The "Really Upper" Millers - March 14, 2024

Heading out from the put-in

Usually, when I drive out to Royalston it is to paddle the whitewater section of the Millers River below the Birch Hill Dam known as the Upper Millers. This time we would be paddling the flatwater section above the Birch Hill Dam – maybe we should call it the "Really Upper" Millers.

The Millers River arises in Auburdale and flows 52-miles to join the Connecticut River in Millers Falls. There are lots of paddling options on the Millers including two sections that are popular for whitewater boating – the Upper Millers from Royalston to Athol (class II/III), and the Lower Millers from Erving to Millers Falls (class II/IV). In between from Athol to Orange is a quickwater section that is the site of the annual spring River Rat Race. Today, we would be paddling the flatwater section above the Birch Hill Dam from Winchendon to Royalston.

Earl finds some moving water

We met at 10:00 at the parking lot for the Birch Hill Dam off River Road in Royalston. Unfortunately, the gate on the road down to the canoe launch at the dam was closed, so we knew we would have to portage. We consolidated our boats and gear and headed up to the put-in at the Winchendon Canoe Launch (670 River Street, Winchendon).

For this trip we had four boats – all canoes, and Bob and Dan would be poling. The river was at a nice level with a slight current as we launched and headed downstream. For the first few miles the river twisted and turned though pine forests and swampland.

Lunch break at King Philip Rock

About 3-miles downstream we started to see the impact of the impound of the Birch Hill Dam. The pool behind the dam was 14-feet - normally it is 0. The river rose over its banks and started flowing through the trees. We were surprised to find the bridge at New Boston Road completely under water – Dan poled right over it.

We took a break for lunch a little further downstream at King Philip Rock, where Wampanoag sachem Metacomet held tribal councils during King Philip’s War. By now the river had completely disappeared and we were paddling through a large shallow lake filled with trees. From King Philip Rock we paddled through open water over to the beach at Lake Dennison, which is usually connected to the river by a small stream.

Portaging the Birch Hill Dam

As we continued downstream, we paddled past the remnants of an old trolly bridge, so we knew we were approaching the confluence with the Otter River. The Otter River arises in Templeton and flows north for 10-miles through the Otter River State Forest. We paddled a short distance up the Otter River before heading back downstream to the Birch Hill Dam.

The Birch Hill Dam is a part of a network of flood control dams on tributaries of the Connecticut River. Completed in 1941, Birch Hill Dam was one of the first dams the Army Corps of Engineers built in New England to prevent floods like those that devastated Athol and Orange in 1936 and 1938. At 14-feet, there was a large pool of water behind the dam, and the take-out at the base of the dam was flooded.

Paddling the final section to the take-out

We took a walk up to the top of the dam to take-in the view and assess our options. Then we loaded our boats on carts for the portage on River Road around the dam. Below the dam we were able to get back on the river for the short section down to the take-out. I got to sit by the river and watch the boats while the rest of the crew ran the shuttle back to the cars - a nice treat.

On the way home I decided to check out Doanes Falls on Lawrence Brook - a series of five waterfalls just above Tully Lake. When the Upper Millers is running the waterfalls at Doanes Falls are usually pretty spectacular, and they were. Lawrence Brook feeds into the Tully River, which joins the Millers River in Athol.

Millers River from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Links:

My Pictures

My Video

Birch Hill Dam Gage

Water Trail Map

Birch Hill Dam Park Map