Canoeing - Henderson Lake

For several years now, Holly and I have talked about paddling on Henderson Lake, in the heart of the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness. The views from the water were said to be stupendous, and we wanted to see what all the hoopla was about. With daily rain scuttling any camping plans, we decided to give this a try today as a day trip, since it was only about 2 hours from home.

From the parking area at the end of the Upper Works Road, it was only about a 0.3-0.4 mile carry on a gentle gravel road to the put-in on the eastern side of the lake. The views from the lake did not disappoint. The best views were from the northern end, where the cliffs of Wallface Mountain (3727') towered in the distance.



We had paddled north along the eastern shore and its rocky cliffs, so crossed over and paddled south along the western shore. As we distanced ourselves from Wallface, the views opened up to include a much wider panorama. McNaughton Mountain (4000') is on the left, Wallface in the middle, and the McIntyre Range on the right.



Continuing further south gave us a peek at Mount Colden (4714') to the east, through a gap in the terrain.



Always on the lookout for a sandy beach, we found one on a small promontory south of the put-in. Holly went in for a dip while I sat on a rock and watched a pair of loons. That's McNaughton Mountain (4000') in the background.



This a beautiful lake, it's not far from home, it's an easy carry, and there are at least 4 designated campsites at present, with more to be added in the future. I expect we'll be doing this one again sometime.