Paddling
Massachusetts has water & boat ramps for paddling, canoeing, kayaking
Rent a cabin or stay with your kids and pet nearby then get on the water in and around Massachusetts. What’s available? An ocean and saltwater bays, fresh water inland lakes, rivers, and ponds, just begging to be explored. Paddle your own canoe, kayak or board. You’ll find parking, wheelchair access, paved and gravel boat ramps, piers and shelters and places to portage in and rent equipment. Friendly instructors offer individual instruction and clinics.
To see some Padding adventure videos, click here to visit Explore New England.
30 listings
Florida, MA
Savoy Mountain State Forest
260 Central Shaft Road 413-663-8469Launch non-motorized boats only from North Pond's public ramp. Day use fees apply.
Lee, MA
October Mountain State Forest
317 Woodland Road 413-243-1778Non-motorized canoeing and kayaking is done at this rustic mountainside park. Several boat ramps are available.
Goshen, MA
D.A.R. State Forest
78 Cape Street - MA Route 112 413-268-7098Bring your canoe for some smooth paddling around the Upper and Lower Highland Lakes. Ramps are available; day-use fee applies. Please ensure that your boat and equipment are clean.
Huntington, MA
C.M. Gardner Park
Route 112 413-354-6347Good for paddling, hiking & walking; fishing; pets allowed except on beach area
Canoe along the scenic Westfield River East for a fun work-out! Bring lunch for a picnic, too, but anything you take into the park, you must leave with.
Northampton, MA
Connecticut River Greenway State Park
136 Damon Road 413-586-8706Use the Pauchaug, Barton Cove, Sunderland, Hatfield, and Chicopee Boat Access points to launch your canoe (find details below). Elwell Recreation Area is designated for canoes and rowing only. Paddle at your own pace up/down the scenic and historic Connecticut River.
East Otis, MA
Tolland State Forest
410 Tolland Road 413-269-6002There is a public motorized boat launch ramp along Otis Reservoir. Be aware of swimmers and fishing in season.
Westfield, MA
Hampton Ponds State Park
1048 North Road 413-532-3985The fresh water pond in this park is open to paddlers, canoeists, kayakers, and motor boats.
Douglas, MA
Douglas State Forest
107 Wallum Lake Road 508-476-7872Paddling, motor boating, and other water sports are done at this state park. A boat ramp and parking is available for boat trailers. - Trail Map (PDF)
Gardner, MA
Dunn State Park
289 Pearl Street 508-632-7897This park revolves around a pond, where swimming, fishing and paddling is done. You must bring your own canoe or kayak; they are not available for rent here.
Leominster, MA
Leominster State Forest
90 Fitchburg Road - Route 31 508-874-2303Leominster State Forest is a 4,300-acre forest with two ponds. Easy drive from Worcester and Boston. Kayakers, canoeists, paddlers and fishermen enjoy Paradise Pond. Also, Crow Hill Pond is stocked with trout. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, parking fees are charged in the paved parking lots.
Brewster, MA
Nickerson State Park
3488 Main Street - Route 6A 508-896-3491Inland park offers lots of camping; fresh water swimming, fishing and paddling; hiking and biking
This park is in the pine woods of inland Cape Cod. Canoeing and kayaking are done at eight fresh-water kettle ponds, which are glacial formations, fed by rain and underground streams. The park is not located on the shore, but it is an easy walk or bike rides from Nickerson to Cape Cod Bay. - Trail Map (PDF)
Millis, MA
Bridge Island Meadows
South End Pond 781-821-2977Accessible only by boat, Bridge Island Meadows is surrounded by wetlands and thus a private favorite of intrepid paddlers. Kayakers can paddle on the Charles River, turning west into a stream that leads to South End Pond. Bolder paddlers can creep along Bogastow Brook to South End Pond. Landing is a challenge, as grasses grow tall and thick. A successful journey is rewarded by bushwhacking to a 130-foot tree-covered knoll at the south end of the reservation offering glimpses of the surrounding floodplain.
Dover, MA
Peters Reservation
Farm Road 508-785-0339From the entrance on Farm Street, boaters can portage to the put-in, or canoes and kayaks on the Charles River can land along the plantation of red pines that lines much of the reservation's frontage on the river. Over two miles of trails traverse woodlands featuring a large, massed planting of Dexter hybrid rhododendrons and an oak and hickory forest, whose trails and understory plantings were laid out by landscape architect Fletcher Steele.
Sherborn, MA
Rocky Narrows
South Main Street 508-785-0339Known as the "Gates of the Charles," Rocky Narrows’ canoe landing connects to a two-mile loop trail that follows the river's edge to the Rocky Narrows Overlook. The overlook rewards visitors with views of steep, hemlock-clad rock cliffs that form a narrow river passage - the landmark that gives the reservation its name. Further south along the trail is King Philip's Overlook, named for the Wampanoag chief who warred against the early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Royalston, MA
Doane's Falls
Athol Road 978-840-4446When the tranquil waters of Lawrence Brook reach Doane's Falls, they tumble in a sequence of dramatic waterfalls. Along the way, large boulders in the streambed, small forested islands, and flat rock slabs divide the fast-rushing stream before it empties into Tully Lake. On the southern bank of Lawrence Brook, just upstream from the falls, is Coddings Meadow, a little-known clearing in the wood that offers views of the quiet waters of Lawrence Brook and is an excellent launch site for exploring the brook by canoe or kayak.
