Two small rivers, the Sudbury and the Assabet, flow together in Concord MA at Egg Rock (Nashawtuck) to form the Concord River (map) which then flows north and into the Merrimack River at Lowell.

In Concord, grand houses, gardens and the campus of Concord Academy grace the riverbanks, alternating with expanses of meadow and forest to make a serene and lovely landscape, the one so enjoyed—and described—by Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Motor vessels are not allowed on the river, making it perfect for a tranquil paddle or row.

Rent a Canoe or Kayak

South Bridge Boat House, 496 Main Street in Concord, rents canoes and kayaks small and large, with paddles and flotation vests from April 1st until November 1st.

You can rent by the hour or the day, with reduced prices on weekdays. Weekends are the busiest times on the river, of course, but it's plenty big enough for everyone.

Bring Your Own

If you have your own canoe, kayak, or stand up paddle board, you can put it in the water from a landing just downstream from Egg Rock near the river bridge on Lowell Road, about a half mile (800 m) west of Monument Square (map). You'll recognize the bridge by all the cars parked along the road by paddlers who have already launched their vessels.

Nashawtuc Road Bridge over the Sudbury River...

Where to Go

Downsteam

Starting from the South Bridge Boat House on the Sudbury River, you can paddle downstream, under two road bridges, past Egg Rock (Nashawtuck) where the Sudbury joins the Assabet River to form the Concord River, then under a third road bridge to reach the historic Old North Bridge.

After a short visit to the Minute Man National Historical Park, you should be able to paddle back upstream to the boat house for a total time of 2 to 2-1/2 hours, depending on how fast you paddle.

Beyond the Old North Bridge, the river continues past the Buttrick Mansion (North Bridge Visitor Center), turns east and follows the northern border of the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge before turning north toward Lowell.

Upstream

Paddle upstream (south) on the Sudbury River from South Bridge Boat House, beneath the Commuter Rail railroad bridge and you'll cruise along mostly unpopulated river banks, beneath the MA Route 2 and Sudbury Road bridges, eventually to Fairhaven Bay, a widening of the water popular as a vista among Concord's 19th-century litterati. The river continues for miles to the south, to reservoirs in Framingham.

South Bridge Boat House
496 Main Street (MA Route 62; map)
Concord MA 01742
Tel 978-369-9438

—by Tom Brosnahan

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