New England Paddler
CAMPING AND PADDLING
Introduction
We have had more and more request about camping where you paddle. So here is some information that might help.
If you finally caught the fever and want to immerse yourself into paddling as much as you can then consider camping right on a lake or waterway. That way you can wake up and just roll into your boat. Does it get any better than that? Now you can just wander around, fish, swim, search for wildlife, photograph, or just be plain lazy for hours at a time. When you get a little tired then paddle back to your campsite for a nap or a meal. Have I got your attention?
Lake Camping
The first opportunity is camping on a lake. This is particularly fun with children. They often loose interest in one activity and want some other one. This allows you to mix swimming, paddling, hiking, biking, or just playing with others. If it should rain, consider a museum nearby or even a movie. Going to a drive-up for dinner can be a great change to cooking over a fire. Car camping allows you to bring more and heavier equipment than a trip where you must carry everything in a boat.
Use the campground as your base camp and consider other paddles nearby, say 5 to 10 miles radius. To find paddles nearby a particular camping lake, go to our county pages, and click on “Select By County Map” button.
Below are the lakes by county that have camping. Most of these are State Parks. Just click on the lake and our page for the lake and it will come up in a new tab. You then can select the state park website by going to the green box about the state park. Don’t let a short paddle distance around a lake stop you from considering it for camping. Remember there are other activities available and other paddle lakes nearby.
Berkshire County
Paddle Distance
1.5 miles Mauserts Pond
1.1 miles Windsor Lake
0.7 miles North Pond
1.0 miles South Pond
1.0 miles Bog Pond
0.9 miles Burnett Pond
3.6 miles combined
2.0 miles October Mountain Lake
0.9 miles Schoolhouse Reservoir
0.6 miles Felton Lake
3.6 miles Buckley Dunton Lake
2.9 miles Yokum Pond
1.5 miles Benedict Pond
1.4 miles Prospect Lake
15.0 miles Otis Reservoir
5.9 miles Manchaug Pond
Worcester County
Paddle Distance
6.6 miles Tully Lake
4.2 miles Up the river to
Long Pond and back.
1.7 miles Lake Dennison
2.9 miles Walker Pond
1.9 miles Upper Highland Lake
2.2 miles Lower Highland Lake
Hampshire County
Paddle Distance
1.6 miles Laurel Lake
Franklin County
Paddle Distance
Barnstable County
Outer Cape - Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, and Orleans
386 US-6, Provincetown, MA 02657
508-487-9815
The property is owned by The Trustees of Reservations.
River Camping
Introduction to River Camping
Camping and river paddling require a much different strategy. First consider whether you intend to paddle a long distance along a river or whether you simply want to do a couple of reaches. The first requires outfitting yourself to camp along your trip. Let’s use an example.
The Connecticut River is 410 miles long. Clearly the longest river in New England. Let's say you have carefully planned a 100-mile trip. You have a couple of possible strategies.
Car Camping Paddling
You could find a couple of campgrounds along the route. This way you can sleep comfortable in your RV or tent each night. This would be what most people call car-camping. If you are rich you could even stay at hotels along the way. Each day you set up the days trip with a vehicle at each end or you have a chase crew that will not be paddling. Another strategy is to lock a bicycle at one end so you only need one vehicle. You only need to bring lunch and some snacks with you. At the end of the day you return to your campsite. New England has so many campgrounds making this a good strategy except on some of the more remote rivers in Maine. Foul weather could mean taking a day off here and there, certainly very civilized.
Through Paddling
Another strategy is to load up backpacking camping equipment into your boat and sleep at campsites along the way. For the most part, there is no cost for camping. You are carrying everything you need everywhere you go. A careful plan can include grocery stores along your route for resupply. A canoe certainly can hold more equipment than a kayak. It may be a better choice for a long trip. Dry bags, backpacking tent, small stove, and other equipment will need to be purchased. If you are a backpacker then you’re probably all set.
This challenges the person against the adventure. Does this sound like fun? If you're young and adventurous then a life experience of a long trip down an epic river could be the best thing you have ever done.
