Pawtucket Town Landing

41° 52.316' N    71° 23.048' W   See this location in: Google Maps   Map Server   Acme Maps

This is a site for launching boats from trailers. Boat ramps can normally be used to launch canoes and kayaks but please do your best to keep the boat ramp clear for boat trailers.

Description & Overview:

See what others have said.

As of spring 2022, this boat ramp is blocked off due to the construction happening just south of the ramp but in any case the rebuilt Festival Pier site just access the river provides better access as well as much more parking.

This town-owned boat ramp provides access to the Seekonk River just below where the Blackstone River becomes tidal and becomes the Seekonk. The boat ramp is almost under the Division Street Bridge. Parking is not permitted in the very small area the head of the boat ramp but there is a good-sized parking lot across the street from the boat ramp and there is other parking in the area as well.

For the first half mile below this access site, the Seekonk River is relatively narrow, but it then opens up into a broad tidal estuary between East Providence and Providence that extends south for 3 miles to the narrows where the Seekonk flows into the Providence River at India Point. The convoluted shoreline of the estuary provides some good potential for exploration in a small boat as long as you pay attention to the wind and tides. The tide runs hard through the narrows at India Point, and it is a complex current that does not always flow in the direction you would expect given the state of the tide. However, there are 3 miles of river to explore between Pawtucket and the narrows so it is easy to stay clear of the narrows and still do quite a bit of paddling.

This site provides access to the following water bodies: Seekonk River.

Location:

Town: Pawtucket

Nearest Town Center: Pawtucket

Driving Landmarks: Coming up 95 north from Providence, get off at exit 27 (Downtown Pawtucket). This will put you on Pearl Street paralleling the highway. Continue down Pearl Street for two blocks to George Street. Turn right on George Street and then take an immediate left onto Grace Street. Go one block and turn left onto Pleasant Street. Go one block and turn right onto Jenks Way. Go one block and turn right onto Taft Street. The boat ramp is on your left just after you go under the I-95 and Division Street bridges.

Coming from Massachusetts on I-95 South, get off at Exit 27 (Downtown Pawtucket). At the end of the ramp turn right onto Fountain Street. Go 2/10 mile and turn right onto Exchange Street. Go across the river and turn left onto Roosevelt Avenue. Roosevelt Avenue turns into Taft Street in 3/10 mile and the boat ramp is on your left in another 2/10 mile, just after you go under the I-95 and Division Street bridges.

Access & Waters:

Water 'Features' At Site: estuary

Note: Because one boat launch can access, say, both a lake and a river or both the upstream and downstream portions of a river, not all paddling trips at a given site will necessarily encounter all of the features listed.

Type of Access: Boat ramp

ADA Accessible Boat Launch? yes

Shoreline: Aside from the concrete boat ramp, the shoreline is largely vertical bulkheads.

Float/Dock: low float or dock

Parking:

Parking: yes: 20 spaces

Nearby Amenities:

Public Restrooms: There are public restrooms at the Blackstone Valley Visitors Center, 1/2 mile north on Taft Street.

Comments:

Pawtucket River

Submitted by: Dave N; February 3, 2017; 2:53 pm

The Pawtucket River runs from the Pawtucket Falls to Bensley Point where it becomes the Seekonk River. Bensley Point is across from the ball diamond.

Rating:

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