Boston Kayaker

Kayaking on Otter River - in Gardner MA Rating: One-and-a-Half Stars - The put in is muddy but doable. We have to paddle up a broken beaver dam and my wife took a few attempts before succeeding. Paddle time was 1 hour 26 minutes.   Put in at Plant Road   in Gardner MA. Paddle upstream to Otter River   Conservation Area and return. Estimated round trip   distance = 3 miles Otter River Conservation   Area Disclaimer: It is your responsibility to determine the legality, suitability and safety of this route for yourself.

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Other resources: Millers River Watershed: Blue Trail Guide PDF (cached copy) Number of original photos on this page : 114 All photos in this website are original and copyrighted. At the put in to Otter River on Plant Road in Gardner MA. Trip date is August 2018. The put in is informal and easy to miss. The Boston Kayaker's wife just launched onto Otter River. The Boston Kayaker launching on Otter River. From the launch, we paddled to the right upriver direction. The plan is to paddle to the source headwaters of Otter River and back. Our pick-up parked on the roadside. The water is dark and muddy. A "duck blind". Hunters will hang out here waiting for their targets. A downed tree on Otter River. The wife stands back while the Boston Kayaker tries to find a way thru the tree. My wife follows behind after I showed her the way thru the tree. Approaching the Route 2A bridge. The river is fast flowing under the bridge . . . Continuing south past the Route 2A bridge. In front is a breached beaver dam . . . Building momentum to paddle up the beaver dam . . . My wife's first attempt . . . Almost there but not quite . . . A few more attempts before my wife got past this one. On right, a beaver lodge. Route 2 bridge. Entering the rightmost tunnel. Under the Route 2 bridge on Otter River. Approaching the headwaters of Otter River. The Boston Kayaker literally standing on the headwaters of Otter River. Decided against portaging up this rapids. Turning around. Just turned around and now paddling with the flow of Otter River. The breached beaver dam looking from above this time. My wife has a far easier paddle down this time. Route 2A bridge. Paddle time is 1 hour 26 minutes.