The West Branch of the Westfield River is one of the best early-spring Class IV runs in New England. The valley from Becket to Chester is isolated, marked only with beautiful stone-arch railroad bridges and the bridge at Bancroft. This route features three stunning granite railroad bridges which span the river high above as you challenge the rapids below. There are a few tricky waves to maneuver including a double ledge in the gorge. Take-out is a mile below Chester Center at a roadside pullout on MA 20.

The West Branch of the Westfield River is one of the best early-spring Class IV runs in New England. The valley from Becket to Chester is isolated, marked only with beautiful stone-arch railroad bridges and the bridge at Bancroft. This section of the river is continuous Class IV which demands tight maneuvering in heavy waves. Shortly below a ledge beneath a railroad bridge comes the double ledge that can be run to the left or portaged on the right. When you reach the Bancroft Dam portage on the left and take-out is just below.

This run covers a very scenic stretch of the Housatonic River as it flows through beautiful marshes and wetlands as well as some thick tree lined sections. Forest covered mountains rise to the east in October Mountain State Forest. There are many twists and turns in the river with two possible log jams that can be easily maneuvered around. Due to the expansive wetland area, wildlife is prevalent, especially shoreline birds and migratory birds in fall. The Housatonic River is contaminated with PCBs and is not safe to drink, even with a water purifier, and fish and other animals caught in the river are not safe to eat.

In the early spring, this trip in the headwaters of the Quaboag provides a nice, easy run for 2 to 3 hours. At the beginning many houses are visible from the river, but the father downstream you travel the less you see of any development. As the river passes a shopping center next to the MA 9 bridge the current picks up, and for the next couple miles there is a mixture of quickwater and occasional Class I rapids. The remainder of the trip is on flat water. The Seven Mile River becomes the Brookfield River about three quarters of the way through the route.

This is a very easy, peaceful route on flat water that flows and meanders from Holland Pond to East Brimfield Lake. The river will carry you through a beautiful valley carved by glaciers and hosting varied wetland and upland vegetation. Wildlife is abundant, especially turtles, blue heron, geese, ducks, red fox, deer, turkeys, hawks, and many varied song birds. A lucky paddler might also find an otter frolicking in the water. This route suggests a one-way trip with a car shuttle, however it is possible to paddle upstream and go out and back.

From the rocky access under the railroad bridge at Poplar Street to School Street in Sunderland, this is one of the few areas that have been officially designated a water trail. The river is wide as it flows past East Deerfield, through Montague, and reaches Sunderland. Beautiful views of forest covered mountains are on both sides of the river including the Pocumtuck Range and Mount Toby to the east and Sugarloaf Mountain to the west. Three river islands, farm fields, residential areas and forested areas provide scenery on this run. You will also have spectacular view only a few yards away of a stunning waterfall that tumbles down a black rock face at Cranberry Brook.

This is nice paddle beginning in Peterborough; it wanders out of town into suburban and then pastoral settings ending at Powder Mill Pond. This stretch is almost always navigable and has a good blend of flat, quick and whitewater that makes it accessible for most. There is a portage along the way but it is a short one encountered at the outlet of the Contoocook Reservoir at about mile 1.8.

This section of the Deerfield River is mostly quick water, with only one fun Class I rapid and is a great route for a summer swimming trip. The river runs through a narrow valley and then near Wrapping it suddenly breaks out into open farmland and becomes mostly flat. Put in just upstream of the Bardwell Ferry Bridge and the take-out is where the confluence with the Connecticut River occurs and is at the end of Poplar Street in Montague.

This section of the Deerfield River is Classes III-IV rapids that are long, pushy, and technical with short areas of flat moving water between rapids available for recovery. The river is settled in a valley with steep mountains rising all around and providing beautiful scenery. This route is available only when water is released from the dam or the river is running especially high. The dam has scheduled water released on 32 days of the year from May through October. Take out at the first grassy/muddy area that appears on the right and do not paddle below this point as the power company is required to limit access to the reservoir.

The North Branch of the Westfield River rises in Windsor in the Hoosac Mountains and flows southeast to Cummington, then south to meet the Westfield River in Huntington. This section begins at an old iron bridge on MA 9 and has continuous Class II rapids, with a Class III rapid in every turn. Once the river turns south it is very isolated and beautiful in a wild valley that has been protected by The Nature Conservancy. Two beautiful waterfalls are included in the scenery on this route. Take-out is just above the MA 143 bridge.