The Grove Street Boat Launch, on the Chemung River in downtown Elmira, is the most popular launch on the forty-three-mile river. The launch is easy to access and boasts a concrete boat ramp, picnic pavilion, picnic tables, informational kiosk, and plenty of space for parking and maneuvering boat trailers. The dirt and stone parking area is surrounded by a grassy river plain and forested areas, and is bordered by a twenty-five-foot-tall grass-covered levee the top of which is popular for walking and running, with or without a dog.

The river is wide here, with little current, thanks to the Chase-Hibbard Dam, a thousand yards downstream. It slows the river to a crawl and maintains a steady river level. But don’t paddle over the dam. Just downstream is the Don Hall Portage on the river’s south bank, offering a safe way to bypass the dam, get back on the water, and paddle to other launches downriver.

For solo paddlers, this spot offers the opportunity for a good workout with no need to arrange a shuttle. The faint current at the Grove Street launch lets you paddle upriver for nearly two miles, then back to your vehicle. Along the way, you’ll see forests, meadows, and cyclists and walkers using the dirt trail along the riverbank.

You might spot a bald eagle sitting atop a tall tree or an osprey swooping down from the sky to snatch a fish from the water. White-tailed deer, red foxes, beavers, muskrats, and the occasional black bear enjoy the river, too.

Not a paddler? The grassy riverbanks make comfortable places to sit and fish for walleye, bass, catfish, bullheads, carp, and plenty of panfish. Visitors can also enjoy nature photography, exploring, or simply sitting and watching the water flow.

The launch abuts the site of a former Civil War prison camp. The Friends of the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp host tours of the full-size replicas of the camp’s buildings. For more information go to elmiraprisoncamp.com.

The Chemung River starts in Painted Post and empties into the Susquehanna River in Athens, Pennsylvania. It has eleven public launches offering paddle trips for a few hours, one day, or overnight.

The boat launches are maintained by the Friends of the Chemung River Watershed, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and sporting groups. The Friends website, chemungriverfriends.org, provides real-time river levels, river maps, paddling guides, and safety tips. Educational programming includes introductory workshops on paddling, fly-fishing, river safety, riverside watercolor painting, and more. They also offer some guided paddling trips during the summer. Call them at (607) 846-2242 with questions, to volunteer, or just to thank them for caring for the river so others can enjoy a little wildness now and then.