung River Friends and the Ahwaga Canoe & Kayak Club will guide the paddle. The festival, at Grove Street Boat Launch, includes live music, food, vendors, exhibits, displays and many fun activities. The paddle and festival are sponsored by Near Westside Neighborhood Association. (607) 733-4924 or www.nwnainc.com
June 14-17: North Branch Susquehanna River Sojourn, four-day 70-mile guided paddle from Cooperstown, N.Y. to Bainbridge, N.Y. Sponsored by the Headwaters River Trail Partnership. Join the trip for one day or for the entire journey. Shuttles available each day. Canoe and kayak rentals available. www.headwatersrivertrail.org.
June 21: “Don’t Blame the River,” educational flood presentation/panel discussion, 7-8:30 p.m., Chemung Valley History Museum, 415 E. Water St., Elmira, N.Y. Learn why rivers don’t cause floods. Chemung River Friends, (607) 846-2242 or riverfriends@stny.rr.com.
July 14, 8:30 a.m.-noon: Community trash cleanup. Meet at the Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira N.Y. at 8:30 a.m. Sponsored by Chemung River Friends, (607) 846-2242 or riverfriends@stny.rr.com.
Aug. 4: Paddle on the Susquehanna from Sayre, Pa. to Ulster, Pa. Sponsored by the Susquehanna River North Branch Water Trail Committee and Endless Mountains Outfitters, www.emo444.com
Sept. 8, 8:30 a.m.-noon: Community trash cleanup. Meet at the Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira N.Y. at 8:30 a.m. Sponsored by Chemung River Friends, (607) 846-2242 or riverfriends@stny.rr.com.
Proceeds will support the work of the Friends of the Chemung River Watershed ($40 each). ...more>>
Below is a 2011 list of scheduled recreational, educational and river stewardship events for the Friends of the Chemung River Watershed, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the Chemung River and its tributaries. The events, except the April 15 cleanup, are open to the public:
April 15, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Notre Dame High School Community Service: More than 250 students and staff from Notre Dame High School in Southport will clean trash along the river and clean and repair trails and boat launch picnic pavilions from Southport to Big Flats.
May 21, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., guided boat trip: River Friends will hold a guided 12-mile paddle on the Chemung River from the Toll Bridge Park Boat Launch in Wellsburg to the White Wagon Boat Launch in Chemung. Invited guests include Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning and other government officials. The trip includes bus transportation, river guides, interactive exhibit, breakfast snacks and a hot lunch and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new White Wagon launch site. Cost: $10 per person. Cosponsored by Haas Landscape Architects, Finger Lakes Land Trust and the town of Chemung. Our partner, Tanglewood Nature Center in Elmira, will present a “Pondering Water” fun with nature lecture, at the nature center from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at the nature center. Participants will learn about water’s importance, visit the nature center’s vernal ponds, collect water samples and view microscopic pond life on a big screen.
June 4, 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., River Fest paddle: A guided nine-mile boat trip on the Chemung River from Bottcher’s Landing Boat Launch in Big Flats to Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira. Dr. Chris Kopf, professor of geology at Mansfield University will be at Bottcher’s Landing to provide information about the formation of the spectacular palisades which loom over the river corridor. Finger Lakes Land Trust staff member Kris West will join the paddle and provide information about the Land Trust’s local activities. There is a $2 parking fee. It is part of the 7th Annual River Fest and River Paddle Festival (11 a.m.-3 p.m.) at the Grove Street launch hosted by the Near Westside Neighborhood Association. Includes free bus transportation. Guided paddle provided by Chemung River Friends and Ahwaga Canoe & Kayak Club. The festival includes live music, food, vendors, activities and displays. For more festival information: 607-733-4924, e-mail nearwestside@stny.rr.com, www.nwnainc.com or find River Fest – Elmira, NY on Facebook! June 4, 8-10 a.m., on the water river cleanup: Boy Scout Troop 57 of Bath and River Friends boaters will remove trash and obstacles from the Chemung River above the Chase-Hibbard Dam in Elmira to West Elmira.
June 25, 8:30 a.m.-noon: Community river trash cleanup: The public is invited to help remove trash at boat launches and other sites along the river. Meet at the Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira and ride a bus to the cleanup sites.
June 16-19: Susquehanna Sojourn guided paddle: A 47-mile paddle trip and camping on the Susquehanna River from Bainbridge, N.Y., to Great Bend, Pa. Includes shuttle bus service, camping/showers, some meals, entertainment and educational programs at campsites and tours of art and history museums. Sponsored by the Upper Susquehanna Coalition. Cost: $180. For more information: Erin Heard, (607) 346-2727, eheardusc@gmail.com or www.headwatersrivertrail.org.
Aug. 27, 8:30 a.m.-noon, Community river trash cleanup: The public is invited to help remove trash at boat launches and other sites along the river. Meet at the Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira and ride a bus to the cleanup sites.
Sept. 10, 8:30 a.m.-noon, Riverside trash cleanup. Meet at the Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira and board a bus to travel to boat launches and fishing spots to cleanup trash from Big Flats to the town of Ashland.
Oct. 15, 2:30 p.m. : Hike at Tanglewood Nature Center in Big Flats to the Frenchman’s Bluff area, overlooking the Chemung River. Topics include: tree identification, fall leaf peeping and Chemung history and future.
Oct. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.:River Friends annual meeting, Chemung County Historical Society, 415 E. Water St., Elmira. Free and open to all River Friends members. Please RSVP: (607) 846-2242.
Nov. 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Tanglewood Nature Center, 443 Coleman Ave., Elmira; (607) 732-6060. See the scenic movie "Green Fire" and learn about Aldo Leopold, a giant in American conservation. Includes light beverages and a discussion. Free and open to public. Presented by River Friends and our partners Tanglewood Nature Center and the Finger Lakes Land Trust.
For more information and updates, contact the Friends of the Chemung River Watershed, www.chemungriverfriends.org, or fingerlakesmountainbikeclub.com, or go to “chemungriverfriends” on Facebook. ...more>>
More information: Chemung River Friends 607-846-2242 or riverfriends@stny.rr.com