Souhegan River - Kaley Park to Seaverns/Fields Bridge

Gorgeous foliage trip down the Souhegan River on a warm, sunny 80F day. Leaves were falling all around and light wind made this a great trip. Uber'ed back to the start from the severely eroded takeout, parking for 2-3 cars across the street. The put in at Kaley Park has plenty of parking and a great staircase down to the water, though a little steep, I put in at a muddy patch 10 feet down river. The water level was medium-low, 3.96 ft, 130 cfs on the Milford gauge, which made the one rapid under Route 101 bridge easy to manage by going river right, maybe a class 1+ at this level. Scraped a couple times early but the rest of the trip was smooth paddling, no portages. Several golfers seen in the middle section. Passed a motionless blue heron at one point, usually they take off immediately.  

Start: Kaley Park, Milford, NH

End: Seaverns/Fields Bridge, Merrimack, NH

Trip time: 2 hours, 5 minutes  

Trip distance: 6 miles 

Nice stone marker (2012) at the Kaley Park put in

Whitewater kayaks could slide down the middle, I put in 10 feet to the right

There was light at the end of this tunnel but also some odors too - Milford Waste Water Facility

Old bridge abutments

High Route 101 bridge in the distance

Looking back upstream after running the rapid under Route 101, left side of picture (river right)

Leaves were falling here, several landed on my boat.

Amherst Country Club

The Hanging Gardens of Amherst

Pulley contraption... maybe collecting lost golf balls?

Nature is amazing...

Down in a hole 

Sandy river bottom

Boston Post Road bridge

Stopped for lunch

Some minnows nearby

River wide blow-down near the end of trip, was able to squeeze by on the right without getting out

Orange float near a river sucker

At the take-out

Pemigewasset River - Robbins Nest Road to Blair Bridge

Beautiful trip down the Pemigewasset on a mostly cloudy 52F fall day. The heavy rain forecast for Saturday did not end up raising the water level as high as expected but still high enough that the current was swift, did not need to get out/drag through any of the numerous gravel bars. The river is very wide, any fallen trees did not cause problems, no portages on this trip. The water level on the Woodstock gauge 3.24 ft, 456 cfs.  Bike shuttled back along the hilly Rt 175, caught glimpses of the Beebe and Mad Rivers.  The Pemi has that White Mountains feel with rounded boulders, many sandy beaches, some gravel bars, scenic mountain vistas, and beautifully clear water. Foliage was not quite peak but saw some nice colors. Made a side trip up the Mad River, made it about 50 yards before the current turned me back. One small negative, the highway noise from I-93 becomes more prominent the 2nd half of this trip. Bucket List river ✅.  

Start: Robbins Nest Road, Thornton, NH

End:  Blair Covered Bridge, Campton, NH

Trip time:  3 hours, 5 minutes  

Trip distance: 9.5 miles

Three pics from the bike shuttle back to the put-in: 

Crossing Blair Covered Bridge

Crossing the turbulent Beebe River via Rt 175

Outlet of Campton Pond, the Mad River continues to the Pemi

The put-in at Robbins Nest Road under the Cross Road Bridge

Looking upriver from the put-in

And downriver...

Blue skies turned to gray

Rail bridge and first I-93 crossing in the distance

Stopped for lunch on this nice beach

Lunch-time view

Gorg foliage

Sandy cliffs

End of the line?

Not quite peak colors here

Started up the Mad River...

...but didn't make it too far up the Mad before the water turned "angry"  😜

Blair Bridge comes into view, take-out on right below the bridge

One last look upstream to the mountains.  Great trip!

Shawsheen River - Billerica to Tewksbury

Nice, relaxed one-way paddle down the Shawsheen River on a warm 85F calm Labor Day weekend.  Water levels were medium-low (68 cfs, 3.07 ft on the Wilmington gauge).  This river section was about 80% marsh, 20% woodland with some houses visible along the way.  2 river-wide tree blowdowns required portage, several others were glide-overs or limbos.  Highlight was definitely passing through/under the old Middlesex Canal Aqueduct.  An impressive stone structure built in the 1800s still towers over the river.  Wildlife seen: heron, red-tailed hawk, wood ducks, Canadian geese, and many painted turtles.    

Start: Akeson Playground (Route 3A), Billerica MA

End: Knights of Columbus (Rt 38),  Tewksbury, MA

Trip time: 2.5 hours

Trip distance:  6 miles

Put-in at near Akeson Playground, new kiosk with river map

Calm mirror-like section

Turtle!

Out-of-place concrete dock in the middle of the marsh with an ominous sticker on it

Heron and hawk sharing this perch high above the river:

First portage was just above this section

Batter up!

Approaching Rt 129 bridge in Wilmington, Middlesex Canal Aqueduct is just beyond it

Middlesex Canal Aqueduct remnants

Looking back upstream at aqueduct towers after passing through

MBTA commuter rail bridge

One more tree limbo

Second portage of the day.  Climbed onto the downed tree log and dragged the kayak over to the other side.

One final challenge, squeaked through on the left in about 2 inches of water.. ramming speed!