Nashau River - Leominster to Lancaster - December 20, 2024

Put-in at the Veterans Park

Ozzy was looking to do a Winter Solstice paddle on the Nashua River from Leominster to Lancaster. After a busy month with family issues, I decided to join in. We had four boats, all polers – me, Bob, Dan and Ozzy.

The Nashua River has two main stems. We would be paddling on the North Branch, which arises west of Fitchburg and flows generally south for 30 miles until it joins the South Branch in Lancaster.  The South Branch arises at the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton and flows generally north for 56 miles through north-central MA and southern NH before emptying into the Merrimack River in Nashua. 

Below the first broken dam

I have done most of the Nashua River over the years including the Leominster to Lancaster section of the of the North Branch back in November 2011. I have also done the confluence of the North Branch and South Branch in Lancaster, and the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge in Harvard and the Ayers to Groton, Groton to Pepperell, and Peperrell to Nashua sections on the South Branch.

We met at the take-out at Johnny Ro Veteran's Memorial Park (720 Mechanic St, Leominster, MA 014530) to drop our boats and run the shuttle down to the take-out at the Ponakin Bridge at the Pellecchia Conservation Land & Canoe Launch (MA-70, Lancaster, MA 01523). The river was low – 2.5 feet, 115 cfs on the Leominster gage, but a nice level for poling.

Lunch at Cook' Conservation Area

We started off by poling upstream past Route 2 before turning around and heading down stream. The river twists and turns as it runs through the Johnny Apple Seed State Park and the Lancaster State Forest. We portaged the first broken dam that we ran back in 2011 since it was low and it looked like there might be wood in it.

We took a break for lunch at the picnic area at the Cook Conservation Area. Snow as falling as Ozzy cooked up a nice spread of pierogis and kielbasa with onions and peppers. We had brownies, chocolate chip cookies and donuts for desert. With the furnace fueled, we poled the last section in the snow, including the second broken dam that we ran to the left. The drive home in the snow was brutal, but it was a great way to start off the winter.

Links:

My Pictures

Bob's Video

Leominster gage

Nashua River - Peperrell to Nashua - September 8, 2024

Peperrell Covered Bridge

I got an email from Jonathan looking to do some tandem paddling on Sunday. We bounced around some different options, and decided on the South Branch of the Nashua River from Peperrell to Nashua. It is a section that I hadn't done before.

The Nashua River has two main stems. The South Branch of the Nashua River arises at the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton and flows generally north for 56 miles through north-central MA and southern NH before emptying into the Merrimack River in Nashua. The North Branch of the Nashua River arises west of Fitchburg and flows generally south for 30 miles until it joins the South Branch near Lancaster.

Below Runnells Bridge

I have done several sections of the Nashua River over the years including Leominster to Lancaster on the North Branch, and Lancaster, the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge in Harvard,  Ayers to Groton,  Groton to Pepperell, and now Peperrell to Nashua on the South Branch. 

We met at the take-out at Mine Falls Dam (16 Riverside Street, Nashua, NH 03062) to leave a car and ran the shuttle back to the put-in at the Nashua River Access (14-4 Lowell Street, Pepperell, MA 01463) just below the Peperrell Covered Bridge. The river was at 1.4 feet, 195 cfs on the East Peperrell gage - low but fluid. 

Deadwater approaching the Mine Falls Dam

The start of this section seems surprisingly remote as it winds through pretty woodlands. We saw skydivers coming down as we passed the Peperrell Airport. We ran the rapids at Runnells Bridge down the center, and only got hung up once. It would have been better with more water. We took a break for lunch at a bench across from the Overlook Golf Course. 

Below the golf course you enter 4-miles of deadwater behind the Mine Falls Dam. Fortunately, the wind was to our backs or it would have been a real slog. We checked out the dam at Mine Falls Park before shuttling back to the put-in to pick up my car. Nice trip.

Take out at Mine Falls Dam

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Nashua River Gage - East Peperrell

Nashua River Watershed Association

Nashua River – Ayer to Groton – November 29, 2020

On the Bike Shuttle

Last weekend we were hiking along the banks of the Nashua River in the Groton Town Forest. This weekend we decided to go back and paddle that section of the river.

We would be paddling on the South Branch of the Nashua River, which arises at the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton, MA and flows generally north for 56 miles through north-central MA and southern NH before emptying into the Merrimack River in Nashua, NH. The North Branch of the Nashua River arises west of Fitchburg and flows generally south for 30 miles until it joins the South Branch near Lancaster.

Approaching Groton Town Forest

This would be the third trip on the Nashua River this year for me, Jonathan and Conrad.  Our first trip was at the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge in Harvard, and the second was the confluence of the North Branch and the South Branch of the Nashua in Lancaster.  Today we would be paddling the section from Ayers to Groton.  I have also paddled the section of from Groton to Pepperell with RICKA, and the section of the North Branch from Leominster to Lancaster.

We put in at the northern end of the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge (Filter Bed Rd E, Ayer, MA 01432) and took out at the Petapawag Canoe Launch (Nod Rd, Groton, MA 01450) – about 6.5 miles. Jonathan and I did a 6-mile bike shuttle on the Nashua River Rail Trail. The river is pretty with huge pine trees lining the banks. It opens up significantly after the Squannacook River enters at the southern end of the Groton Town Forest.

And I earned another poem from Tom on p-net:

New England river badges,

begin to form its Morningstar.

Like diamond midst the granite rough,

she travels timeless far.

And in the flow path’s oft not seen,

so passage finds scar and scrape.

But pressing on comes wondrous light

through these facets in nature’s shape.

TW

Links.

