Pawcatuck River Overnight/Bastille Day Campout - July 12-13, 2025

The Mohawk is loaded up

Saturday started with a RICKA Flatwater training at Stump Pond, and ended with our annual Bastille Day Campout at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites on the on the Pawcatuck River. It was a good weekend.

Back in the old days, RICKA held an annual summer camping trip – the Bastille Day Campout. Bastille Day is a national holiday in France that celebrates the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. Why Bastille Day was chosen as a theme for a RICKA camping trip has been lost to history. The connection to summer is obvious, and maybe it was a simple as that.

Setting up camp

The event was originally held on Dutch Island. When the DEM prohibited camping on Dutch Island in 1991, it moved to the Burlingame Canoe Campsites on the Pawcatuck. It was celebrated with an assortment of French and French-Canadian delicacies – mostly wine and beer. A Molson toast around the fire was always the highlight of an evening filled with good food and good friends.

Reviving this RICKA tradition seemed like a worthy challenge, so for the past few years we have been organizing a summer overnight trip at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites. This year, we met at the Bradford Landing at 2:30 to load up our boats. The group included JD, Chuck, Danny, Dan, Bill, Tim, Reuben and me.

Steak Frites on the fire

The weather was beautiful as we headed out – party cloud and in the 80’s with a light wind. It would drop into the 60’s in the evening, but no rain. We arrived and found the field campsite empty, so we hauled our gear up and set up camp. We started the dinner fire, then cooled off taking turns on the rope swing as the fire burned down to coals for cooking.

Once again, the food was plentiful - salsa and chips, charcuterie and cheese, cedar-planked brie with crusty baguettes, Italian sausage with spicy zucchini, Steak Frites (steak and fries), watermelon, carrot cake. After dinner, we settled in around the campfire for a night of tall-tales and war-stories. I finally turned in at around 10:00.

Breakfast in the Big Daddy skillet

Before I knew it, morning light was streaming through my tent. I got up around 6:00, started the fire and got the coffee perking. Dan was up shortly after, so we started on breakfast. I fired up my Dutch oven to make a batch of cinnamon rolls, and Dan fired up his 20” Big Daddy skillet to cook everything else - bacon, sausage, home fries and eggs. No one ever goes hungry on these trips.

After breakfast we packed for the trip back to Bradford. I was on the road by 10:00, and I was home by 11:00. We will definitely put the Bastille Day Campout on the RICKA calendar again next year.

The annual Molson toast

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Video from the Rope Swing

River Church - Alton to Bradford - February 23, 2025

Below the Alton Dam

After a long cold snap, the forecast was for warming weather on Sunday. We put-out the word, and got a group together for a trip down the Wood-Pawcatuck from Alton to Bradford – three boats, four paddlers, all canoes. It would be like "River Church".

The Wood-Pawcatuck watershed is one of the prettiest in RI. In 2019 it became part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System – the only river in RI to receive this prestigious designation. Included in the Wood-Pawcatuck designation are sections of seven rivers including the Beaver, Chipuxet, Green Fall-Ashaway, Pawcatuck, Queen - Usquepaugh, Shunock, and Wood.

Heading down the Wood River

We would be putting-in on the Wood River in Alton and paddling down the Pawcatuck River to Bradford. The Wood River arises near Sterling, CT and flows south for 25-miles to merge with the Pawcatuck River below Alton. There are two other sections of the Wood River that are popular with paddlers – the upper Wood River from Route 165 in Exeter to the Wyoming Dam with a portage at the Barberville Dam, and the lower Wood River from Switch Road to Alton with a portage at the Woodville Dam.

We met at the Alton Dam at 10:00 to unload our boats and run the shuttle down to Bradford. The river was at a nice level – 200 cfs, 2.75-feet on the Wood River Junction gage. We were concerned about ice on the river, but last weekend’s rain and snowmelt raised the river about a foot and cleared out any ice. The short section of the Wood River downstream of the Alton Dam twists and turns through a pretty forest. There were a couple of blow-downs to paddle around, but we made it through fine.

