Boston Kayaker

Kayaking on Pawcatuck River - in Bradford RI Rating: Two Stars - This stretch of the Pawcatuck River is uniformly wide and I would think runnable all summer long. The number of houses along the route are less than my fingers. The banks are mangrove-like and there are only a few (three or four) sandy spots where one can land to stretch. From the Bradford Landing launch, I paddled right upriver upto the bottom of the breached Burdickville Dam and back. Total paddle time was 2 hours and 24 minutes including my sidetrip downstream tp the Bradford Pond dam to check out the portage for a future trip. It was first weekend of October and the leaves are just about to change colors.   Put in at Bradford Landing on Main Street   / Route 91 & 216 in Bradford RI. Paddle right upriver to   dam and return. Estimated round trip   distance = 7+ miles Burligame   State Park   Bradford Pond Dam Burdickville Dam   (breached) Campgrounds   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:

Other resources: Explore RI's Blueways and Greenways: Bradford Landing on Pawcatuck River Explore RI's Blueways and Greenways: Burdickville Dam on Pawcatuck River Wood-Pawtucket Watershed Association Public Access to the Rhode Island Coast: The Wood & Pawcatuck Rivers Page 15 Public Access to the Rhode Island Coast: The Wood & Pawcatuck Rivers Page 15 (cached copy) Wikipedia: Pawcatuck River Number of original photos on this page : 104 All photos in this website are original and copyrighted. At the Bradford Landing on Main Street (also Route 91 and Route 216) in Bradford RI. Trip date is October 2015. Launch area has plenty of room to park. The Boston Kayaker just launched on Pawcatuck River from the Bradford Landing. Veered right to paddle upstream. The first (of two) AmTrak railbridges. Crossing under the first railbridge over the Pawcatuck River. River-front houses on the Pawcatuck. A sandy beach-like spot. Burligame State Park campsites. Approaching the second rail bridge. The Burdickville Road bridge coming up. Passing under the Burdickville Road bridge, I can see the breached Burdickville Dam. At the bottom of the breached Burdickville dam and waterfalls. Just turned around at the bottom of the Burdickville waterfalls. Now paddling downstream with the flow of Pawcatuck River. Landed to stretch my legs. Back on the waters of Pawcatuck River. Passing by the campgrounds on my left. The other railbridge. Landing should be on the left soon past this bridge. Just got lucky this Amtrak train passed by in front of me! That brown sandy spot is the Bradford Landing takeout. I decided to paddle past the takeout a do a small sidetrip downstream to the dam. Passing under the Main Street / Route 19 bridge. Approaching cautiously the Bradford Pond dam and keeping to the right. Found this landing spot on river right next to the dam. Looking to my left at the top of the dam from the portage landing area. The portage path to the bottom of the waterfalls. Looking downstream on Pawcatuck River from the portage landing area. The put in below the Bradford Pond dam if one is to continue paddling downstream. Bradford Pond dam and waterfalls. Getting back to my kayak. Note how close it is to the top of the dam. Paddling upstream back to Bradford Landing. Landed at Bradford Landing on the Pawcatuck River. Total paddle time is 2 hours 24 minutes.