Upper Narrow River - July 19, 2023

Paddling through the Narrows

After three days of paddling on Point Judith Pond, I was looking for something different. It needed to be someplace that wouldn’t have too many waves, so I decided to paddle the upper section of the Narrow River.

The Narrow River, also known at the Pettaquamscutt River, is the tidal extension of the Mattatuxet River. It begins below the Carr Pond Dam at the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and flows south for 6-miles forming the border between South Kingstown and Narragansett before entering Pettaquamscutt Cove and then flowing out into Narragansett Bay above the Narragansett Town Beach and the Dunes Club.

The bridge at Bridgetown Road

There are five distinct sections of the Narrow River – the Upper Pond, the Lower Pond, the “Narrows” from Bridgetown Road and Middlebridge Road, the “Flats” at Pettaquamscutt Cove, and the “Narrows” at the mouth of the river where it flows into Narragansett Bay.

I put in at the Narrow River Fishing Area off Pollock Avenue and paddled upstream into the “Narrows” between Bridgetown Road and Middlebridge Road. This section of the river is lined with boat docks and summer houses.

Casey's Sill between Upper and Lower Ponds

Above Bridgetown Road, I paddled through the Lower Pond, and then the Upper Pond before paddling up a short section of the river that leads to the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace. It was too shallow for me to go up very far, so I turned around had headed back downstream.

Nice trip, and even with a strong wind it was easy to do in my sea kayak.

View up the Lower Pond from the Bridgetown Road Bridge

Links:

My Pictures

Paddle Map - Upper Narrow River