Canoeing & Kayaking on the River
Canoe & Kayak Trips
Free, Guided Canoe Trips on the Souhegan and Other Local Rivers
Welcome to the Souhegan Watershed Association's (SWA) canoe and kayak trips. All of the trips are free and most are easy; all you have to do is show up at the time and place indicated. However, we do not assume responsibility for you or your safety (and you may be required to sign a statement to that effect) so please read the info below and come prepared.
Check back here frequently for trip updates.
Please check back as other trips may be offered during the season. MRWC also has free trips listed at www.merrimack.org. Check them out too.
SWA offers these trips to promote the recreational use of our rivers and to let people know that protection of this resource is important. Other watershed groups are cosponsors to many of our trips. We encourage you to join your local group, but it is not required. Just have fun!
You can read descriptions of the various sections of the Souhegan River at Blue Water Canoe Trails on our website.
We're always on the lookout for different trips that would be attractive to various paddlers; if you are interested in another river or could be a tripleader, let us know.
If you have any questions contact the tripleader – email is preferred.
SWA offers these trips to promote the recreational use of our rivers and to let people know that protection of this resource is important. Other watershed groups are cosponsors to many of our trips. We encourage you to join your local group, but it is not required. Just have fun!
You can read descriptions of the various sections of the Souhegan River at Blue Water Canoe Trails on our website.
We're always on the lookout for different trips that would be attractive to various paddlers; if you are interested in another river or could be a tripleader, let us know.
If you have any questions contact the tripleader – email is preferred.
Read Before You Go!
All trip leaders are volunteers and not trained in assisting special needs. You are responsible for your own safety and must be able to swim and be capable of self-rescue.
What you should bring:
What you should know:
How our trips are rated. The following descriptions may help you decide on the trips that you attend. Please note that all descriptions "include" but are not "limited to" the conditions noted below. Contact the trip leader for more specific details on each trip.
New Hampshire Personal Flotation Device (PFD) Law: One wearable PFD must be present for each person in the boat. A PFD must be worn by everyone age 12 or under.Massachusetts (PFD) Law: A PFD must be worn by each person under age 12, and by all persons between September 15 and May 15.
What you should bring:
- Your own canoe or kayak and paddles
- Life preserver/personal flotation device (PFD)
- Lunch
- Footwear that can get wet
- Dry clothes and a towel
What you should know:
- Know how to swim.
- You are responsible for your own safety. You will have to sign a waiver.
- Beginners should take trips labeled EASY.
- We discourage taking small children unless you are an experienced boater.
- Please leave your pets in the safety of their own home.
- Dress appropriately for the water temperature, not the air temperature. April and May trips involve cold water; paddlers on all April trips must dress for cold water conditions and have dry clothes available.
- Go to put-in first to drop off boat; trip leaders will coordinate shuttling cars to take-out.
- We paddle at a leisurely pace with a lunch break around noon.
- Most trips end by 3:00 pm.
- We usually paddle rain or shine, but it would be wise to check with the trip leader the night before the trip in case of cancellation.
How our trips are rated. The following descriptions may help you decide on the trips that you attend. Please note that all descriptions "include" but are not "limited to" the conditions noted below. Contact the trip leader for more specific details on each trip.
- Trips marked "EASY" - Flat water, quick moving water with riffles and small waves. Few obstructions, all obvious and easily missed with little training.
- Trips marked "MODERATE" - Straightforward rapids with wide, clear channels, occasional maneuvering may be required; rocks and medium sized waves are easily missed by trained paddlers.
- Trips marked "DIFFICULT" - Rapids with moderate, irregular waves which may be difficult to avoid and which could swamp a boat. Complex maneuvers in fast current and good boat control are often required. Scouting is advisable. We don’t do DIFFICULT trips. Contact Merrimack Valley Paddlers for paddling with them.
New Hampshire Personal Flotation Device (PFD) Law: One wearable PFD must be present for each person in the boat. A PFD must be worn by everyone age 12 or under.Massachusetts (PFD) Law: A PFD must be worn by each person under age 12, and by all persons between September 15 and May 15.
2023 Trips BRING A LUNCH AND ENJOY THE DAY…
JUNE 3 (Saturday) – Souhegan River, Amherst, NH RTE 122 TO SEAVERNS BRIDGE (EASY)A leisurely paddle on a stretch of the Souhegan that is mostly shallow flatwater with views of trees, meadows, birds and golfers. Pick up golf balls along the river.Meet at 9:00am. Directions: From 101A in Amherst take Rte 122 N to north side of bridge at Amherst Canoeport.Trip Leader: George May (603) 883-3409, email: GeorgeMay@comcast.net. Cosponsored by the Souhegan River Local Advisory Committee
JULY 8 (Saturday) – Souhegan River, Merrimack, SEAVERNS BRIDGE TO SEAVERNS BRIDGE (EASY)A shallow flatwater stretch of the Souhegan with enough water for paddling all summer long. We will paddle upriver and downriver and return to the parking area. Meet at 9:00am. Directions: From 101A heading west in Merrimack take right onto Boston Post Rd just past Home Depot. The road splits and splits again – take the right side, Seaverns Bridge Rd, for a couple of miles to the bridge. Trip Leader: George May (603) 883-3409, email: GeorgeMay@comcast.net. Cosponsored by the Souhegan River Local Advisory Committee
AUGUST 5 (Saturday) - Merrimack River, Manchester (MODERATE) This moderate trip can offer a challenge but one worth taking. Starting in the urban historical factory section of Manchester, class II rapids will be encountered before entering a more remote section which passes locks that have survived from the Old Middlesex Canal System. Easy whitewater.Meet 9:00am in Manchester, NH. Rte 293 to exit 6 (Amoskeag Bridge). Before crossing river, turn right into Amoskeag Fishway parking lot. Trip Leader: George May (603) 883-3409, email: GeorgeMay@comcast.net. Cosponsored by the Lower Merrimack River Local Advisory Committee
JULY 8 (Saturday) – Souhegan River, Merrimack, SEAVERNS BRIDGE TO SEAVERNS BRIDGE (EASY)A shallow flatwater stretch of the Souhegan with enough water for paddling all summer long. We will paddle upriver and downriver and return to the parking area. Meet at 9:00am. Directions: From 101A heading west in Merrimack take right onto Boston Post Rd just past Home Depot. The road splits and splits again – take the right side, Seaverns Bridge Rd, for a couple of miles to the bridge. Trip Leader: George May (603) 883-3409, email: GeorgeMay@comcast.net. Cosponsored by the Souhegan River Local Advisory Committee
AUGUST 5 (Saturday) - Merrimack River, Manchester (MODERATE) This moderate trip can offer a challenge but one worth taking. Starting in the urban historical factory section of Manchester, class II rapids will be encountered before entering a more remote section which passes locks that have survived from the Old Middlesex Canal System. Easy whitewater.Meet 9:00am in Manchester, NH. Rte 293 to exit 6 (Amoskeag Bridge). Before crossing river, turn right into Amoskeag Fishway parking lot. Trip Leader: George May (603) 883-3409, email: GeorgeMay@comcast.net. Cosponsored by the Lower Merrimack River Local Advisory Committee