One of my favorite pastimes is calm water kayaking. I love the peaceful nature of it: the quiet, the wildlife, the serenity of nature. I’ve always owned a touring kayak that I use to navigate the still waters of New England and my favorite places are those which do not contain a large amount of motor boats and are quite and secluded. For kayakers like me, these are a few of my favorite spots I kayak and enjoy.
Grafton Pond: Grafton, NH
Off of Route 4A in New Hampshire lies a beautiful body of water that is very calm and wonderful. It’s quite literally in the middle of nowhere and to get to it, you drive down a bumpy road, full of pot holes, to a small boat launch. Like most NH lakes, it’s clean and cool water is surrounded by hardwood vegetation. I’ve never seen anyone out on this lake while I’ve been out there and it was one of my father’s favorite places to kayak. There is a dam to watch out for but other than that, it’s a very quiet, quaint place to kayak. You can easily paddle around most of the day simply enjoying the peace of this place.
Powder Mill Pond, Hancock/Greenfield/Bennington, NH
This pond is truly a diamond in the rough. It isn’t well known and often all you see here are kayakers and a few fishermen but because of the size, I’ve never seen a speed boat. There are lots of little inlets and side areas to explore with your kayak. Here I have seen some beautiful wildlife, from blue herons to deer. In addition, there is a beautiful covered bridge that you can kayak right under. This place is a fond reminder of the rural, rustic and simpler times in American history and has been greatly untouched by modern civilization.
The Connecticut River: New Hampshire/Vermont
While exclusively not in New Hampshire, the Connecticut River is a wonderful place to paddle. It was here, off of Newburyport landing, that I first learned how to kayak so I have many memories connected to this river. The river does have a current and provides a good workout for seasoned paddlers. When I go on the river, I often go against the current and then use it to help me on my way back to the landing if I get too tired. One of the best things I’ve found about the Connecticut is that you can go for miles. While the water can be murky and muddy during some points of the year and the current strength can vary, it’s a great place to paddle. While I’ve seen a few boats at the wider parts of the river, the Connecticut is relatively quiet and at different points it provides beautiful scenery of farm houses and fields. Another attractive benefit of the Connecticut is there are quite a few sandy areas in order to dock on the river where you can sit and have lunch or rest during your paddle. The area and landing that I have most frequent is near the Bedell Bridge State Park area in Haverhill, New Hampshire.
Long Pond: Lempster, NH
Long pond is a small place to kayak and it looks a little swampy at first glance but it’s a wonderful place to go. There are some nesting loons that can often be seen and heard here. If you are lucky enough to see them, they are quite a beautiful and unique bird and one of New Hampshire’s greatest treasures. Long Pond is usually only frequented by local kayakers or people who know the area because it’s off the beaten path. This makes the area more appealing to those who love to enjoy the outdoors and unspoiled wilderness. It’s not a particularly long paddle but very relaxing and there are a lot of inlets and areas to explore while paddling. However, Long Pond is only open during the late spring to early fall because it is off Mountain Road which is closed for safety reasons during the winter.
Pawtuckaway Lake: Nottingham, NH
Pawtuckaway Lake is a state park in New Hampshire and the park is often frequented by a lot of tourists and a great place to swim and camp. There is a separate boat launch off to the side in a nice sandy place and a concrete launch also that makes getting in and out of the water a snap as long as the park isn’t busy. This lake does tend to have speed boats and there are often many people out enjoying this lake. But the reason why I love this place so much is that it is a very large lake with many areas to explore and swim at. Pawtuckaway Lake is very clean and an enjoyable swim. There are many islands and sandy areas to dock your kayak and relax. The abundance of shallow and rocky areas that allow kayakers to paddle virtually undisturbed at certain parts of the lake and because of this, you don’t have to worry about the wake from speed boats coming and knocking your kayak askew while paddling along. Many areas also are ‘no wake’ zones where motor boats are required to go slow and leave the wildlife areas undisturbed. While populated, Pawtuckaway Lake is a great spot to kayak provided that you get there early enough to find a parking spot at the boat launch. With it being a populated area, it also is a good place for inexperienced kayakers because help is more apt to be nearby should assistance be needed. I highly recommend it for a nice, hot summer day because of all the opportunities to swim and enjoy a great kayaking experience.
Kayaking is a wonderful way to relax and becoming more popular with every passing season. With the right boat and set of paddles, anyone can enjoy a day out on the water thinking about nothing but enjoying life for its simple pleasures. These five places are just a small snapshot of the areas that New Hampshire has to offer kayakers. There are so many more lakes and rivers that provide good places for a paddle, however as a kayaker, I have highlighted and recommended these places because they are my favorites and I have enjoyed them each time I’ve had the opportunity to paddle them. If you get the opportunity, I would suggest a trip to one of these places, you won’t be disappointed.