Santa Clara Conservation Easement Tract

General information on hiking includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

There are several hikes in this area which provide scenic overviews of natural land and water features.

The Pinnacle Trailhead (1,840 feet) provides access to a 0.7-mile trail which ascends 325 feet to the top of The Pinnacle. An open ledge near the top provides views of the Santa Clara Flow.

The Azure Mountain Trailhead (2,518 feet) provides access to a 1.0-mile trail that climbs 944 feet to the summit of the mountain. The summit provides views of the mountains, forests and waters to the south. The cab of the fire tower on the summit is open to the public and provides 360 degree views. The trail and mountain are located on the 528-acre Azure Mountain parcel of the Debar Mountain Wild Forest.

The Everton Falls Trailhead provides parking and access to the 1.0-mile loop trail on lands owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). This is a self-guided nature trail which is part of TNC's Everton Falls Preserve. Guides can be found in the trail register.

In addition to the trails listed above, hiking is allowed off trail on State owned lands and on the Santa Clara Conservation Easement. All the roads within the Santa Clara Tract are open to hiking.

Hikers must stay away from logging activities.

General information on paddling includes safety tips with links to rules and regulations and lists of DEC boat launches by county.

Paddlers have the opportunity to pass through a number of Adirondack habitats on a variety of water conditions.

Flatwater paddles are available on Madawaska Pond (Flow), Deer River Flow, Santa Clara Flow and sections of the Middle and East Branches of the St. Regis River. Whitewater sections with varying levels of difficulty can be found on the Deer River, St. Regis River and East Branch St. Regis River.

Nine miles of flatwater paddling is available on a section of the East Branch St. Regis River which can be accessed from two hand launches. Paddlers putting in at the Vanderwalker Road Hand Launch can use the short carry from the parking area to the river. Paddlers can travel upstream or downstream with 4 miles of paddling available in each direction.

More ambitious paddlers can put in at the Everton Falls Hand Launch to take an 18-mile round trip paddle heading upstream and returning with the current. Less ambitious paddlers can put in at either launch and paddle around as much or as little as they desire. Groups can park a car at each launch site and paddle between them. People using the Everton Falls Hand Launch can enjoy the namesake scenic falls or take a hike on the nearby nature trails. See the hiking section for more information.

The Middle Branch St. Regis River provides nearly 25 miles of mostly flatwater paddling and some sections of moving water, whitewater and rapids. Paddlers should watch carefully for carry trail markers for portages around rapids. Beginner paddlers should only paddle the flatwater sections.

A 12-mile meandering flatwater section can be accessed using the Indian Rock Hand Launch after a 0.6-mile carry from the parking area along Blue Mountain Road. The flatwater section stretches 10 miles upstream and 2 miles downstream from the launch site.

Paddlers can continue 5 miles downstream from the flatwater section to the Four Mile Road Hand Launch. This section drops more than 150 feet in elevation over its course and contains a number of whitewater and moving water sections. There are 4 marked carries around rapids before reaching the lower launch site.

A 3-mile flatwater section can also be accessed directly from the Four Mile Road Hand Launch. After a 0.6-mile carry, paddlers can continue on the river approximately 2.5 miles downstream to the Santa Clara Flow.

The Santa Clara Flow Hand Launch lies 3 miles further near the dam at the northern end of the flow. The launch is shallow and should only be used by canoes, kayaks, and other car-top boats. Paddlers can put in at the boat launch and paddle 5.6 miles upstream on the 248-acre Santa Clara Flow and up the St. Regis River to the first rapids.

The Clark's Landing Hand Launch can be used to paddle the 408-acre Deer River Flow.

The Madwaska Pond Hand Launch site provides access to the picturesque 228-acre Madwaska Pond and more than 2 miles of Quebec Brook above the pond to the boundary between Forest Preserve lands and private lands.

Long Pond and its primitive tent site may be accessed from the Long Pond Hand Launch. Boats with electric motors less than 5 horsepower can use the pond.

General information on boating includes safety tips with links to rules and regulations and lists of DEC boat launches by county.

The Santa Clara Flow Hand Launch provides access for car-top boats to the 248-acre Santa Clara Flow and portions of the St. Regis River upstream. Due to the configuration of the launch site, the shallow water of the flow and the size of the flow, motors with 10 horsepower or less are recommended.

Long Pond and its primitive tent site may be accessed from the Long Pond Hand Launch. Boats with electric motors less than 5 horsepower can use the pond.

General information on backcountry camping includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

There are 2 designated primitive tent sites located in the area associated with the Santa Clara Tract. All are primarily accessible from the water.

• Long Pond has one primitive tent site on its shore located near the Long Pond Hand Launch.
• One campsite is located near the Clarks Landing Hand Launch on the Deer River Flow.

Campers who prefer more amenities can camp at DEC's nearby Meacham Lake Campground and the Town of Waverly's St. Regis Falls Campground.

General information on fishing includes fishing tips with links to seasons, rules and regulations. You can ensure of continued good fishing opportunities in the future by fishing responsibly. If you have never been fishing but want to try, it's easy to learn how to fish.

