Places to Paddle tm
Canoeing - Kayaking - Rafting

  
Hockomock and Town Rivers, MA USA
By reading further, you agree to our Terms of Use

Copyright 2005 Alfonso Vazquez-Cuervo - See Terms of Use

Our Route Summary

  • Submitted by: Adam Auclair, 690 S.Main St. Fall River, MA 02721 Thekayakdude@aol.com
  • Date Submitted: 5/2005
  • Location: West Bridgewater, Massachusetts USA
  • Class: 1, flat water with some quick water and small riffles near bridges
  • Distance Paddled: 9 miles
  • Water Level: we paddled the river with the water level high after two weeks of rain
  • Water: fresh
  • Wildlife: lots of birds, turtles, fish, lots of spiders
  • Special Regulations: None

Entry

  • Directions: Walnut St. in West Bridgewater- take Route 24 to exit 16 (Route 106) Head West and take 1st right on Manlay St.,  take left at 2nd intersection on Walnut St. (Note: the Hockomock River does not show on MapQuest because it is a small stream.)
  • Fee: none
  • Description: Put in anywhere near bridge. No boat ramp
  • Parking: Park near bridge, along side road
  • Facilities: none
  • Handicap Access: not really

Exit

  • Directions: River St. at the Veterans Memorial Park, in West Bridgewater, just before dam on the left side of river. *** DO NOT GO NEAR THE DAM. DANGER! *** From Route 24, take Exit 16, Route 106 and go East, take a right on South Elm St. at a set of lights and then take a left onto River Road. Veterans Memorial Park is on the right
  • Fee: none
  • Description: Put in anywhere near bridge. No boat ramp
  • Parking: Plenty of Parking available.
  • Facilities: none
  • Handicap Access: Yes to handicap access of facilities.


 

 

Where We Paddled and What We Saw

If you are looking for a river which is mostly in the wilderness and away from noises and people, then this is the river for you.  However, due to lack of use, the upper (swamp) part of the Hockomock is overgrown with brush and you may have to move more than a few twigs and branches away from your face as you travel down river.  But the work is worth the pleasure of being in the wilderness.

Our river journey started 6am on May 29, 2005.  The river was flooded due to large amounts of rain the previous two weeks.

From Walnut St., the river is calm and  peaceful.  We hit a lot of overgrown brush, But the current was still noticeable, so we knew where to go. For a while, it appeared that we were the first to travel down this  river in a while.  But we made our way through the brush.  There were nice periods of open river.

Then we hit swamp.  It was beautiful, with the water level above the bottom of the trees. We made our way, again following the current. Sometimes the water was still and it was difficult to know where to go.

We came to an old bridge and decided it was a good place for a break, since we would not dare try to fit underneath. So then we had to portage over the landmass near the bridge.

There were at least 5 bridges. Most bridges we were able to slide into our kayaks under. Some had plenty of clearance.

After going through a swamp full of tall grass, we came to 2 small pipes through which the river passed. Be careful of small whirlpools we saw near these pipes.  We portaged again over the land mass at these pipes and continued kayaking.

After about 5 hours on the Hockomock, we reached the Town River, which actually was flooded so it appeared like a big pond.

We paddled under the Route 24 Bridge and it was about another hour to the Veterans Park Takeout.