2026 Reservoir Paddle Series: Lake DeForest
Schedule
Sat Jun 27 2026 at 08:00 am to 04:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Strawtown Fields | New City, NY
About this Event
Lake DeForest Day -
Saturday, June 27, 2026
Rain or Shine! *
Lake DeForest Day is a family-friendly day of paddling and fishing, to appreciate beautiful Lake DeForest in New City, NY. This delightful event is a fundraiser supporting Hackensack Riverkeeper's mission to protect, preserve, & restore the Hackensack River Watershed.
The day will feature two open paddle sessions, one in the morning, one in the afternoon. Rent one of our boats, or bring your own! Sorry, no SUPs are allowed.
Come early and cheer for your town in the Firefighter Challenge kayak race. Nanuet is again defending the cup!
Also...Hackensack Riverkeeper and Veolia are hosting a NY Fish & Wildlife Fishing Challenge today at Lake DeForest. Avid anglers – bring your kayak, rod and reel [or electric powered boat, size limit 14ft.] and join in the fun! June 27 is a free-fishing day in New York. Residents and non-residents who are 16 and older can fish without a freshwater fishing license at this event (*kids under 16 can always fish for free). Bait will be provided. Limited rods and reels will be available for loan, courtesy of Hudson River Fishermen's Association. Prizes will be given out at 3pm. To register for the fishing derby [link coming soon...]
We look forward to seeing you at Lake DeForest on June 28th!
Open Kayaking and Canoeing schedule:
- Check-in begins 30 min. prior to each time slot
- 8:30 am: Firefighter Challenge
- 9:00 am: Opening Ceremony/Drescher Cup Award
- 9:30 am - 12:00 pm: Kayak/Canoe Session 1 (2.5 hrs)
- 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm: Kayak/Canoe Session 2 (2.5 hrs)
- 9:30 am - 3:00 pm: Open kayaking and canoeing for those bringing their own vessels
CLICK HERE to fill out your waiver in advance online!
Fishing Derby schedule:
- 7:00 am - Check-in for Fishing Derby
- 7:30 am - Boat washing
- 8:00 am - Fishing Derby begins
- 3:00 pm - prizes
Venue/Parking and Check-in: Parking and check-in for the event will be at the New City Little League field: 29 Strawtown Road, New City, NY 10956, near the intersection of Strawtown Road and Fringe Court. From the field, it's a short walk along the waterfront to the kayak launch/walk starting point. Shuttle buses will also be provided to take people to and from the field. Click here to go to apple maps. Click here for Google maps.
If you are bringing your own boat, boat drop off is at the boat washing station on Congers Road around the corner from Strawtown road. Drop your boat off and then come to the Little League Field to check in. Parking is at the Little League Field. *Reminder personal boats must be washed at the washing station before launching.
KAYAKING AND CANOEING AGE RESTRICTIONS:
• Children 7-11 years can paddle the front of a canoe or tandem kayak with an adult in back.
• Children 12-17 years old can paddle a single kayak when accompanied on the water by an adult.
• Ages 5-6 can ride FREE as canoe passengers with two paddlers: one of whom must be an adult, and the other age 12 or older.
• No children under 5 years old.
Canoes hold a maximum of 2 adults + 2 children, or 3 adults.
FISHING DERBY:
Reserve your tickets now as spots will go quickly! Fishing will take place south of the Causeway. Buoys will be established for the fishing zone. Stay within these boundaries. Electric motors are permitted. Register for the fishing derby on.
GUIDELINES:
1. For security reasons, NO cameras or drones are allowed beyond the gates into the reservoir area. Pets are prohibited inside the fence.
2. All boats must be washed at our wash station before entering the reservoir, to ensure the prevention of bio-invasive hitchhikers. A washing station will be provided for participants bringing their own boats.
3. All paddlers must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD), in good and serviceable condition and of appropriate size for the intended user for the duration of the races or open paddle sessions. Paddles, PFDs and whistles will be provided to those who rent a boat. Anyone bringing their own boat must provide their own paddle, PFD and whistle.
4. Safety boats will be on the water to provide assistance, however paddlers must stop to provide assistance to any other paddler who appears to be in distress. Thank you to Nanuet and Clarkstown for the safety boats!
NO REFUNDS: This event is a fundraiser, with all proceeds going directly to Hackensack Riverkeeper, a clean water advocacy organization, to help continue our mission to protect, preserve, and restore the Hackensack River. Your registration is a donation to the organization and is non-refundable. Space is limited– in the event you are unable to attend, please cancel in Eventbrite to open your spot for someone else.
FOUL WEATHER: This event is rain or shine except for thunder storms and lightning. In the unlikely event the day is canceled due to extremely inclement weather, the cancellation will be communicated via email through Eventbrite no later than 2 hours before the event starts. The safety and well-being of our employees, supporters, and the broader community remain our utmost priority.
CANCELLATIONS: If you must cancel your ticket, keep in mind there are no refunds. If the event is cancelled due to weather, you will receive a voucher for use at any of our paddling centers, or towards one of our weekend morning guided tours at Laurel Hill. We cannot guarantee a request to transfer your ticket to a future event – if available, transfers will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please send your request to: [email protected].
In the event of a weather related cancellation, we are grateful to our supporters who donated to help cover the costs of our three special Reservoir Paddle Series events and will use those funds to support future programming. Stay tuned for updates on future events and initiatives as we continue our mission to make a positive impact on our environment and communities.
Lake DeForest Day is one of the few opportunities the public has to paddle Lake DeForest, one of our most important and picturesque natural resources. Thank you to the Town of Clarkstown for giving us the opportunity to enjoy this jewel of the Hackensack River Watershed.
Where is it happening?
Strawtown Fields, 29 Strawtown Road, New City, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 33.25 to USD 250.00