Many of the tributaries of the Deer River, St. Regis River, East Branch St. Regis River and Quebec Brook contain wild populations of small brook trout. Some brook trout also inhabit the main rivers near the mouths of tributaries and in spring holes.

The Middle Branch St. Regis River is stocked with brown trout and rainbow trout downstream of the community of St. Regis Falls.

Deer River is stocked with brown trout from Dickinson Center to the Reynoldston Road.

Northern pike are common in the deeper pools of the St. Regis River and Santa Clara Flow.

Smallmouth bass occupy rockier sections of the East Branch St. Regis River.

Panfish, yellow perch and brown bullhead can be found in Madawaska Pond and Santa Clara Flow.

Deer River Flow contains northern pike, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, yellow perch and panfish.

Long Pond contains brook trout and may be accessed from the Long Pond Hand Launch.

Anglers can use the same access locations as those used by paddlers and boaters to access these waters.

The Quebec Brook Parking Area provides access to a 1.2-mile trail along Quebec Brook.

Adirondack/Lake Champlain Fishing provides information on fishing in the Adirondacks and links to top fishing waters, stocking lists, public fishing access and waters open to ice fishing listed by county.

Help Protect Native Adirondack Fish: populations of brook trout, round whitefish and other native Adirondack fish species have severely declined due to introduced fish.

General Information on hunting includes how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules and regulations.

Big game hunting and small game hunting are allowed on the conservation easement lands in accordance with state laws and regulations. Hunting is not allowed on the posted one-acre areas around the leased camps.

More than 100 privately-leased camps are scattered throughout the Santa Clara Tract Conservation Easement. The public is prohibited from entering the camps and one-acre of land around the camp. Please respect the rights of the landowner and their lessees.

Hunters may park and access the lands using the same access points as hikers. Hunters may also park in informal roadside parking areas found throughout the road system provided they are not blocking roads or gates.

General information on trapping includes how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules and regulations.

Trapping is allowed on the conservation easement lands in accordance with state laws and regulations. Trapping is not allowed on the posted one-acre areas around the leased camps.

More than 100 privately-leased camps are scattered throughout the Santa Clara Tract Conservation Easement. The public is prohibited from entering the camps and one-acre of land around the camp. Please respect the rights of the landowner and their lessees.

Hunters may park and access the lands using the same access points as hikers. Hunters may also park in informal roadside parking areas found throughout the road system provided they are not blocking roads or gates.

General information on mountain biking includes how-to and safety tips with links to rules and regulations.

Biking is allowed on all roads on the Santa Clara Easement . Biking is allowed on designated trails in the Debar Mountain Wild Forest. Biking is not allowed on the Deer River Primitive Area or the Madawaska Flow-Quebec Brook Primitive Area. 

Madawaska Road provides a nearly 12-mile round trip bike ride to scenic Madawaska Pond and back. The road includes climbs totaling 650 feet and descents of totaling 540 feet across that distance.

General information on snowmobiling includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations.

The C8 snowmobile corridor connects Santa Clara and Meacham Lake.

The S82 snowmobile trail connects S72 snowmobile trail to the C8 corridor.

Snowmobiling is permitted on designated corridors and trails only. Snowmobile routes may change annually to avoid timber harvesting operations.

General information on cross-country skiing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

Cross-country skiing is permitted everywhere that hiking is allowed.

Madawaska Road provides a nearly 12-mile round trip ski trip to scenic Madawaska Pond and back. The road includes climbs totaling 650 feet and descents of totaling 540 feet across that distance.

Logging operations often occur during the winter; skiers must stay away from logging activities. 

People skiing on designated snowmobile trails should be aware of snowmobiles and move to the side to let them pass.

General information on snowshoeing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

Snowshoeing is permitted everywhere that hiking is allowed.

Logging operations often occur during the winter; snowshoers must stay away from  logging activities. 

Snowshoeing on designated snowmobile trails should be aware of snowmobiles and move to the side to let them pass.

General information on animals includes links to information about birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects that inhabit or migrate through the state.

The Adirondacks contain large tracts of wildlife habitat with some boreal, bog, alpine and other unique habitats. Many species of birds and mammals are unique to the Adirondacks or are mainly found here. More than 50 species of mammals and hundreds of species of birds inhabit or pass through the Adirondacks at one time of the year or another so it is not unlikely to catch site of wildlife during your trip.

More information on Adirondack Flora and Fauna from the SUNY ESF Adirondack Ecological Center.

You can protect wildlife and wildlife habitat when viewing them.

Wildlife Found in the Adirondacks

• Mammals
  • Moose
  • Black Bear
  • Beaver
  • Eastern Coyote
  • River Otter
  • White-Tailed Deer
  • Little Brown Bat
• Birds
  • Bald Eagle
  • Common Loon
  • Peregrine Falcon
  • Osprey
  • Great Horned Owl
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Wild Turkey
  • Eastern Bluebird

The Madawaska Flow/Quebec Brook Primitive Area contains a large connecting patch of high quality habitat for the state endangered spruce grouse.