This article appears in the Summer 2026 issue
Multiple groups of kayakers spontaneously meet up at Poor Man’s Beach (a.k.a., Poverty Island Beach), Great Island, Old Lyme, CT. Photo: Jack Haas.
The Connecticut River is a paddler’s paradise, and those who live within the watershed can count themselves most fortunate to be able to enjoy it. My first experience on the Connecticut River was when I was barely a teenager.
I grew up spending summers on Lake Hayward in East Haddam, Connecticut, and have paddled all my life. One day my dad said, “Let’s paddle the Connecticut River.” So we hatched a plan. Having absolutely no experience with moving water nor any knowledge of river conditions, we launched our Grumman aluminum canoe in Wethersfield Cove and headed out through Folly Brook Channel to the river—during the height of the annual spring freshet. The phenomenon, caused by melting snow and ice and often combined with spring rains, meant the river was at flood stage and the water was moving swiftly.
An artist incorporated paddlers’ kayaks into his painting at Elys Ferry Landing, Lyme, CT. Photo: Tim Lewis.
We paused, looked at each other briefly, and paddled ahead. Fortunately, we made it safely to East Haddam where we pulled out exhausted, but very happy and somewhat relieved. It could have been disastrous, but it turned out to be one of the most memorable paddling days of my youth. I have since paddled the entire Connecticut River, source to sea, returning to northern sections often, and paddle the lower Connecticut section almost weekly. I have also learned how to be safe and to give water the respect it deserves. Here are some recommendations, tips, and cautionary notes to help make your day on the river a success.
Starting at the headwaters and if you prefer lake paddling, the four Connecticut lakes and Lake Francis in northern New Hampshire are worth exploring. Moore and Comerford reservoirs also offer undeveloped shoreline. In fact, most of the northern Connecticut River passes through floodplain, farmland, and forest. Public boat launches are easy to find using Connecticut River Paddlers Trail maps or its app. With the app you can locate the launch site and request driving directions. Visit connecticutriverpaddlerstrail.org/crpt7 or the Connecticut River Conservancy’s website at ctriver.org/store.
For a little more excitement, Beecher Falls Rapids in Canaan, Vermont, Sumner Falls in Plainfield, Vermont, and Rock Falls below Turners Falls, Massachusetts, are your ticket to some whitewater paddling if you have the experience. These can be Class III at high water levels, so they are not recommended for beginners (Class I). The Wavosaurus, or “Wavo” as it is known, is a standing wave created by rock formations beneath the surface when the river is in flood stage. It was aptly named because of its location near the dinosaur tracks off Rt. 5 in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
If camping along the way is your desire, the Connecticut River Paddlers Trail (CRPT) offers primitive campsites. They’re first come, first served and free of charge, allowing you to travel the entire 385 navigable miles from Pittsburg, New Hampshire, to Old Saybrook, Connecticut, or just enjoy a weekend out. If you wish to avoid portages, take a trip between dams. The section between Wheeler Stream and the Maidstone Bridge in Vermont/New Hampshire, designated as a “natural segment” of the river, is both beautiful and peaceful. Woodsville to Wilder is another great choice. For more about the CRPT see John Buck’s story in this issue.
A group paddling in Lord Cove, Lyme, CT, a brackish marsh with a five-mile maze of waterway only accessible by small boat. Photo: Tom Wells.
You can explore many tributaries, but in southern Connecticut there are freshwater and brackish estuaries. Lord Cove is a maze of channels with abundant bird life. There are islands to circumnavigate: Selden, Marvin, and Great islands are the largest. In Middletown you can paddle three rivers on the same day: the Connecticut, Mattabesset, and Coginchaug.
The river is tidal from Windsor to Old Saybrook. Average tides can vary from only a few inches in Windsor to almost four feet at Saybrook Point. This means that the river flows in both directions during normal summer levels. With careful planning, you can use the tide to assist you in both directions to make your paddle easier. From Hartford to Long Island Sound there are navigation channels for large power boats, and it is advised you stay out of those channels.
Paddling near the Arrigoni Bridge across the Connecticut River, Middletown, CT. Photo: Tim Lewis.
The Connecticut River can be intimidating to the uninitiated, but education is the key to unlocking the confidence you need to enjoy safe paddling. You might also wish to join a club or group as there’s safety in numbers. Groups can often be informal and sometimes come and go. Clubs on the other hand may have been in existence for decades. When looking for a group, important factors you should look for: they require you wear a PFD, keep the group together, and don’t leave paddlers behind. I’ve listed some resources below, including for those who have not yet purchased any paddle craft but want to get into the sport. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list.
