Biscuit City Landing

41° 27.056' N    71° 36.91' W   See this location in: Google Maps   Map Server   Acme Maps

This is a site for launching hand-carried boats such as canoes or kayaks.

Description & Overview:

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Biscuit City Landing is the first access point on the Pawcatuck River below Worden Pond and is thus often used as a take-out for trips starting on either Worden Pond or the Chipuxet River. The Pawcatuck River in this area is winding, natural and beautiful. Allow plenty of time if coming from Worden Pond because the river from Worden Pond to the confluence with the Usquepaug River, about 1/2 mile before Biscuit City Landing, is very narrow and very, very sinuous and as of the early summer of 2020 there were quite a few trees down across the river. Watch out for overhanging poison ivy too. Once you reach the Usquepaug and are looking for Biscuit City Landing, watch carefully for a narrow channel taking off to the right. There is a small sign pointing to the landing but it may be overgrown. If you come to a bridge over the main river you have gone just a little too far. Once in the small side channel you will first come to a house with a lawn coming down to the river. Do not land here but instead continue under the railroad tracks to the landing. STAY OFF THE RAILROAD TRACKS: This is the Amtrak mainline and sees lots of traffic, including regular Acela Express trains. These trains are VERY quiet and moving VERY fast and so can appear seemingly out of nowhere.

Another option from here is to paddle upriver from Biscuit City Landing. The river is normally so slow-moving that paddling upriver is generally easy. You can explore up into the swamp that the Pawcatuck River passes through coming from Worden Pond and turn around when you come to too many downed trees or too much poison ivy. Given the number of trees down across the Pawcactuck between Worden Pond and the junction with the Usquepaug this is a wiser way to paddle this part of the river than trying to make the full passage from Worden Pond down to Biscuit City Landing.

Going the other direction - downriver -- The Pawcatuck River from Biscuit City Landing to Shannock Lower Falls is rarely paddled because there are two to three portages in rapid succession, but the portages are not hard and the river is interesting. The first potential portage is at the former dam, a mile downriver at Kenyon. This dam has been converted to a rock ramp which can be run by finding the center notch in the dam, then aiming toward the opening in the boulders. It can also be portaged to the left. The river then passes through Kenyon Mill. The beautiful horseshoe dam at Shannock still needs to be portaged to the left, at the sign. Use caution here because the take out is close to the lip of the dam. Cross Shannock Road and put in on the left bank, below a parking area. The river now has several small sections of class 1 rapids. At low water levels these may need to be walked. The third dam at Lower Shannock has been removed, but the resulting rapids require skill to run successfully as they are challenging class III rapids with several large boulders in mid-channel. Anyone who is not an experienced whitewater paddler should take out at the portage path on the right. To get into good position make sure to hug the right bank after you round a large boulder — otherwise the current may carry you into the rapids. Carry along the path 100 yards to the put-in below the rapids at the path’s end.

For information about the river below Shannock Falls see the listing on this website for the Shannock Falls put-in.

The Wood-Pawcatuck River Guide is highly recommended for paddling on the Wood-Pawcatuck river system.

This site provides access to the following water bodies in the Pawcatuck River watershed: Pawcatuck River.

Location:

Town: Richmond

Driving Landmarks: Heading south on Route 2, after you cross Route 138, go about 4.3 miles and make a sharp left onto Kenyon School House Road. Go a few hundred feet on Kenyon School House Road to the T-junction with Biscuit City Road. Turn right and go to the end of the road at the railroad tracks. The parking lot and river access are on the left.

Heading north on Route 2, 0.1 mile after you cross the railroad tracks, turn right onto Kenyon School Road. Go a few hundred feet on Kenyon School House Road to the T-junction with Biscuit City Road. Turn right and go to the end of the road at the railroad tracks. The parking lot and river access are on the left.

Access & Waters:

Water 'Features' At Site: flatwater/slow moving river

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 launch for hand carried boats

ADA Accessible Boat Launch? no

Shoreline: There is a sand and gravel slope leading into the water, which provides a good canoe and kayak landing. In theory this is also a boat ramp but practically this should basically be considered a site for launching hand-carried boats.

Float/Dock: no

Approximate Length of Carry between Car Access and Water: 25 feet

Hours of Operation: sunrise to sunset, year round

Parking:

Parking: yes: 12 spaces, no overnight parking

ADA Accessible Parking Spaces? no

Sources for More Information:

AMC River Guide: 4th Edition, pages 142-143

AMC Quiet Water Canoe Guide: 2nd Edition, page 196

Other Guidebooks: Paddles 25 and 26 in "Paddling Connecticut and Rhode Island"

Website: How to order the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association's River Guide

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