Connecticut Water Trails Association
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Connecticut Water Trails Association |
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Connecticut Water Trails Program Paddling Trails Housatonic River Paddling Trail
USGS Quadrangles:
Massachusetts:
Pittsfield East, Pittsfield West, East Lee, Stockbridge, Great
Barrington, Ashley Falls
New York: Dover
Plains
Connecticut:
South Canaan, Cornwall, Ellsworth, Kent, New Milford, Danbury, Newtown,
Southbury, Long Hill, Ansonia, Milford Type of Water: Tidal River Paddle Length:
On The Water:
The Housatonic River begins in Pittsfield,
Massachusetts and flows south through the Berkshire Mountains and
Taconic Range through Connecticut to Long Island Sound. Cautions: USGS Real Time Water Data / Gauge: Portage:
Dalton – Lenox, Massachusetts
USGS Quadrangle:
Type of Water:
Paddle Length:
19 miles
Portage:
Put-In: West
Housatonic Street, Dalton Massachusetts
Longitude:
73.174042 W Latitude:
42.471584
N
Take Out:
Housatonic Street / Lenox Station, Massachusetts
Longitude:
73.24506599999999 W
Latitude: 42.350088 N On The Water: Put in below the last dam in Dalton Massachusetts. The river moves very
slow and you’ll probably smell the Pittsfield sewage plant. Below Dalton
and all the way to Lenox the river flows slow
Cautions: This section is best paddled in the spring when the
water is high.
Lenox - Stockbridge, Massachusetts
USGS Quadrangle:
Type of Water:
Paddle Length:
12 miles
Portage: A dam
½ a mile down from Lenox and again at Lee about 1 ½ miles down from that
dam
Put-In:
Housatonic Street / Lenox Station, Massachusetts
Longitude:
73.24506599999999 W
Latitude: 42.350088 N
Take Out: South
Street, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Longitude: 73.313254
W Latitude: 42.279533 N On The Water: Just below Lenox a ½ mile down is a dam and again at Lee about 1 ½ miles
down from that dam. Water flows slow with a few rapids. From here to
Stockbridge the river is wider.
Cautions:
Stockbridge – Great Barrington, Massachusetts
USGS Quadrangle:
Type of Water:
Paddle Length:
13 miles
Portage: There
are two dams below Glendale, Mass, with rapids at the second dam. There
is a third dam at the end of lake by the Rising Paper Mill. There is a
fourth dam at Great Barrington.
Put-In: South
Street, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Longitude:
73.313254 W Latitude:
42.279533 N
Take Out: Main
Street, Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Longitude: 73.36040300000001
W Latitude: 42.199195
N On The Water: The first few miles from this point forward wind through Glendale. There
are two dams below Glendale, Mass, with rapids at the second dam. The River widens into a lake for about a 1 ½ miles
to another dam. Just above the Housatonic is a dam with bad rapids below
it, then one mile of lake to the dam at
Risingdale / Rising Paper Mill. The remaining 5 miles to the dam in Great Barrington
are flatwater with the Williams River entering the Housatonic on the
right one mile below the dam.
Cautions: Lots of dams on this stretch of the river.
Great Barrington, Massachusetts – Falls Village
Connecticut
USGS Quadrangle:
Massachusetts:
Great Barrington, Ashley Falls
Connecticut:
South Canaan
Type of Water:
Flatwater, Quickwater, Class I & II
Paddle Length:
25 miles
Portage: 19
miles in at island dam of Canaan and 24 miles above Falls Village – 160
yards
Put-In: Main
Street, Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Longitude:
73.36040300000001 W Latitude:
42.199195
N
Take Out:
Housatonic River Road, Falls
Village, Connecticut
Longitude: 73.372221
W Latitude: 41.96761N
On The Water:
This stretch of the river is mostly flatwater with
two dams. From the Great
Barrington Dam to the mouth of the Green River, which comes in from the
right side, it is 2 miles. The
Konkapot River comes in from the left side at Ashley Falls, just 17
miles above the Connecticut border. Another 2 miles down brings you to the next dam west
of Canaan. You need to make your portage on the left side of the river.
Five miles further down is the dam above Falls Village,
Connecticut. Use extreme caution when paddling this section, because of
metal rods running along the river bottom. The safest bet is to stray
far left on the river.
Cautions: Use extreme caution when paddling above the Falls
Village Dam section, because of metal rods running along the river
bottom. The safest bet is to stray far left on the river.
