Piscataquog River, South Branch

First trip of 2024 and no swims!  This lively stretch on the South Branch Piscataquog River starts with a solid Class II drop just before the first (Central Sq) bridge in town, followed by another mile or so of continuous Class I rapids and riffles.  Medium-high water levels (4.95 ft and 468 cfs on the Goffstown gauge) provided the perfect amount of water to allow me to slide over and around the many boulders just under the surface - any higher and I would be pushing the limits of an open boat.  I did empty my kayak once at the bridge to the Hillsboro County Fair Grounds to re-gain some stability.  The rest of the trip was mix of easier riffles and couple more Class I rapids. No portages. Attempted a brief foray up the Middle Branch but the current was too strong at the confluence with the South Branch. An interesting egg was found on a mid-river boulder towards the end of the trip - early Easter?  A beautiful spring day -- 45F mostly sunny skies-- in southern New Hampshire.   

Start:  Whipple Free Library, 67 Mont Vernon Rd, New Boston, NH

End:  Howe Bridge, New Boston, NH

Trip Time:  1 hour 25 minutes  
Trip Distance:  5 miles

The put-in just beyond the Whipple Free Library

Put in the old mill race of a long gone dam

Trip starts with immediate riffles

Approaching center of New Boston, first big drop below that white house

View of first rapid from the Central Sq bridge

Here's a video of that same section:

A second rapid awaits beyond the bridge

Looking back upstream after that exciting start

This section is typical of this river, many boulders but also paths around and sometime over them

Paused here to empty water out of boat

NH Route 13 often ran close to the river but is not heavily travelled, did not detract from the trip

Very cool artwork on the bridge abutments near Lang Station

The Middle Branch joins from the left beyond this bridge

Spotted this egg on a rock towards the end of the trip... did the Easter Bunny come to NH early?

The takeout at Howe Bridge

Stopped for a post trip sandwich at the Dodge Country Store in New Boston