Some of our guides carry a "Desk-researched" label. That is not a disclaimer we are embarrassed about. It is a promise about exactly how much we know and how we know it. Here is what the label means, and why we show it instead of hiding it.
What "desk-researched" means
A desk-researched guide is built from public, checkable sources: New York State DEC paddling and boat-launch listings, town and park pages, official maps, and similar references. We organize that information, add local context, and flag what is uncertain. What we have not done yet is stand on that launch ourselves.
So a desk-researched guide is a strong starting point, not a firsthand report. It can tell you what the public record says about parking, access, and amenities. It cannot tell you how the ramp felt last weekend, or whether the seasonal port-o-let was actually in.
Why we publish before we visit
We could hold every guide back until we have driven to it in person. We do not, for two reasons:
- A useful starting point beats a blank page. If you are deciding where to paddle this weekend, an honest summary of the public information helps you plan now.
- Saying what we do not know is part of the help. Every guide carries a confidence level and a short list of what still needs checking, so you can weigh it yourself instead of trusting a glossy write-up.
We would rather tell you "this is desk research, here is what to confirm on the day" than imply we have been everywhere we write about.
How a guide earns a stronger label
Desk-researched is the first rung, not the only one. A guide can move up as we learn more:
- Desk-researched - built from public sources; not yet visited.
- Community update received - a paddler has sent firsthand information that we have folded in. We keep this separate from our own visits on purpose.
- Field visited - someone from Paddle Greene has been there in person and confirmed the details.
- Needs re-check - something may have changed, such as access, construction, or a closure, so treat the details with extra caution until we re-verify.
A separate confidence level, Low, Medium, or High, rides alongside the label. A desk-researched guide can be medium confidence when official sources are clear, but it will not be high confidence until it has been field visited or strongly confirmed by recent, reliable evidence.
Why the label is a feature
Plenty of sites present every place with the same confident tone, whether the author has been there or not. That is the part we think is worth fixing. Labeling our sources lets you trust the guides that are verified, stay appropriately skeptical of the ones that are not, and see exactly where we still owe you a visit. It also keeps us honest about where to spend our field time next.
How you can help
If you have paddled somewhere we have only desk-researched, you can help move it forward. A short, dated note about parking, the launch, restrooms, or the conditions you saw is exactly what turns a desk-researched page into something firsthand. You can send an update any time.
To see every guide's current label in one place, check the field review status page. New here? Start Here explains how to choose a guide by water type, experience, and honest review status.