MASSACHUSETTS
Adventure East
The outfitter Adventure East provides day trips for paddlers with the option to rent a kayak, paddle, and PFD (personal flotation device, or life jacket) which should always be worn. If you have never paddled before, sign up for their “Intro to Kayaking” course to learn the basics. Follow that up with an “Intro to River Kayaking” on the Connecticut River in Sunderland and their other guided paddle trips. adventureeast.com
Sunderland Public Library
If you have a CW MARS library card (offered by a consortium of 160 libraries in central and western Massachusetts), you can borrow a kayak from the Sunderland Public Library as you would a book for a day paddle on the Connecticut River. They have one tandem and two solo kayaks with access to the river behind the library. You must have a photo ID, and restrictions apply. sunderlandpubliclibrary.org/kayak-loans
Connecticut River Conservancy
CRC is offering community paddles in Massachusetts and Connecticut this summer. A brief kayak instruction is offered before launch, and a limited number of kayaks will be provided at some events for those who do not own one. Visit its events page at ctriver.org/event.
CONNECTICUT
L.L. Bean
L.L. Bean offers a “Discovery Kayaking” course and guided kayak trips from Glastonbury’s Riverfront Boathouse on summer weekends. llbeanoutdoors.com/activity/kayaking-discovery-course-glastonbury
Collinsville Canoe & Kayak
Though not on the Connecticut River, Collinsville Canoe & Kayak on the Farmington River in Collinsville offers a wide variety of classes for beginner youth, adult, and even a course specifically designed for individuals aged 55 and up. It sells new and some used boats and everything you need to get on the water, with help and advice on how to load your purchase on your vehicle. collinsvillecanoe.com
American Canoe Association (ACA)
ACA has a free “Smart Start for Safe Paddling Online Course.” You can take the course using a free guest account, or join ACA ($40/year for an individual) to take more of their safety courses, though many may require travel out of the region. americancanoe.org/education/resource-library/paddlesports-online-course/
The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC)
Probably one of the most safety-conscious organizations in existence, AMC offers paddle events and instruction. Pool sessions are offered in winter to learn how to “roll” (self-rescue when you flip by righting your kayak while remaining in it) and “wet exit” (exiting your kayak from underwater when you flip). Roll sessions are also given at a lake in the summer. A limited number of paddle trips are organized, some on the Connecticut River. Membership is $50/year for individual. outdoors.org; for the Connecticut Chapter Event listing visit facebook.com/AMCConnecticut
Connecticut Coastal Adventurers
This is a Facebook group that describes itself as “leaderless.” To join, you answer a couple questions to be admitted. Members post where and when they intend to paddle; RSVP if you want to participate. Sometimes, if no one responds, the post will be removed and the event is cancelled. Or, if the organizer wants a small group, the post will be removed when the trip is full. Members are supportive of each other, and no one is left behind if they can’t keep up. They paddle mostly along the shore in Long Island Sound but can often be found on the Connecticut River. Some of their favorite launch sites are Essex and Haddam Meadows State Park. In the summer they practice kayak rolling and rescue techniques to help members sharpen their skills. A campout on Selden Island or Calves Island and a member picnic are annual events. Membership is free. facebook.com/groups/1120506201329081
New Haven Hiking Club
NHHC offers day paddles typically on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends in the summer, often on the Connecticut River when the tide is favorable. Membership includes weekly email listings of all club activities. No RSVP is required unless otherwise specified, but those who participate must be punctual. Also a supportive group, members assist each other with loading and unloading boats. Mileage is tracked by the club’s statistician, and member’s mileage is announced at the Annual Meeting/Dinner at the end of the summer. Membership is $15/year for an individual. newhavenhikingclub.org
Because these groups look for a favorable tide, they sometimes show up at the same location on the same day and that can make for an interesting sight with kayaks of various colors. In May 2023, Coastal Adventurers and NHHC landed at Poor Man’s Beach on Great Island for a lunch break with about 30 kayaks in all. Last August, the NHHC stopped on the beach at Elys Ferry Landing in Lyme and a visiting artist added the kayaks into his painting.
Connecticut Trails Day Weekend
Some paddles have been offered on the Connecticut River and some of the lower tributaries (Salmon and Lieutenant rivers) on Connecticut Trails Day Weekend (traditionally the first full weekend in June). Visit Connecticut Forest & Parks’ Trails Day website for details at trailsday.org/. Paddle Wethersfield Cove on Trails Day Weekend with CRC and Great Meadows Conservation Trust. A limited number of kayaks will be available and must be reserved in advance. Trips include a paddle for beginners around the cove and an intermediate paddle on the Connecticut River for those who have their own kayaks. gmct.org or ctriver.org/event
Town of Wethersfield, Connecticut
The Parks Department is developing a pilot program with Metacomet Canoe and Kayak to offer rentals at Wethersfield Cove this summer. The cove offers an excellent location for paddling and birding, where you’ll often see bald eagles, osprey, great blue heron, beaver and other wildlife. metacometcanoe.com
More paddle opportunities are being added every year. Hope to see you on the river!
Tim Lewis is president of Great Meadows Conservation Trust and a trustee of the Connecticut River Conservancy. He leads paddles for the New Haven Hiking Club. For more information or if you have a question about River Partners, you may contact him at Hand2dplow@yahoo.com.
Whalebone Creek, Hadlyme, CT, feeds Whalebone Cove, “one of the most biologically important and
undisturbed tidal marshes on the Connecticut River,” according to USFWS. Photo: Tim Lewis.