Falls Village – Kent – Bulls Bridge Connecticut
USGS Quadrangle:
Connecticut:
South Canaan, Cornwall, Ellsworth, Kent
New York: Dover
Plains
Type of Water:
Quickwater, Class I, II, III & IV
Paddle Length:
27.5 miles Portage: There are several
Put-In:
Housatonic River Road, Falls
Village, Connecticut
Longitude:
73.372221 W Latitude:
41.96761N
Take Out: Bulls
Bridge, Kent, Connecticut
Longitude:
73.507453 W Latitude:
41.675437N
On The Water:
This is a very dangerous section of the river and
should only be paddled by experts !!!! To paddle the Class III – IV Rattlesnake Rapids
above Falls Village, just below Great Falls,
put in on the right side of the river. The rapids twist and turn
through granite ledges and end with an 8 foot drop just above the
bridge. The river below the Falls Village Hydroelectric
Station is a popular one day trip with smooth water alternating between
Class I and II and more difficult rapids at the West Cornwall Bridge. The water level is controlled by the Falls Village
powerhouse. The Falls Village Hydroelectric Station and Bull’s Bridge
Hydroelectric Station no longer control water releases. Water levels are
now based on the amount of rain the area receives. Most paddlers put in at the rest across from the
powerhouse. There is a tricky corner on the river here which you should
scout out before attempting to paddle. West Cornwall is 7.5 miles down river from here.
When you get to the bridge – stop – pull over and out and check what the
waters are like up ahead before attempting. There are Class II – III
rapids which flow ¼ mile above the bridge and down around the bend. The
water could also be running at Class IV rapids. After this section the river runs along
Housatonic Meadows State Park. The next 9 miles to Kent are mostly
quickwater except for a drop ledge about 1 mile down from the West
Cornwall Bridge – at what was once Swift’s Bridge. The remaining 5 miles
are flatwater. Most paddlers
on a day trip from Falls Village will take out at the Connecticut Route
341 Bridge on a dirt road alongside the river.
Cautions: There are several very dangerous sections of the
river and should only be paddled by experts !!!!
Kent – Bulls Bridge – Gaylordsville, Connecticut
USGS Quadrangle: Connecticut:
Kent
Type of Water:
Class IV & V
Paddle Length:
3.25 miles
Portage:
Put-In: Bulls
Bridge, Kent, Connecticut
Longitude:
73.507453 W Latitude:
41.675437N
Take Out:
Gaylordsville, Connecticut
Longitude:
73.48398 W Latitude:
41.646426 N
On The Water:
This section is only for experienced paddlers. You
put in at the covered bridge at Bulls Bridge. For a Class V start – carry up above the bridge to
the tip of the island. The staircase is on the left and should be
scouted out carefully before attempting. The bottom of this run has many
pot holes. For a Class IV start – put in below the bridge. The
flume is immediately downstream and must be run on the right – even
though the water coming from the right side is trying to push you to the
left. The drop is a ½ a mile up ahead and should be
scouted first from the left to avoid the hole. At the junction with Ten Mile River, the rapids
become much easier to navigate. There is a foot bridge for the
Appalachian Trail here. There are two more heavy rapids before the take out
which is at the US Route 7 Bridge in Gaylordsville.
Cautions: This section is only for
experienced paddlers.
Gaylordsville – Shelton, Connecticut
USGS Quadrangle: Connecticut:
New Milford, Danbury, Newtown, Southbury, Long Hill, Ansonia, Milford
Type of Water:
Quickwater, Flatwater, and Tidal
Paddle Length:
45 miles
Portage:
10 miles down at New Milford Dam Bleachery Dam 20 miles down at
Shepaug Reservoir Dam 28 miles down at
Stevenson Dam 33 miles down at Housatonic / Shelton Dam
Put-In:
Gaylordsville, Connecticut
Longitude:
73.48398 W Latitude:
41.646426 N
Take Out:
Shelton, Connecticut
On The Water:
The 10 miles to the New Milford Dam is a strong
current. You need to portage the Bleachery Dam in New Milford on the
left side of the river. There are signs marking the portage. The Shepaug
Dam backs the river nearly to New Milford. The portage at the Shepaug
Dam is also on the left about 1/3 of a mile long and marked with signs.
The Stevenson Dam backs the water up to the Shepaug Dam. The portage
here on the Stevenson Dam is on the river. The take out s marked at the
Zoar Beach Boat Ramp. Portage about 100 yards then move onto
Connecticut Route 34 for 100 yards to the CL&P driveway. The put in is
down wooden steps to Lake Housatonic. The Shelton Dam backs water to the
Stevenson Dam. After ther Shelton Dam the remainder of the river is
tidal water.
Cautions:
Shelton – Orange, Stratford, and Milford Connecticut
USGS Quadrangle: Connecticut:
Long Hill, Ansonia, Milford
Type of Water:
Flatwater and Tidal
Paddle Length:
Portage:
Put-In or Take Out:
Shelton, Connecticut
Put-In or Take Out:
Orange, Connecticut
Put-In or Take Out:
Stratford, Connecticut
On The Water:
Cautions:
The information here is based upon the best available information presently available. If you find and error or have a written description of a water trail we have not included - please contact us
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water trails.
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