Note: Access to Lows Lower Dam is temporarily closed. For further information, and the latest from the DEC on Lows Lower Dam access, check the Bog River Complex page.

This remote area has abundant wetlands, including marsh communities with rare plant species, wildlife viewing opportunities, and plenty of room to canoe and kayak!

How to get there

Launch from Lows Lake Hand Launch on the far western end of the lake. From Tupper Lake, head southwest on Park Street toward High Street and pass by Stewart's Shops on the left. After 0.2 miles turn left onto NY-30 S (Wawbeek Avenue) and continue on NY-30 S for 11.2 miles. Turn right onto Circle Road at the 3.0 mile point, and continue straight onto Sabattis Road for 8.3 miles. Follow the seasonal road for 0.3 miles until a slight right, and continue for 9.8 miles.

Paddling

For this adventure you will have a short carry of only about 100 feet to the sandy shore at Lows Lower Dam on Bog River. The launch itself is a scenic destination and a popular area for boating and fishing. The paddle starts out from the dam in a wide area with rocky shores and calm waters. As you proceed to the west the passage gets a bit narrower and the scenery becomes even more inspiring. These narrows have shallow waters, and submerged boulders might not clear the hull of a boat under lower water conditions.

Hitchins Pond is calm and well sheltered, but it can get wavy in windy situations. The Bog River has a slight current and is well sheltered, with a mix of shallow and narrow sections.

Birding

This remote area has abundant wetlands, including vibrant marsh communities with rare plant species. This provides prime breeding grounds for a variety of birds. Bald eagles are visible all year. Golden eagles appear during migration periods. Look for common loon, spruce grouse, northern harrier, osprey, Cooper's hawk, common nighthawk, and vesper sparrow.

Moving along, the course widens and you can explore the edges a bit more easily as you head into a pond-like section of river, where all types of birds can be seen. The river swings north through another narrow area, then quickly widens before heading west and under the railroad tracks.

As you feed through the final narrows on this trip, you will arrive at the north-south shaped Hitchins Pond at the 2.5 mile mark. There are about 4 miles of shoreline at this pond. Heading north ends at Hitchins Bog, heading south will bring you to Lows Upper Dam. Look for a grassy area near a state sign, you can get out here and continue up the inlet to the dam and get out there.