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