On to the Pawcatuck River

There are some differences of opinion on the name of river above the convergence with the Wood. Many guidebooks refer to Worden Pond as the source of the Pawcatuck River. In other guidebooks, the outflow from Worden Pond is a continuation of the Chipuxet River, which becomes the Charles River when it merges with the Queen - Usquepaugh just above Biscuit City, and becomes the Pawcatuck when it merges with the Wood River.

Whatever it is called, from its source at Worden Pond the river twists and turns for 34-miles to Westerly where it flows into Little Narragansett Bay. Some of the best paddling in RI is along the Pawcatuck including Great Swamp from Taylor's Landing to Biscuit City Landing, Shannock to Richmond, Richmond to Bradford, Bradford to Potter Hill, and Potter Hill to Westerly.

Running the broken dam
at Burdickville

Perhaps nowhere in Rhode Island has dam removal and river restoration been more active than along the Pawcatuck River. In 2010, the Lower Shannock Falls Dam was removed and replaced with a short rapid. In 2013, the Kenon Dam was replaced with fish weirs. In 2016, the White Rock Dam was removed and the riverbed restored. In 2017, the Bradford Dam was also replaced with fish weirs. Combined with fish ladders at Potter Hill and Upper Shannock Falls, the removal and modification of these dams has opened up the 34-miles of the Pawcatuck River to migratory fish, reduced portages, and created some fun rapids.

We took a quick break to check out the "boot-leg" site located at the convergence of the Wood and Pawcatuck Rivers. We are fortunate to have a several very nice campsites on the Pawcatuck including Stoney Point on Worden Pond, the Carolina Canoe Campsite just upstream from the Richmond Landing, this "bootleg" site at the confluence of the Wood River downstream from Alton Landing, and of course, the Burlingame Canoe Campsites upstream from Bradford Landing in the Burlingame Management Area.

Enjoying the fire at the
Burlingame Canoe Campsites

The Burlingame Wildlife Management Area extends north from Watchaug Pond in the Burlingame State Park to include a large woodland along the Pawcatuck River. The land is managed for both wildlife protection and recreation with hunting, trails for hikers and mountain bikers, and the Burlingame Canoe Campsites. These campsites are accessible from the river or by hiking in from the parking lot on Buckeye Brook Road or from the North South Trailhead on Burdickville Road.

The river opened up and was flowing well as we continued downstream. About a mile downstream is the broken dam at Brudickville. The dam can be portaged on the left, or run on the right. There was plenty of water flowing over the dam, so we decided to run it on the right. Everyone made it through fine. From there it is a short paddle down to the Burlingame Canoe Campsites where we stopped for lunch.

Heading down to Bradford

At the Burlingame Canoe Campsites there is an open field and five wooded sites. We hauled our gear up to the field and got a fire going in the large fire pit. We didn’t have time to cook on the fire, but we brought chairs to sit around the fire and backpacking stoves to heat up a hot meal. As one of our group said, “every trip is better if you can sit around the fire”.

From there, it is a short paddle down to Bradford Landing. We packed up our gear and sad our good-byes after another great trip.

The crew - Jeff, Chuck, Bill and Erik

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Wood River Junction Gage

Year-End Camping at Burlingame - December 28-29, 2024

Heading up from Bradford

After last year’s successful year-end camping trip, we decided to do again this year. We had 9 for an overnight at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites – me, Bob, Chuck, Jose, Aaron, Matt, Jim, Burr and Joe. Usually in the winter you are dealing with snow and ice, but on this trip we had rain and mud - a steady drizzle with temperatures in the 40’s during the day and 30’s at night. 

I met the group at the Bradford Landing at 11:30 for the 3-mile trip up to the Burlingame Canoe Campsites. Once there, we decided to camp in the field again this year. We hauled our gear up from the river and set up camp. The tents went up first, then the tarps, then the kitchen. We got the fire going and enjoyed Jose’s chili for lunch. After lunch we sat around the fire until supper, which was Swedish meatballs with chocolate cake for dessert. We turned in for the night around 10:00 as the rain was picking up.