My Pictures

Oxbow Wildlife Refuge

Nashua River Rail Trail

Nashua River Watershed Association

Groton Town Forest – November 22, 2020

Plaque at the trailhead

Since I paddled on Friday, I decided to join Papa Joe and the crew for a hike at Groton Town Forest on Sunday.

The Groton (Memorial) Town Forest was established in 1922 to honor the veterans who gave their lives in World War I. Originally 180 acres, the forest has expanded to 513 acres over the years through purchases and donations of abutting properties. It is a nicely maintained property with 14 miles of marked trails (6.4 mile Town Forest Loop, and the 3.4 and 9.5 mile Town Forest Race Loops) and numerous unmarked trails.

Getting the group organized

We met at 9:00 at the trailhead at the end of Town Forest Road. It was a little cooler than I expected as we waited for the crew to gather, but nice once we started to hike. I’m not exactly sure the route that we took since Joe didn’t provide a map, but we went west to the railroad tracks, then south along the railroad tracks and Squannacook River to the Nashua River, and then back along the Nashua and Dead Rivers to the trailhead.

We decided that the Nashua River through Groton looked like a nice place to paddle. I’ve done the section north of here from Groton to Pepperell. We have also done the Oxbows south of here, and the section in Lancaster that includes the convergence of the North and South Branches. Another trip to add to the list.

Along the railroad tracks and Squannacook River

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Groton Town Forest Map

Back to the Nashua - May 23, 2020

Through the strainers

I went back to paddle the Nashua River in Lancaster with Jonathan and Conrad. This time we put-in at Ponakin Bridge/Pellechia Conservation Area (off Rt. 70) on the North Branch (which flows generally south), and took out on Route 117 on the South Branch (which flows generally north). We paddled downstream about 5-miles, but the way the river loops around we only had to walk 2-miles back to the cars. Pretty section of river, and enough going on to keep us occupied. Level was 130 cfs on the Leominster gage - low but fluid.

Looking back I realized that I did the section of the North Branch above this back in November 2011, putting in at Searstown Mall on Rt. 2 in Leominster and taking out at Ponakin Bridge on Rt. 70 in Lancaster. Level that day was 380 cfs  on the Leominster gage. An old broken dam was the highlight of that section. 

Masks and social distancing at the take out

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Leominster Gage

Oxbow Wildlife Refuge - Nashua River - May 16, 2020

Heading out

If this was a normal year we would be getting ready for our spring camping trip, but it is not a normal year. I was glad to get out yesterday for a trip with the crew at the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge. Located in Harvard, MA along 7-miles of the South Branch of the Nashua River, the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge is one of a series of eight refuges (including the Great Meadow Wildlife Refuge on the Sudbury River) operated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service that make up the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Oxbow was established in 1974 from land that was previously part of Fort Devens.

The South Branch of the Nashua River arises at the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton, MA and flows generally northward for 56 miles through north-central MA and southern NH before emptying into the Merrimack River in Nashua, NH. The only other section of the South Branch that I had paddled is the section from Groton to Peppered. I have also paddled the section of the North Branch from Leominster to Lancaster. The North Branch arises west of Fitchburg and flows generally southward for 30 miles until it joins the South Branch near Lancaster.

Checking out the Bald Eagle

There are two boat launches in the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge. The northern boat launch is located at the Bill Ashe Visitor Facility at 80 Hospital Road in Devens, MA. We used the southern boat launch located off Still River Depot Road in Harvard, MA.

From the put-in we paddled upstream about a mile before blow-downs turned us around. We took a quick break at the chapel by the river that is part of the St. Benedict Abbey. From there, we paddled back downstream, past the put-in and down to another mile-and-a-half to the nesting area where we could see a Bald Eagle. Trip was a little over 5-miles.


Nashua River from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Links:
My Pictures
My Video
Al's post at Trashpaddler.com
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge

Nashua River - Groton to Pepperell - October 19, 2014

Exploring a side channel

I got out on a crisp fall day today to paddle the South Branch of the Nashua River.

The South Branch of the Nashua River arises at the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton, MA and flows generally northward for 56 miles through north-central MA and southern NH before emptying into the Merrimack River in Nashua NH.  While I had never paddled the South Branch, I had previously paddled the North Branch of the Nashua River from Leominster to the Lancaster. The North Branch rises west of Fitchburg and flows generally southward for 30 miles until it joins the South Branch near Lancaster.

We put in at the Petapawag Canoe Launch off Nod Road in Groton, and took out at the Nashua River Canoe Launch on Canal Street in Pepperell.  The river twists and turns among many islands and side channels that turn this inundated marshland into a giant 5 mile long maze.

Paddling with Bill on one of the side channels

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Nashua River - Leominster to Lancaster - November 6, 2011

Had a good time yesterday on the North Branch of the Nashua River. We had 7 boats – 5 canoes (Tommy, Mike, Jim, Doug and Jeff) and 2 kayaks (Bill and Scott). I brought my poling boat, but ended up paddling tandem with Jeff in his Appalachian.

It was the first time for me on the Nashua River. We paddled the section from Leominster (Searstown Mall – Rt. 2 and Rt. 13) to the Lancaster (Ponakin Bridge - Rt. 70 in Lancaster just north of Rt. 117). The river was at a nice level – 380 cfs, almost 4 ft on the Leominster gage. This section of the river is especially nice where it runs through the Johnny Apple Seed State Park and the Lancaster State Forest. It is mostly flatwater with some quickwater and a couple of broken dams. The first broken dam was probably a class II yesterday with a 3-foot drop into a large hole at the bottom.


Nashua River from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

The second at the power lines was probably class I with a nice surfwave.

Captain Mike at the Power Lines

Links:
My video
North Nashua River Gage near Leominster, MA