Dublin
Dublin Lake
Launch: Lake Road, approximately 4 miles from Rte 101.
Winds nearly constant, makes for excellent sailboating, poor canoeing. Greenfield
Otter Lake
Launch: Half mile beyond the park entrance on Forest Road
Area: 60 acres
All types of craft allowed. Popular for swimming, the lake has an enforced "no wake" speed limit.
Hancock
Nubanusit Lake
Launch: Off of Kings Highway
All types of craft allowed.The launch can be rather rough for launching, nice for the residents of the lake who enjoy the serenity of the secluded spot.
Jaffrey
Contoocook Lake
Launch: Off of Rte 202, Jaffrey
Area: 200 acres
All types of craft allowed. PLEASE clean your boat and trailer, and clean your motor before entering or leaving the lake to combat the spread of Eurasian Milfoil into other lakes.Contoocook River
Runs: Jaffrey to Bennington to Hillsboro to West Henniker
Length: 25 miles
Paddling. The very fist section of the Contoocook is 7 mlies of Class II rapids in the spring that are interrupted by a narrow gorge that can provide a Class IV, but more often require portage around. Put in at the bridge on Rte 202 just below Chesire Pond. You will have to take out at the dam in Peterborough. From here, you can continue on for the 12 mile paddle to Bennington. Several dams and paper mills in Bennington require a large portage. Put in at the bridge near the paper company. The paddle from Bennington goes along wooded countryside to Hillsboro where several dams and treacherous rapids require you to take out. If you really would like a challenging workout with rapids, put in again below the village by the railroad bridge. From there, 4 miles of smooth current will ease you into 2 miles of Class III and IV rapids, including one rapid known as "the Freight Train". The river then runs directly into West Henniker
where a dangerous dam situation requires a quick take out.
Marlow
Ashuelot River
Runs: Lower
Stillwater (in Marlow) to West Swanzey
Length: 28 miles
Paddling. You may begin with Class III rapids and put in above or below the surprise rapids (these can be examined from the bridge on Rte 10). A mile stretch of easy paddling moves into 2 miles of challenging whitewater with an abundance of Class III and Class IV rapids. The river calms as it approaches Gilsum, but stay sharp. The picnic area in Gilsum just below Rte 10 is where you will take out because the Gilsum gorge is just ahead of you. Below the gorge, there is a road that runs next to the river where you may put in again. The next 4 mile long section is mostly Class II rapids closely followed by 5 miles of quick current that will lead you up to the Surry Mountain flood control dam. Take out above the control dam and portage around. THe river below the dam is mostly smooth, winding 7 miles through open land to Keene. Smooth paddling continues from here for another 9 miles into West Swanzey where there is yet another dam. This is the end of the run. Technically, you could portage around the dam and ride the Ashuelot through to Connecticut, but the residents of the area sugguest waiting on that until pollution control can reverse the 2 centuries of industrial waste that pollute the river. |
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