Neponset Quietly Flows Along

I've been wanting to return to the upper Neponset River ever since I got my first look at it back in 2014.  This morning I joined Erik and Bill (both of whom commuted past it on Rte. 95 for many years) in paddling an 8 mile section from Bade Canoe Launch in Norwood to Paul's Bridge in Milton.  It was an enjoyable trip with few obstacles having to be dealt with.

The Bade Canoe Launch made an excellent starting point with good access to the river.
Bill and Erik paddled a tandem Mohawk canoe...

The day was a beauty with blue skies and temperatures warming to the low 40s F.
For the most part we were sheltered from the wind, and when we weren't sheltered it was at our back.

The only other boat we saw was this electric powered canoe awaiting its owner...

While the Charles River is considered by many to be the quintessential Massachusetts river perhaps because of its 80 mile long meandering course, it is the Neponset that passes closest to the state's namesake Great Blue Hill (aka Massachusett).  This became evident when we stopped for lunch at Signal Hill.  After hiking to the hill's 188 foot elevation we enjoyed views of Great Blue Hill to the southeast...

...and the Boston skyline to the northeast behind Bill and Erik...

The Signal Hill site is a Trustees of Reservations owned property where canoes can be rented in season.

Near the Amtrak Station in Westwood we passed under the Green Lodge St. bridge...

...and after paddling another few miles through Fowl Meadow we arrived at our takeout, Paul's Bridge at the Neponset Valley Parkway...

It is amazing how serene this river is given its proximity to such an urban area.

For more details as to river levels and put-in/takeout locations check out Erik's account on his blog Open Boat, Moving Water - A Paddler's Journal.

We scooped up what trash we could on the fly...