Camp is set up

I stayed warm and dry in my tent, and before I knew it I heard someone moving around outside. It was Bob getting the morning fire started. I reluctantly climbed out of my sleeping bag to join him. After warming up by the fire, I fired up my Dutch oven to make a batch of my grandmother’s cinnamon rolls. Bob cooked bacon, sausage and home fries in his Big Daddy Skillet, and I cooked Jonathan’s eggs-in-a-hole.

After breakfast we packed up camp for the trip back to Bradford Landing. Great trip and a nice way to end the year.

The crew at the morning fire

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The Bastille Day Campout - June 28-29, 2024

Home for the night

I was busy with work this spring, so I missed the spring camping trip with my usual camping buddies. Bill and I did try to get some interest going for a late spring trip on the Connecticut River, but everyone was busy. Rather than skipping camping completely, we decided on an old favorite – an overnight at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites on the Pawcatuck River.

Back in the old days, RICKA held an annual summer camping trip – the Bastille Day Campout. Bastille Day is a national holiday in France that celebrates the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. Why Bastille Day was chosen as a theme for a RICKA camping trip has been lost to history. The connection to summer is obvious, and maybe it was a simple as that. 

Campfire Paella for dinner

The event was originally held on Dutch Island. When the DEM prohibited camping on Dutch Island in 1991, it moved to the Burlingame Canoe Campsites on the Pawcatuck. It was celebrated with an assortment of French and French-Canadian delicacies – mostly wine and beer. A Molson toast around the fire was always the highlight of an evening filled with good food and good friends.

Reviving this RICKA tradition seemed like a worthy challenge, so Bill and I posted a trip on the flatwater message board, and we ended up with a group of six. We met at the Bradford Landing at 2:00 to load up our boats and paddle up to the campsites. There was one small complication - a large group celebrating a bachelor party had already set up camp at the Burlingame sites. Rather than intrude or put up with the noise, we decided to check out the bootleg sites along the river.  

The Molson toast around the fire

Danny and Bill headed out first, and checked out a site not far from the put-in. It was nice, but a little closed in, so we decided to check out some of the sites further upstream. Aaron suggested a site on river right just past the Burlingame sites. It had plenty of room for boats, a nice fire pit for cooking, and a great view of the river - the decision was made.

We hauled our gear up from the river and set up camp. Once camp was up, Aaron went out for a paddle, and the rest of us took a break to enjoy a few cocktails. Before long it was time to light the fire and cook dinner - campfire paella. After dinner, Dan, Aaron and I took a moonlight paddle up to the Burdickville Dam. Then we settled in around the campfire for the night. After many tall-tales and war-stories we finally turned in at around 10:00. 

Dan cooks breakfast

Before I knew it, morning light was streaming through my tent. I got up around 6:00, started the fire and got the coffee perking. Dan was up shortly after, so we started on breakfast. I fired up my Dutch oven to make a batch of cinnamon rolls, and Dan fired up his 20” Big Daddy skillet to cook everything else - bacon, home fries and eggs. No one ever goes hungry on these trips.

After breakfast we packed up camp for the trip back to Bradford. The sky was cloudy, and we even got a few drops of rain. Once there, we packed up the cars and said our goodbyes after another great tip. We will definitely have to put the Bastille Day Campout on the RICKA calendar next year.

Packed up and ready to go

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Burlingame Canoe Campsites from Rhode Island Blueways
Bradford Landing from Rhode Island Blueways

End-of-Year Camping at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites - December 30-31, 2023

Heading out from Bradford Landing

We’ve been having a relatively warm winter, so I was hoping to get one more camping trip in before the end of the year. Without too much arm-twisting we got a group of 5 together for an overnight trip at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites – me, Bob, Dan, John and Chuck.

The weather forecast was mixed with slight chance showers Saturday afternoon, day-time temperatures in the 40’s, and night-time temperatures dropping into the 20’s. I met the group at the Bradford Landing at 11:30 for the 3-mile trip up to Burlingame. With several inches of rain over the past two-weeks, the river was high and it was a bit of a slog paddling up to the campsites.

Camp set up in the field

We are fortunate to have a several very nice campsites on the Pawcatuck River. There is Stoney Point on Worden Pond, the Carolina Canoe Campsite just upstream from the Richmond Landing, the "bootleg" site at the confluence of the Wood River downstream from Alton Landing, and of course, the Burlingame Canoe Campsites upstream from Bradford Landing in the Burlingame Management Area.

