Jeep Sporting Destinations - fly fishing, adventure travel, four-wheel-drive trips, trout streams, Camp Jeep

Managing Editor:
James Perry

By Stu Bristol

Alexandria Bay State Park

It would be difficult to find another place in America where so many State Parks are grouped together so tightly. New York's Thousand Islands Region, birthplace of one of the most popular salad dressings, is also home to one of the most dramatic waterways on earth.

Ocean-going vessels travel the St. Lawrence seaway on a daily basis, weaving between the hundreds of islands that make up the entry point into Lake Ontario. Situated on many of those islands are New York State Parks and the opportunity for tourists and fishermen to access outstanding fishing and boating waters.

Bass, northern pike, walleye, and the most sought after of all New York's game fishes--the toothy, giant muskellunge--are in these waters in great numbers. While any of the parks would be a great jumping-off point for fishermen and boaters, an interesting trip would be to include half a dozen or more parks, connected by boat and roadway, enjoying the unique opportunities offered by each.

For instance, Wellesley Island State Park is the largest and most visited park in the region and features the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center, where visitors may enjoy a variety of habitats and take part in organized education hikes. One feature of the center is a quarter-mile handicapped trail that includes access to picnic tables and the seasonal butterfly house.

Then, there is Grass Point State Park, which juts out into the American Channel of the St. Lawrence and offers day-trippers a magnificent beach with shallow water, ideal for children to wade and swim.

Other parks, situated just a few miles apart either by road or by boat, offer rocky granite overlooks and ringside seats for viewing the huge ships that traverse the channels up and down the seaway.

For fishermen, a one-day, non-resident license is $11, a five-day license is $20, and a season fishing license is only $35. Boat liveries are virtually everywhere in the nearby Alexandria Bay area.

Light tackle is all you'll need for bass, pike, and walleye, but you may want to pack heavier if muskellunge is your preference. Fall fishing for muskies could yield fish in the 20-pound-plus range, and, over the years, anglers have taken fish upwards to 40 pounds. The all-time world record muskellunge came from this region back in 1957 and tipped the scales at a whopping 69 pounds, 15 ounces.

The State of New York has one of the most elaborate websites we've ever seen and can be accessed at www.state.ny.us. Once on the site, you may roam the different agencies including the New York Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.

Alexandria Bay State Park

State Park reservations may be made online, and you may also purchase a season pass to all State Parks. For a fee of $49, you may purchase an "Empire Pass" that entitles you to unlimited day use entry into all State Parks.

The passport provides access not only to all 162 parks but to boat launch sites, arboretums, and park preserves. It is valid from April 1 until March 31 the following year, and a second pass may be purchased for use on another vehicle within the same household for just $40. They may be purchased online or by making application to Empire Passport, New York State Parks, Albany, NY 12238.

Boat rentals and guide services are plentiful and individual charters or guides and outfitter associations may be reached at the Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce, 11 Market St., Alexandria Bay, NY 13607. E-mail them at abaycc@gisco.net. Or, check out
http://www.alexbay.org, visit http://www.thousandislands.com/alexbay, or call (800) 541-2110.

Following is a listing of a few of the parks in the Alexandria Bay (Thousand Islands) region of New York, each within a half-hour's drive of each other:

