Boston Kayaker

Kayaking on Town River and Lake Nippenicket - in Bridgewater MA


Rating: Three Stars - I love this route. One starts on the wide Lake Nippenicket. Finding the lake outlet that heads to Town River is a challenge. I saw it, went into it, thought that was not it and backed out. Once into the Town River, the river starts swamp-like about as wide as our kayak. we have to maneuver our 13-feet tandem kayak into tight curves. I can imagine the route can be bushy with plants in the summer and one might want to bring some branch cutters. After the Hockomock River enters, the Town River widens a bit towards Route 24. There was this stone bridge we have to paddle under ducking our heads. The route is longer that it looks on the map because of the meandering. Took us just under 3 hours to get the War Memorial.

  Put in at Lakeside Drive
  in Bridgewater MA.
Paddle north to the outlet and
  headwaters of Town River.
Hobomock River enters
  on river left. Stay right.
Take out at River Street
  in West Bridgewater MA.
  Estimated distance
  = 5.5 miles
Can be thick with brushes and
  impassable in the summer.
War Memorial
  Park Dam
War Memorial
  Park

Disclaimer: It is your responsibility to determine the legality, suitability and safety of this route for yourself.

Download printer-friendly
PDF version that fits in one page:
Kayaking on Town River and Lake Nippenicket - in Bridgewater MA

Other resources:
Explore RI's Greenways and Blueways: Lake Nippenicket
Explore RI's Greenways and Blueways: Scotland Street River Access
Explore RI's Greenways and Blueways: War Memorial Park


Number of original photos on this page : 160
All photos in this website are original and copyrighted.



At Lake Nippenicket on Lakeside Drive in Bridgewater MA.
Trip date is May 2013.


Ready to unload our tandem kayak.


The Boston Kayaker and wife just launched on Lake Nippenicket.


Paddling northwards.

















Two men fishing from their boat on Lake Nippenicket.


























In front on right looks like an outlet.





This looks like the outlet to Town River . . .





Looked like too small an outlet and we turned around and headed back to the lake.
It will turn out later that this is the right place and we will come back to this later.





Back on Lake Nippenicket.








We asked these guys where the outlet to Town River is and they pointed us to where we came from.


Turned around again and heading back to the Town River headwaters.








The headwaters of Town River on Lake Nippenicket.















































Town River at this point is barely wider than our kayak.



























































I can see the power lines and hear the traffic on Route 24 at this point.














Route 24 bridge.





Under the Route 24 bridge.





























I can see Scotland Street bridge coming up . . .











Scotland Street bridge.


Going under the Scotland Street bridge.



































A stone bridge coming up.





We'll take the right tunnel . . .


IMG_6257.JPG 20130527113618





IMG_6260.JPG 20130527113703


IMG_6261.JPG 20130527113708


IMG_6262.JPG 20130527113726


I am taking picture of the stonebridge we just passed under.












































The first Forest Street bridge near Clinton Street.















































The second Forest Street bridge near River Street.

















The last bridge before take out at South Street (single-arched).
































War Memorial Park at the takeout.


The War Memorial Park Dam.