Needham, MA
Charles River Peninsula
Fisher Street 781-821-2977Scenic paddling along the Charles River will take you to this reservation, where the Charles River makes a nearly 180-degree twist in the valley, a wooded shoreline of birch, hemlock, and beech conceals an upland peninsula that rises gently to a 20-acre open field, which has been farmed for more than a century. A narrow footpath tracks the river along the Reservation's shoreline, while the field's highest point offers views of the Charles River.
Andover, MA
Harold Parker State Forest
133 Jenkins Road 508-686-3391The eleven ponds on the large, forested property are open to non-motorized boating, including canoeing and kayaking. No boat rentals.
Ipswich, MA
Crane Wildlife Refuge
Essex River Estuary 978-356-4351The Crane Wildlife Refuge is a patchwork of coastal and island habitats that includes a portion of Castle Neck and seven islands in the Essex River Estuary (Choate, Long, Dean, Dilly, Pine, Patterson, and Round). Surrounding the Crane Wildlife Refuge is the Great Marsh, the largest contiguous salt marsh in New England, covering more than 25,000 acres from Hampton Harbor, NH to Gloucester. The largest of the Refuge's islands, Choate Island, supports abundant wildlife, and during the 18th and 19th centuries, Choate Island and Long Island were connected by a causeway, comprising a prosperous farming community.
Topsfield, MA
Bradley Palmer State Park
40 Asbury Street 508-887-5931Ipswich River runs east-west along the northern border of this park, formerly an estate. A kayak and canoe rental business is located just east of the park, on Ipswich Road.
Stoneham, MA
Middlesex Fells Reservation
4 Woodland Road 617-727-1199Natural refuge set on over 2,000 acres. Visitors here can enjoy biking, hiking and cross-country ski trails. Canoeing, fishing, and swimming areas are offered, as well as a visitor's center with historic information. - Trail Map (PDF)
Natick, MA
Cochituate State Park
43 Commonwealth Road 508-653-9641This lake is composed of three large, north-to-south segments. A boat ramp is located on Middle Lake. Boating regulations: Alcohol is prohibited; lifejackets must be worn by canoeists and kayakers from September 15 to May 15; water skiing is allowed on South Lake only; power loading of vessels at ramp is prohibited; boating allowed only during daylight hours; swimming from boats is prohibited; boaters are responsible for their wake; no personal watercraft or ATVs are allowed on or around the lake.
Hours (Summer): 8am - 8pm, bathrooms locked at 7pm.
Parking Fees (May-October): $8 for MA Residents; $30 for Out-of-State Resident
Ashland, MA
Ashland State Park
162 West Union Street 508 881-4092Ashland State Park is located on the large Ashland Reservoir. Paddling in canoes and kayaks is allowed. The park has a boat ramp. There is wheelchair access to the beach, bathhouse, picnic and hiking trails.
Parking: Available mid-May to Labor Day, $8 daily for MA vehicles and $30 daily for out-of-state vehicles. - Trail Map (PDF).
Charlemont, MA
Mohawk Trail State Forest
175 Mohawk Trail (MA Route 2) 413-339-5504Canoe along 18 miles of rivers in this scenic hidden gem. - Trail Map (PDF)
Lowell, MA
Lowell Heritage State Park
160 Pawtucket Boulevard 978-458-8750Boating on the Merrimack River is permitted at this park, which displays the industrial history of the city of Lowell. Boating access to the river is at the Rourke Brothers State Boat Ramp on Route 113. It has 44 trailer lots and 20 car-top lots. The entrance to the ramp is across from 1011 Pawtucket Blvd. and one-half mile west of the Rourke Bridge.
Feeding Hills, MA
Robinson State Park
428 North Street 413-786-2877Follow the paved path alongside Westfield River to reach the boat launch area for canoes and kayaks. - Trail Map (PDF)
Chelsea, MA
Mary O'Malley Park
Commandants Way 617-727-5380Part of the Mystic River Reservation, a string of parks along the Mystic River, Mary O’Malley Park has a boat landing, granite pier, and a shelter. Nice views of the Tobin Bridge over the Mystic River. Park also has tennis courts and an open lawn. Hours: Open year-round, dawn to dusk.
Winchester, MA
Mystic Lakes
Between Route 3 and Mystic Valley Parkway 617-727-5380On these twin lakes just a stone’s throw from Boston, sailing programs are offered at the Tufts University Boathouse. Upper Mystic Lake is limited to paddling (canoes, kayaks), only. Power boat owners may use the Lower Mystic Lake. No wakes.
Berkley, MA
Bridge Village Heritage Park
70 Elm Street 508-999-5231Located at the southeast abutment to the Berkley-Dighton Bridge, this tiny park is excellent for canoers and kayakers to enter the river (motor boats and boats in tow are prohibited). Also nice for fishing, picnicking, and families.
Orange, MA
Lake Mattawa
Lake Mattawa Road 978-544-2254Two boat ramps serve this clear mountain lake. Motor boats are limited to 10 hp or less. See full description of Lake Mattawa.
East Brimfield, MA
East Brimfield Lake / Holland Pond / Lake Siog / Quinebaug River Recreation Area
Route 20 and East Brimfield Holland RoadThis major recreation area consisting of a lake, the Quinebaug River, and several ponds includes a canoeing trail.