Section Paddle Strategy
Few people have the time to do a long trip. The Appalachian Trail requires four to six months to walk. People have a life that requires a career and family. One strategy that has been used is section hiking. Each year a couple of weeks are put aside and over a few years the entire trail is walked. I suggest this might be a good strategy for long paddles as well. Figure how much time you have and carefully select how you can accomplish for each section.
The entire Connecticut River can be paddled in three to four weeks depending on how aggressive you want to be. A 100-mile trip, our example above, would take 100 / 3 = 34 hours without a break or portage. At 20 miles per day (mpd) this would take 5 days. If you are pushing it, maybe 30 mpd would work taking only 3 1/2 days. So if there is a three day weekend coming up then you can take off the extra Friday or Tuesday and accomplish the whole trip. You will probably spend the next couple of working days falling asleep at the keyboard. Let's hope for a understanding boss. Remember to always have a bailout if the weather changes or your plan is a little too aggresive. Always keep notes so you can plan even better next time. I always try to remember that; Success is really a series of Failures by people who simply Keep Going.
Planning – The First Step
Whether you’re Car-Camping, Through-Paddling, or Section-Paddling the first place to start is planning. Here is where we at Massachusetts Paddler can help. Pick the river(s) you wish to paddle and carefully examine the route. You may want to paddle ALL the rivers. Consider the following:
- Your skill level when planning is important. Maybe you should skip areas above your abilities or at least be prepare.
- The time of year is important which greatly affects the river levels. Use our links to USGS gage stations and the National Weather Service.
- The distance to travel. A good rule of thumb is 3 miles for each hour. Add more for portages and meals. As you get more experience on a given river, you can adjust this.
- Be flexible in your plans. Weather, changing river levels, broken equipment, and other unforeseen problems should not change your ultimate goal. Go with the flow (literally).
- Make sure you read our page on “The Float Plan”.
River Analysis and Camping Opportunities
Let’s take a look at the rivers that we have mapped out. What we will do here is give strategies for each river based on their length, location, and what sections can actually be paddled. Then we will provide what we know about camping for each river. Lets start with a a list of all the rivers we cover so far at Massachusetts Paddler:
- The Batten Kill - 57.0 miles
- The Hoosic River - 84.6 miles
- The Housatonic River - 169.7 miles
- The Millers River - 50.5 miles
- The Deerfield River - 101.7 miles
- The Connecticut River - 410 miles
- The Farmington River - 94.0 miles
- Chicopee River Watershed:
- The Chicopee River - 18.0 miles
- The Swift River - 23.3 miles
- The Ware River - 51.5 miles
- The Quaboag River - 25.2 miles
The Batten Kill
Car Camping
The Batten Kill does not lend itself to Through Paddling as there are no designated campsites along the river. One strategy is to camp on Reach 3 in Vermont at "Camping on the Battenkill" or in NY State at "Lake Lauderdale Campground". If the weather turns rainy consider a day shopping in Manchester Vermont or a visit to the horse racing at Saratoga.
The Deerfield River
Car Camping
The Deerfield River does not lend itself to Through Paddling as there are no designated campsites along the river. Here are some campgrounds near the river:
Country Aire features excellent campsites, from open, pull-through RV sites with full hookups, to wooded tent sites. Hiking and biking trails nearby. Hunt, fish, canoe, tube and raft on the Deerfield River.
We offer shaded or open pull through sites. Some have water, electric and sewer. Others have water and electric. Tent sites are also available. We have a sanitary building and dump station. Safari field available for groups. Seasonal campers are welcome.
For more information visit the website:
Country Aire Campground
Mohawk Trail State Forest is one of the most scenic woodland areas in Massachusetts. It covers 6,000 acres of mountain ridges, gorges, and woods, and it is home to a variety of plant and animal life.
Mohawk Trail State Forest
Camping
If you're interested in camping, there are 47 wooded campsites available seasonally, and 6 log cabins available year-round.