The Burlingame Wildlife Management Area extends north from Watchaug Pond in the Burlingame State Park to include a large woodland along the Pawcatuck River. The land is managed for both wildlife protection and recreation with hunting, trails for hikers and mountain bikers, and the Burlingame Canoe Campsites. These campsites are only accessible from the river or by hiking in from the parking lot on Buckeye Brook Road or from the North South Trailhead on Burdickville Road. 

Baking biscuits in Bob's Camper Kitchen

At the Burlingame Canoe Campsites there is an open field and five wooded sites. We decided to camp in the field. We hauled our gear up from the river and set up camp. The tents went up first, then the rain fly, then the kitchen. We got a short rain shower after everything was set up, but we stayed dry under the tarp while we enjoyed John’s chili for lunch

After lunch we took a walk to check out the other campsites before lighting the campfire. Dan cooked nachos in his reflector oven for an afternoon snack, quesedillas in his Big Daddy Skillet as an appetizer, and Tuscan White Bean Stew with grilled garlic bread for dinner. Desert was Strawberry Shortcake with Bob’s homemade Bakewell Cream biscuits baked in his Camper’s Cook All Camper Kitchen baking pan.

Dan cooking breakfast

The sky eventually cleared, and we got a great view of the night stars as we sat around the fire. After many tall-tales and war-stories we finally turned in for the night at around 10:00. I was snug and warm with my father’s winter camping gear -  a Eureka Expedition tent and Sumberjack Quallofil sleeping bag. Compared to today’s gear, both are big and bulky, but they still work great – no complaints from me.

Before I knew it I heard someone moving around outside. It was Dan getting the morning fire started. It was 6:30 and still dark, but I reluctantly climbed out of my sleeping bag to join him. After warming up by the fire, I got the coffee perking and fired up my Dutch oven to make a batch of my grandmother’s cinnamon rolls. Dan cooked bacon and home fries in his 20” Big Daddy Skillet on the fire, and I cooked omelets on the stove. John said this trip was all about the food, and he was right - we didn't go hungry.

Exploring the marsh along Poquiant Brook

After breakfast we packed up camp for the trip back to Bradford Landing. Dan had his drysuit on, so he did a New Year's Polar Plunge off the rope swing before we left. With the high water, we were able to take a detour to explore the marshland along Poquiant Brook, which flows from Watchaug Pond in the Burlingame State Park to the Pawcatuck River. Great trip and a nice way to end the year. 

Year-end Canoe Camp, Pawcatuck River, RI

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Pawcatuck River Overnight - June 3-4, 2023

Burlingame Canoe Campsites

What's not to like about canoe camping? You paddle in, set up camp, have dinner, and then settle in for a relaxing evening around the campfire. I did my first canoe camping trip with the RICKA Wilderness Group in 2012, and I’ve been hooked ever since. This time we would be doing an overnight trip at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites on the Pawcatuck River.

We are fortunate to have a several very nice campsites on the Pawcatuck. There is Stoney Point on Worden Pond, the Carolina Canoe Campsite just upstream from the Richmond Landing, the "bootleg" site at the confluence of the Wood River, and of course, the Burlingame Canoe Campsites in the Burlingame Management Area. At Burlingame there is a large open field suitable for groups, and five smaller wooded sites. All these sites are available on a first come first serve basis, and can get crowded in the warm summer months.

The camp is set up

The weather forecast was mixed with rain Saturday morning, and again on Sunday afternoon. It was raining as I drove down I-95, but stopped by the time I met the group at the Bradford Landing. We loaded the boats and set out for the 3-mile trip up to Burlingame.

When we arrived at Burlingame, we were surprised to find a group already set up in the field. We scouted out the wooded sites and decided to take the third site down – one site down from where we camped last spring, and one site up from the grassy site where we camped in 2014. We hauled our gear up the steep hill from the river and began to set up camp.

Enjoying the evening fire

The first thing up was the rain fly – fortunately we never needed it – followed by the kitchen and then the tents. I pitched my tent in the grassy site, which is now over-grown appears rarely used. I decided to try out my new Alps Mountaineering Lynx one-man tent.

