Launch type 
Water type 
Parking Quick Verdict
Van Schaack Campsite is a distinctive Greene County stop on the Hudson River Greenway Water Trail - and it is the kind of place that should be written differently from a calm lake page. The real question is not "should I launch here?" but "am I prepared for a Hudson River Water Trail stop?" It is boat-access only, on the open tidal Hudson, and it rewards paddlers who plan around tide, wind, distance, and camping logistics. If that is you, it can make a memorable trip. If you are newer, this is one to build toward.
Not a Casual Launch
This is not a drive-up site, and it is not a beginner destination. There is no parking lot and no ramp at the campsite - you arrive by paddling in. Reaching it means an open-water paddle on the tidal Hudson, where the current reverses with the tide, wind builds across open water, and you share the river with barges and powerboats.
If you want a developed, confirmed Hudson launch to build experience first, start with Coxsackie Riverside Park and read the Hudson River guide. Come back to a Water Trail stop like Van Schaack once you can make confident go or no-go calls on tidal water.
Hudson River Water Trail Context
Van Schaack appears in Hudson River Greenway Water Trail materials as a campsite on Bronck Island, near New Baltimore on the Greene County side of the river. The Greenway Water Trail is a network of launches and stops designed for paddlers making their way along the Hudson, and sites like this are what let a longer trip break into manageable legs.
That context matters: a campsite on a paddling trail is a planning resource for a trip, not a quick stop you swing by. Treat it as one piece of a route you have thought through end to end.
Access and Landing Notes
Because this is boat-access only, the practical planning starts on the mainland: choose a Hudson launch, know the distance and the tide for the day, and have a take-out plan. The landing at the island, the approach, and the tide stage it requires are details Paddle Greene has not field-verified - and on a tidal river, a landing that is easy at one tide stage can be awkward at another.
Do not assume the landing is obvious or always usable. Confirm current Greenway guidance, and treat the access notes here as desk-researched until a field visit or a trusted local paddler fills them in.
Camping Notes
Greenway sources describe Van Schaack as a campsite, but the specifics - facilities, fires, group size, pets, and whether a stay needs to be arranged in advance - are exactly the things that change and that Paddle Greene has not confirmed. Before you plan an overnight:
- Verify the campsite is currently open and what the use rules are.
- Confirm whether you need a reservation or permit.
- Plan to be fully self-sufficient: water, food, shelter, and a way to pack out everything you bring.
See "What to Verify Before a Trip" below for the full checklist, and confirm the current rules with the Hudson River Greenway Water Trail directly.
Tide and Wind Planning
This is open tidal water, so plan it like the rest of the Hudson:
- Tide: The current reverses with the tide. Plan your outbound leg against the current where you can, so the return is easier, and time landings and departures around the tide stage.
- Wind: Wind is often the deciding factor. Wind against tide stacks up steep chop quickly. Check the marine forecast and a wind window, not just the air temperature.
- Traffic: Expect barges and powerboats. Stay visible, keep clear of the channel, and respect wakes.
- Cold water: Cold water is a year-round risk in spring and fall. Dress for the water temperature, not the air.
See Conditions and Before You Paddle before you commit to a trip.
Leave No Trace and Stewardship
A boat-access island campsite only stays good if paddlers treat it well. Pack out everything you bring, leave the site cleaner than you found it, and follow the Greenway's rules for fires and camping. Clean, drain, and dry your boat and gear between waters to avoid spreading invasive species - see Clean, Drain, Dry. On a fragile river island, low-impact habits are not optional.
What to Verify Before a Trip
This guide is desk-researched. Confirm these before you rely on Van Schaack as a stop:
- Rules and reservations: Current reservation, permit, and use rules
- Status: Whether the campsite is currently open, and any seasonal limits
- Landing: Conditions at the site and the tide stage they require
- Coordinates: Exact landing and campsite location (verify before publishing any map pin)
- Permitted use: Camping rules, group size, fires, and pets
- Emergency access: Egress options and the nearest reliable take-out
- Greenway guidance: The current official Hudson River Greenway Water Trail information for this site
If you have camped or landed here recently, submit an update - firsthand notes are what turn this from desk research into a trip-ready guide.
Related Hudson River Guides
- Paddling the Hudson River in Greene County - tides, current, and conditions across local Hudson water
- Kayaking near Coxsackie - the nearest town-based hub on this stretch of river
- Coxsackie Riverside Park launch - a developed, field-visited launch to build experience from
- Conditions and Before You Paddle
- Coeymans NYS Boat Launch - a nearby mainland Hudson access point just north, in Albany County
How to use this guide: How to use these guides safely · Before you paddle · Conditions · Map · Field review status · Where to Paddle
