NatickDave
10-18-2002, 11:42 AM
The Canoe wrote to ask about putting a boat in at the dam, but my email reply bounced. So...
Yes, you can definitely launch a boat at the dam. To get there, take Rt. 16 west off of Rt. 128. Go through Wellesley, continue west on Rt. 16 towards South Natick. There is a light in the center of South Natick (at the corner of Union St./Pleasant St. and Rt. 16). Take a left and you will cross the river immediately, with the dam on your right. There is a small park on the right just over the bridge where you can put in and leave your car.
You can only go upstream in a boat from here. This is some of the best fishing on the river. Lots of structure and beautiful paddling. In the spring there are even some trout! If you want to wade (not deep at all), then go below the dam...it is wadeable for about a half mile. If you really want to paddle below the dam, you can either drag your boat over the long shoal, or you can head back east on Rt. 16 and look for the entrance to Elm Bank Reservation on your right, just at the Natick/Wellesley line (1/2 mile from the center of S. Natick). Enter Elm Bank, and follow the paved road around in a big circle (it is one way, counterclockwise), to reach the canoe launch. Put in here for many miles of paddling downstream...excellent largemouth habitat.
Good luck and have a ball.
NatickDave
Yes, you can definitely launch a boat at the dam. To get there, take Rt. 16 west off of Rt. 128. Go through Wellesley, continue west on Rt. 16 towards South Natick. There is a light in the center of South Natick (at the corner of Union St./Pleasant St. and Rt. 16). Take a left and you will cross the river immediately, with the dam on your right. There is a small park on the right just over the bridge where you can put in and leave your car.
You can only go upstream in a boat from here. This is some of the best fishing on the river. Lots of structure and beautiful paddling. In the spring there are even some trout! If you want to wade (not deep at all), then go below the dam...it is wadeable for about a half mile. If you really want to paddle below the dam, you can either drag your boat over the long shoal, or you can head back east on Rt. 16 and look for the entrance to Elm Bank Reservation on your right, just at the Natick/Wellesley line (1/2 mile from the center of S. Natick). Enter Elm Bank, and follow the paved road around in a big circle (it is one way, counterclockwise), to reach the canoe launch. Put in here for many miles of paddling downstream...excellent largemouth habitat.
Good luck and have a ball.
NatickDave