Phone (413) 339-5504
Facilities:
There are 6 vehicle accessible campsites, an open day-use area, and a barrier-free vault toilet. There are no showers or hook-ups. Near the parking area there is another barrier-free vault toilet, a hand pump for drinking water, a 200-foot boat portage with an unloading area, and 5 day-use picnic areas with grills. At various locations along the northeastern shore of the pond there are 11 campsites (2 of which have shelters, each sleeping 6) and a day-use picnic site. All campsites are walk-in, however, 7 of these campsites can be reached by boat and site #1 is wheelchair accessible with assistance. Each campsite has a picnic table, a tent platform or pad, and a fire ring. Plenty of hiking opportunities also exist with over 10 miles of trails, marked with blue diamonds.
Notes:
There are 6 vehicle accessible campsites, an open day-use area, and a barrier-free vault toilet. There are no showers or hook-ups. Near the parking area there is another barrier-free vault toilet, a hand pump for drinking water, a 200-foot boat portage with an unloading area, and 5 day-use picnic areas with grills. At various locations along the northeastern shore of the pond there are 11 campsites (2 of which have shelters, each sleeping 6) and a day-use picnic site. All campsites are walk-in, however, 7 of these campsites can be reached by boat and site #1 is wheelchair accessible with assistance. Each campsite has a picnic table, a tent platform or pad, and a fire ring. Plenty of hiking opportunities also exist with over 10 miles of trails, marked with blue diamonds.
Notes:
- Day-Use Areas open from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
- Maximum length of stay is 14 days in any 30-day period.
- Maximum campers per site are 8 people.
- Dogs must be on a leash at all times.
- Quiet hours are 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
Grout Pond
We are currently working on this page.
Please be patient as we add information.
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River, because of it's length, has it's own page for camping. Click here for all the information.
(Near the River) If you’re looking for a secluded place to camp, hike, mountain bike, snowshoe, Cross Country Ski then this might be the best spot in Massachusetts. At over 16,000 acres, October Mountain in the Largest State Forest in Massachusetts, and includes parts of the towns of Lee, Lenox, Washington and Becket. The 50 campsites are clustered in the southwest corner. There are many trails traversing the Park, and The Appalachian Trail cuts through it.
For more information visit the website:
October Mountain State Forest
Mile 127.0
This 605 acre park, of which 324 are in Southbury, borders approx. two miles of Lake Zoar shoreline. This facility offers camping, hiking, picnicking, swimming and winter sports. There are 78 campsites available as well as six miles of maintained hiking trails that offer panoramic overlooks high above Lake Zoar. Most of the blue blazed Pomperaug Trail is found in the park, and visitors can find a variety of terrain, flora, and fauna along its length. Kettletown is open year-round for day use activities from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, an entrance fee is charged on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.A wonderful campground, shaded picnic area, and views of beautiful Lake Zoar on the Housatonic River make Kettletown State Park a popular recreation destination.
Kettletown State Park
Mile 24.2
Camping
- 78 wooded and open sites. Dumping station, bathrooms, showers, fishing, swimming. No pets.
- ALCOHOL PROHIBITED. Please do not bring alcoholic beverages.
- $17/night/campsite for CT residents plus a Processing Fee
- $27/night/campsite for non-CT residents plus a Processing Fee
- $50/night Rustic Cabins for CT Resident Processing Fee **
- $60/night Rustic Cabins for non-CT residents plus Processing Fee **
- Campsite Reservations
- Park Office (860) 283-8088
Housatonic River
Car Camping
The Housatonic River does not lend itself to Through Paddling as there are no designated campsites along the river. Here are some campgrounds on or near the river:
Camping
- 61 sites in rustic setting near Housatonic River. Dumping station, bathrooms, showers. No swimming. No pets.
- ALCOHOL PROHIBITED. Please do not bring alcoholic beverages.
- $17/night/campsite for CT residents plus a Processing Fee
- $27/night/campsite for non-residents plus a Processing Fee
- $50/night/Rustic Cabins for CT residents plus a Processing Fee**
- $60/night/Rustic Cabins for non-residents plus a Processing Fee**
- Campsite Reservations
- Campground Office (860) 672-6772
- Park Office (860) 927-3238
Housatonic Meadows State Park is a public recreation area covering 452 acres along the Housatonic River in the towns of Sharon and Cornwall, Connecticut. The state park offers opportunities for camping, hiking, picnicking, canoeing, and fly-fishing.
Housatonic Meadows State Park
Mile 67.9
