Scouting the Natchaug River

There are so many nice rivers in eastern CT that I have yet to paddle.  I checked out one yesterday on my way out to the Farmington - the Natchaug.  There are three sections of the Natchaug in the AMC River Guide and American Whitewater.  The river runs along Route 198 and Route 6, so the put-ins and take-outs are easy to find.

The upper section is about 5 miles long.  The run starts at the bridge off General Lyons Road and continues down to the bridge at England Road.  It runs through the Natchaug State Forest and is the site of an annual spring poling clinic.  At higher water levels (the river was at 3.5 feet on the Marcy Road Gage yesterday), it looks like this section would be mostly quickwater with a couple of class I/II rapids.

The middle section starts at England Road and runs down to the Diana's Pool Fishing Area (Diana's Pool Road off Route 198).  This section starts out with flatwater and some class II rapids, and ends with a series of small falls and cascades rated class III/IV.  This is a popular run for local kayakers.

The Lower Section is about 3 miles long.  It starts below Diana's Pool and ends at the bridge off Station Road on Route 6.  I couldn't see much of it from the road, but the river guides rate this section as quickwater/class II.

Definitely a river that I'd like to try this year.
  
Links:
My Pictures at Diana's Pool