This section of the Concord River is very slow-flowing and is surrounded by beautiful, shrubby marshlands that provide homes for lots of waterfowl and marsh birds. High plant diversity characterizes this area, including American lotus, with its enormous yellow flowers. The river runs through the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and was traveled by Thoreau who wrote about his travels here in 1839 and is recorded in his book, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers. This route is one-way but the current is slow and lazy, allowing you to paddle both directions if you wish.