Burnham Point State Park
340765 NYS Route 12E
Cape Vincent, NY 13618
Phone: (315) 654-2522
This is a small and very quiet park situated in a lightly wooded area overlooking the St. Lawrence River. The bass, pike, walleye, and muskellunge fishing is rated as some of the best in the country. In addition to tent and trailer sites, the park offers a marina and a playground and picnic area.
Canoe-Picnic Point State Park
36661 Cedar Point State Park Drive
Clayton, NY 13624
Phone: (315) 654-2522
Located on the northeast end of Grindstone Island facing Eel Bay and the Canadian Channel, this park is accessible only by boat. Your best access is either from Wellesley Island (just over the Thousand Islands Bridge) or from nearby Grassy Point State Park on Route 12, a mile south of the bridge.
Cedar Island State Park
36661 Cedar Point State Park Drive
Clayton, NY 13624
Phone: (315) 654-2522
Cedar Island State Park takes up half the island and is just the place for those who prefer peace and quiet. This park is reached only by boat and the easiest access is in the village of Chippewa Bay, where there is a public boat ramp. The park's campsites are lightly wooded and there is a day-use pavilion nearby. This park is a favorite later in the fall and allows waterfowl hunting in season.
Dewolf Point State Park
45920 Country Route 191
Fineview, NY 13640
Phone: (315) 482-2012
This State Park has a cabin colony as well as a camping area, turn-of-the-century gazebo, and dockage for boats on the Lake of the Isles in the St. Lawrence River. This is one of the most popular parks. It can be reached via Route 81 to Exit 51, two miles north of Alexandria Bay on Wellesley Island.
Grass Point State Park
42247 Grassy Point Road
Alexandria Bay, NY 13607
Phone: (315) 686-4472
Grass Point is located on a point of land that projects into the American Channel of the St. Lawrence River, placing it dead-center in some of the finest fishing in North America. The park features a marina, boat launch, picnic area, and plenty of room for ball games. It is especially friendly for children because of the shallow water and fine sandy beach. Grass Point may be a bit crowded since the park is a favorite among day-users. Take Route 81 to exit 50S (south) and head one mile toward Clayton.
Jacques Cartier State Park
P.O. Box 380
Morristown, NY 13664
Phone: (315) 375-6371
This park, located downstream from the other cluster of parks about three miles west of Morristown on the St. Lawrence, features a sheltered bay, a fine sandy swimming beach, and boat dock. Jacques Cartier features wide-open lawns for plenty of play room and a nearby forested picnic grove. This is one of the most popular cross-country skiing parks in the region.
Keewaydin State Park
P.O. Box 247
46165 NYS Route 12
Alexandria Bay, NY 13607
Phone: (315) 482-3331
Keewaydin is also on the St. Lawrence River and features one of the best-sheltered marinas in the area. There is plenty of dock space for overnight and transient visitors. The park's terrain is steep and rocky, with plenty of overlooks where visitors can watch the ocean-going vessels move along the river. There is also a fine beach and plenty of picnic space. Keewaydin is located off Route 12, a mile west of Alexandria Bay.
Kring Point State Park
25950 Kring Point Road
Redwood NY 13679
Phone: (315) 482-2444
Kring Point State Park is a narrow peninsula whose south shore faces Goose Bay and whose north shore faces the St. Lawrence River. Standing anywhere in the park, visitors have a water view. In fact, over half the campsites are either waterfront sites or have a clear view of the water. The park has docks on the river and the bay and a sandy beach on the St. Lawrence-side of the point. The park can be reached off Route 12, six miles east of Alexandria Bay.
Mary Island State Park
36661 Cedar Point State Park Drive
Clayton, NY 13624
Phone: (315) 654-2522
Another of the area State Parks that can only be reached by boat, Mary Island is 12 acres of woodland with steep rocky outcroppings. There are 12 waterfront campsites scattered throughout the park, which offers seclusion for those visitors not wanting to be part of the crowd. The park also features a picnic area and several foot trails. Access to the island is by boat and is located to the east of Wellesly Island, with only a narrow channel separating them. Boat access is from Grassy Point State Park (four miles over water) or Keewaydin State Park, two miles from the island.
Waterson Point State Park
44927 Cross Island Road
Fineview, NY 13640
Phone: (315) 482-2722
This is a small, picturesque park, ideal for fishermen or boaters who wish to escape the crowds. Two docks provide overnight and day dockage for 30 boats, and the park features a century-old gazebo and plenty of access to shoreline fishing. Waterson Point is located on the Canadian side of Wellesley Island and access is by boat only.
Wellesley Island State Park
44927 Cross Island Road
Fineview, NY 13640
Phone: (315) 482-2722
Wellesley Island State Park is the largest camping facility in the thousand Islands region. In addition to the regular campsites, the park offers secluded wilderness sites that are accessible only by foot or by boat. Muskie fishermen flock to this park each fall when the fishing opportunities are the greatest for this unique gamefish. This park offers four marinas and boat launching areas, great swimming and sunning areas, and plenty of picnic sites. One of the most popular features of Wellesley is the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center, which includes a museum, varied habitats such as wooded wetlands, three miles of shoreline and open granite outcroppings, and miles of trails for hiking. The Nature Center provides educational programs for all ages. Another unique feature of the Center is the 1/4-mile handicapped trail that includes access to picnic tables and the seasonal butterfly house. Take route 81 to exit 51 (The Thousand Islands Bridge) and cross the bridge to the park entrance.
Whetstone Gulf State Park
RF#2, Box 69
Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 376-6630
This park does not open for the season until Memorial Day, but features one of the most spectacular scenic vistas east of the Rocky Mountains. The park is built around a three-mile-long gorge cut into the eastern edge of the Tug Hill Plateau near Martinsburg. The park has 56 wooded campsites and a scenic picnic area along Whetstone Creek, a man-made swimming area, and trails for hiking and viewing the gorge. The park is located off Route 26, six miles south of Lowville, near the entrance to the Adirondack Park.

All Outdoors� is a registered trademark of All Outdoors, Inc. Copyright � 2000 All Outdoors, Inc.
All rights reserved. Copyright �1995-2000 DaimlerChrysler Corporation. All rights reserved.
Jeep is a registered trademark of DaimlerChrysler Corporation.
Important information and applicable terms and conditions