Thursday, June 19, 2025

Blackwater River

Some challenges along the otherwise tranquil and remote Blackwater River on a warm 90F June day. Excellent water level: 3.72 ft, 266 cfs on the Webster gauge.  No rapids on this stretch but 5 river-wide tree blowdown clusters necessitated portages.  Another 4-5 required tricky limbos and slide-overs. The rest of the trip was amazingly peaceful and remote, with only 1 house spotted mid trip and almost zero road noise since nothing is close. The right bank is very steep, almost mountainous in spots.  Surprised one adult deer resting near the river, a couple of huge bounding jumps and he was gone.  Easy parking at the new (2024) Janeway Boat Launch along Rt 127.  The takeout isn't great, a short rocky climb just below the bridge on river left since most of the nearby area is private land, parking for 2-3 cars along the road.  

Start: Janeway Boat Launch, 583 Battle Rd (Rt 127), Webster, NH
End: E Penacook Rd Bridge, Hopkinton, NH
Trip Distance: 5.5 miles
Trip Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Misty morning on the Blackwater

A five minute drive up from the put-in to Blackwater Dam is worth the trip



The put-in at the new Janeway Boat Launch along Rt 127


A look upstream from the put-in at the bony rapids coming down Snyders Hill, not today


Feeling the peace along the Blackwater....



Mixed in with some work to get around these blockages... some easy, some challenging




Tree Paddler pic

A bug's (end of) life



The take-out at E Penacook Road Bridge




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