After setting up camp we took a break to enjoy cocktails before cooking dinner. Dinner was hamburgers and hot dogs with garden and macaroni salad. The wind picked up after dinner, but we never got any rain. We settled in around the fire for watermelon, and a relaxing evening.

Dan cooks breakfast in the 20" skillet

After many tall-tales and war-stories we finally turned in for the night at around 10:30. My one-man tent was tight, but it was still comfortable. It will work well for sea kayak camping in the Capella. 

Before I knew it, morning light was streaming through my tent. I got up around 6:00, and found that Danny was already up enjoying coffee. I got my coffee pot perking.

Heading back to Bradford

Dan was up shortly after and got the fire started. He would be cooking breakfast in his 20" Camp Chef Lumberjack Maine-guide skillet. After pulling out some coals he cooked our entire breakfast in this pan – bacon, home fries, grilled English muffins, omelets and fried eggs. He was able to set up different heat zones for cooking and keeping things warm - pretty cool.

He had blue sky and puffy clouds in the morning, so we took our time enjoying breakfast around the fire. After breakfast we packed up camp for the trip back to Bradford Landing. Storm clouds were rolling in as we loaded up the cars and said our goodbyes, and the rain started up again as I drove home on I-95. The rain gods had smiled on us - we timed it perfect!

The crew at Bradford Landing

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Burlingame Overnight - May 28-29, 2022

Heading out

Our second attempt at an Allagash trip got canceled due to family obligations and COVID-19. In its place, Bill and I decided to do an overnight at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites. We posted it on the RICKA message board, and Danny joined us as well.

The Burlingame Canoe Campsites are part of the Burlingame Management Area upstream from the Bradford Landing. There are six sites including an open field suitable for groups, and five smaller wooded sites. All the sites are available on a first come first serve basis, and can get crowded in the warm summer months.

Time to unload

One of the challenges of canoe/kayak camping is that everything that you bring needs to fit in your boat. While you can carry more in a canoe or kayak than you can in a backpack, space is still limited, and drybags are needed to keep your gear dry. Once I packed up all my gear, I realized that I had more than I could fit in my solo boat. Fortunately, Danny has a collection of tripping canoes and likes to paddle tandem. He agreed to bring an 18-foot Old Town Voyager with more than enough room for our gear.

The forecast was for rain on Saturday, but sunny and warm on Sunday. It was drizzling as I drove down I-95, but it stopped by the time I reached Bradford Landing. We loaded the boats and headed out. As we headed upstream the clouds started to clear and we even saw some patches of blue sky.

Veggies for dinner

All of the sites were empty when we arrived at Burlingame. We scouted out the field, but decided to take the first wooded site downstream. We hauled our gear up the steep hill from the river and began to set up camp. The first thing up was the rain fly – fortunately we never needed it – followed by the tents/hammock. With Danny’s big boat we were able to bring enough firewood so that we didn’t need to forage.

As we set up camp, a couple of hikers passed by and took the site next door. Trails lead into these sites from the parking lot on Buckeye Brook Road and from the North South Trailhead on Burdickville Road. They were quiet neighbors.

Enjoying the fire

After setting up camp we took a break to enjoy cocktails and appetizers before cooking dinner. Dinner was Jonathan’s fried fish with rice and veggies. A few clouds rolled in around dinner time, and we heard rumbles of thunder to the north, but we never got any rain. After dinner we settled in around the fire for cherry pie, watermelon and a relaxing evening. By the time we went to bed the sky was clear and full of stars.

I awoke around 4:00 to the sound of Bill yelling at a whip-poor-will singing in a nearby tree. I have to admit, it was loud, but Bill was louder. I fell back asleep and woke up again around 6:00 when I heard Danny up making coffee. I decided it was time to get up and get the coffee pot going myself.

Loaded for the trip back

Bill was up shortly after and we got the fire going and started cooking breakfast – omelets, home fries, sausage and English muffins. Most was cooked on the stove, but the sausage was cooked and the muffins were toasted on the fire by Danny. It was a beautiful morning, so we took our time enjoying breakfast and coffee around the fire.

