The Beaver River is a small mountain stream which flows from the Adirondack Mountains to the Black River at Naumberg, north of Lowville in northwestern New York. The Beaver flows through parts of Hamilton, Herkimer, and Lewis counties. Its source is Lake Lila in Long Lake. Owing to its high gradient as it drops out of the mountains, the Beaver is a favorite destination for whitewater kayakers and canoeists. The Beaver River is a true northern freshwater fishery, consisting of Northern Pike, Pickeral, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Bullhead, Catfish, Muskellenge, Carp, and Sunfish. Smallmouth Bass are a staple of the river, and it is not uncommon to catch a nice 20" bass anywhere is the upper reservoirs, particularly Effley and Soft Maple. Soft Maple Reservoir is the only place on the Beaver River that supports a population of Tiger Muskellenge, which are stocked on a periodic basis by the NYS DEC.
Beaver River is a hamlet that is six tenths of a mile square, at the east end of Stillwater Reservoir, in the town of Webb in Herkimer County, New York. The hamlet is surrounded by the Adirondack Park. The hamlet has a year round population of three, that increases during the summer as many people have camps in this wilderness area. There are 125 private properties, and three commercial businesses. No roads lead to the hamlet; it is accessible only by hiking, rail car or boat in the summer and by snowmobile, snowshoes or cross country skis in the winter. There is no electrical service. The town is named for the Beaver River. The New York Central Railroad right of way, on the National Register of Historic Places passes through the hamlet; an existing bunkhouse is a part of the historic property.