Connecticut Water Trails Association
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Connecticut Water Trails Association |
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Connecticut Water Trails Program Paddling Trails Yantic River Paddling Trail
USGS Quadrangle:
Fitchville Paddle Length:
On The Water:
The river flows towards the east from Lebanon into the Thames River. There are two sections you can paddle which are both very different. The first section is short, rocky whitewater which you can paddle in the early spring. The second section is longer and is an easy paddle
most of the time. This
section can be paddled spring – early summer and has fewer portages.
Cautions:
Camp Moween Road – Randall Road
USGS Quadrangle:
Fitchville USGS Real Time Water Data –
Fitchvile Pond – 1 – 2.25
Type of Water:
Lake, Quickwater, Class II &
III
Paddle Length:
3.25 miles
Portage: Dam - 2 miles in Gilman Dam – 2.5 miles in – 70 – 300 yards Put-In:
Camp
Moween Road, Lebanon Longitude:
72.234797
W
Latitude:
41.562362 Take Out:
Randall Road, Lebanon Longitude:
72.22943600000001 W
Latitude:
41.584873 N
On The Water: This section of the river is composed of two dams and
is short and rocky. There is a USGS Real Time Water Gauge on the top of
Fitchville Pond Dam – ¾ mile east of Exit 21 off of Connecticut Route 2
– readings of 1 foot or more will provide a great paddling experience. You can put in at Camp Moween Road which is 1.3
miles upstream of Exit 22 off of Connecticut Route 2. After entering you
will encounter quickwater and possible a few downed trees over the
river. A mile into your paddle a right turn starts a .3 mile long rapid
which begins as an easy Class II rock garden for 300 yards. The water
then turns left as it enters a fast, narrow, rapid where the current
will take you towards two lines of rocks across the river. If the USGS
Real Time Water Gauge Fitchville Pond Gauge is below 1.25, getting past
the rocks can be very tight. If the water is higher – you should be able
to pass over them. The current eventually slows and you’ll have to make
a short portage on the left at a dam. Below the dam you hit a short Class III+ rapid which
should be paddled on the right. You’ll hit a small eddy on the right
side after the rapids end. The river then flows under two close bridges.
The river then turns to the right and you come up to a small drop –
which will produce a surfing wave – which should be entered from an eddy
on the right side. After several more easy rapids, the river splits
around two islands as the current slows and you’ll need to portage
around the next dam. You can take out on either side and then put in as
close to the dam as you would like. Make sure you scout the Class III
rapids which run for the next 200 yards below the dam. The rapids have a
fast current which end at a ledge next to a factory. Run the ledge on
the right to avoid the sharp rocks below the ledge. The run-out from the
ledge has a lot of submerged rocks – so stay to the left after the drop. The shallow rocks above the ledge make the approach
difficult. If the water level is
medium USGS Real Time Water Gauge Fitchville Pond
is
above 1.25 - you’ll find
that several play spots form just above the drop, be careful not to be
swept down the left side of the ledge. The first play spot is just below the dam as the
river narrows when it runs through a channel. The river then widens and
splits onto two channels. The right side has boulders requiring a lot of
navigating. The left channel is small and drops 2 feet into a small
pool. The next 100 feet of river has several nice waves
depending on the water level. After the ledge is ½ mile of rocky Class
II rapids – it has many rocks hidden in clear channels. Depending on the
water level, there are several nice waves and large rocks waiting for
eddy turns. The easiest take out is just beneath the Randall
bridge on the left. You can follow the rapids for anther ½ mile until
the Yantic merges with Pease Brook. The river the becomes quickwater and
Class I. Your next take out is located 1 mile down street at the Old
Route 2 bridge, there is parking on the left next to the cemetery.
Cautions:
Fitchville Pond - Norwich
USGS Quadrangle:
Fitchville USGS Real Time Water Data –
Fitchvile Pond – .75 - 2
Type of Water:
Flatwater, Quickwater, Class I
Paddle Length:
5 miles
Portage:
Put-In: Fitchville Pond, BozrahLongitude:
72.161976
W
Latitude:
41.562696 Or Put-In:
Stockhouse Road, Bozrah Longitude:
72.14847399999999
W
Latitude:
41.569668 N Take Out:
Pleasant Street, Norwich Longitude:
72.103054
W
Latitude:
41.549088 N
On The Water: Because
of the contributions from several tributaries, this section of the river
is much larger and mostly quickwater with Class I & II rapids near an
old dam in Norwich. The river is runnable at readings of
.5 foot or more check the USGS Real Time Water Data at Fitchville
Pond. The Yantic is in flood stage at 3 feet and not at all paddable. Your put in is below the Fitchville Pond or
Stockhouse Road. The first put in can be reached by a carry below the
Old Route 2 Bridge – 100 feet below the dam. The river here is Class I
rapids as long as you remain to the left bank. It’s easier to put in
from Stockhouse Road – a ½ mile down from the dam – there is a much
shorter carry and easier entrance onto the river. From this point forward the river flows with easier
rapids moving away fro the road. After several turns you’ll encounter a
low dam that can be run almost anywhere. Be careful in low water – you
may have to get out and portage – which is best done on the left side. I
high water the dam washes out. The river continues from here as flatwater and
quickwater for another mile then passes under the Connecticut Route 32
bridge. Just watch out for fallen trees. After the bridge the rapids pick up and run into a
sharp right turn. Over the next mile the river is mostly flatwater and
quickwater until Norwich Industrial Park. The water picks up speed as it
passes under and bridge and then makes a large left turn into a pool. The most difficult portion of your trip starts here
as the river turns back to the right and hits the hardest rapids. The
rapid can be scouted from the left. The water starts as a very fast
current with a 1- 2 foot drop at the end. The drop can involve strong
waves in medium conditions at it’s center. In high water conditions the drop is washed out. As you pass the next bridge – the river makes a
right turn and then left into a fast channel where the water is
funneling against the bank. Your last easy rapid is after you pass the
I-395 Bridge. This rapid can be bottom scraping at low water levels – so
choose you route carefully. The best take out is below
the next bridge on the left where there is a large parking lot.
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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