After breakfast we packed up camp for the trip back to Bradford. The weather was beautiful – bright blue sky, a few puffy clouds and no wind. It was a leisurely paddle back to Bradford Landing. Once there, we packed up the cars and said our goodbyes after another great tip.

A pretty section of the Pawcatuck River

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Burlingame Canoe Campsites from Rhode Island Blueways
Bradford Landing from Rhode Island Blueways

Pawcatuck River Overnight - September 27-28, 2014

Heading out from Bradford Landing

There is something therapeutic about canoe camping.  You paddle in, set up camp, have dinner, and then settle in for a long relaxing evening around the campfire. 

I did my first canoe camping trip with the RICKA Wilderness Group a couple of years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since.  Since then I’ve done short overnight trips, and multi-day excursions.  This summer I had the good fortune to spend a night camping with the Paddle Across Rhode Island crew on the Pawcatuck River, and decided that I wanted to do it again.  I posted the idea on the Flatwater Message Board and this trip was born. 

Arriving at the campsites

We are fortunate to have a couple of very nice paddle-in campsites on the Pawcatuck River in Rhode Island.  There is the Carolina Canoe Campsite in the Carolina Management Area just upstream from the Richmond Landing.  It’s a small site, but very nice.  Then there are the Burlingame Canoe Campsites in the Burlingame Management Area upstream from the Bradford Landing.  At Burlingame there is a large open field suitable for groups, and five smaller wooded sites.  All these sites are available on a first come first serve basis, and can get crowded in the warm summer months.

We would be doing a short overnight trip at the Burlingame Canoe Campsites with the RICKA Flatwater Group.  Our original plan was to paddle down from Richmond Landing, but with low water levels in the river, we decided to paddle up from Bradford instead.  We met at the Bradford Landing at 2:00 for the trip up to the campsites. 

Setting up camp

One of the challenges of canoe/kayak camping is that everything that you bring needs to fit in your boat.  While you can carry more in a canoe or kayak than you can in a backpack, space is still limited, and drybags are needed to keep your gear dry.  Everyone carried their own gear, and we divided up the group gear as best we could.  With our gear packed and our boats loaded we headed off the campsite. 

We couldn’t have asked for a nicer day.  It was sunny and warm, and the leaves were just beginning to turn.  It’s a short paddle from Bradford up to the Burlingame Canoe Campsites.  When we arrived, we found that a family had already pitched their tents in the big site at the field, so we scouted out the smaller wooded sites. We chose a grass-covered site with a nice fire ring, and everyone spread out to pitch their tents.  Some found space near the river where they could hear the running water.  Others stayed closer to the fire ring. 

Settling in around the campfire

Jim had dropped off some firewood earlier in the day, so we were able to enjoy snacks and dinner around the campfire.  Everything tastes better when you cook it outside, and this trip was no exception.  Tom was our grill master.  He turned out great hamburgers, hot dogs and marinated vegetable skewers from Lindsay.  Dinner was followed by Henry’s delicious Blueberry Dump Cake from the Dutch oven.  With dinner complete, there was nothing left to do but sit back and enjoy the fire.  We talked, napped (at least some of us) and enjoyed the great outdoors. 

At around 10:30, I finally turned in for the night.  Before I knew it, the morning light was streaming through my tent, and I could hear someone out by the fire ring.  Even without looking I knew it was Jim because he is always the first one up.  Before long, we soon had a nice fire going and a pot of coffee perking on the stove. 

Dutch oven cooking

Slowly the group emerged from their tents for a cup of coffee, and a piece of apple or blueberry pie from Mike.  After a few cups of coffee, I was ambitious enough try a Blueberry Breakfast Bake in the Dutch oven.  It turned out great.  When we had all eaten our fill and had way too much coffee, we decided it was time to pack up and head for home.  Everyone packed up their own gear, and then helped out with the group gear.  With our boats packed, we took one group picture before heading back to Bradford. 

The trip back to Bradford was slow and leisurely – no one was in a rush.  By 11:00 our cars were packed and we were saying our goodbyes, but not before agreeing to do this again next year.

Packed up at the end of a great trip

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