Pratt Dam Portage

41° 54.804' N    71° 24.548' W   See this location in: Google Maps   Map Server   Acme Maps

This site is a portage. This typically means there either is no road access to this location or that the site is not recommended as a launching site for some other reason. The portage may be around a dam, whitewater, or some other obstruction.

Description & Overview:

The Pratt Dam here must be portaged!! To continue downriver take out on river right before the dam and walk up to the bikeway on top of the dam. Turn left along the bikeway and put in at the steps that will be on your right about 850 feet down the bike path.

You can also turn right when you get to the bikeway and carry across the dam and river to the canal on the west side of the river and the Front Street parking lot for the bike path. This is about a 1000 foot carry (0.18 miles). When you get to the end of the bridge over the river and dam keep going straight following the bike path to get to the canal put-in and the parking lot, both of which are on the other side of the canal, which is crossed by a short bridge. The put-in for the canal is on the left just just after the bridge. The parking lot is just beyond. The canal provides a way to go back upriver parallel to the river all the way to Blackstone Valley Park. For driving directions and more details on paddling up the canal and on paddling the Blackstone River below Pratt Dam see the listing for the Blackstone River and Canal near Front Street.

CAUTION: Do not attempt to paddle through the stone arches of Pratt Dam. Paddling through the arches is not recommended for anyone. People have drowned trying to paddle through these arches.

Portions of this description were adapted from the very useful Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor guide to the river and the bike path in this area.

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

Location:

Town: Cumberland

Driving Landmarks: For driving directions see the listing for the Blackstone River and Canal near Front Street.

Access & Waters:

Water 'Features' At Site: dam, 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: Portage

ADA Accessible Boat Launch? no

Shoreline: Gravel shoreline both above and below the dam.

Float/Dock: no

Portage Length: 1200 feet

Parking:

Parking: yes

Sources for More Information:

Other Guidebooks: Paddle 31 in "Paddling Connecticut and Rhode Island"

Website: A detailed map and guide put out by the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor with information about the river and bike path between Ashton and Central Falls

Website: Blackstone Heritage Corridor National Park - Get On the River Page, with links to various maps and related information

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