John (Jay) Cronan River Access

41° 26.707' N    71° 40.873' W   See this location in: Google Maps   Map Server   Acme Maps

This is a site for launching boats from trailers and it is also a portage, which typically means that to continue paddling down the river past this site you will have to portage your boat around a dam or other obstruction. 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:

This is a good access point for paddling trips on the upper and middle Pawcatuck River. You can take-out here after paddling down from Shannock Falls, or put in here and paddle downriver to Burdickville (but note that there isn't really a good place to park a car at Burdickville) or Bradford Landing. If you have reached the John Cronin River Access site from upstream and plan to continue on down the river from here it is advisable to portage around the low dam (actually a weir for the USGS Gauging Station). This is a short, easy portage.

Paddling downriver from here it is about 3 1/2 miles to the confluence with the Wood River and almost 5 miles to the take-out at Burdickville. From Burdickville it's another 3 1/2 miles down to Bradford Landing.

The Pawcatuck River in this area is relatively wild, with only occasional houses and bridges. The river is mostly quiet and relatively slow-moving. There are likely to be a fair number of trees down across the river, but the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association tries to maintain the route and at least provide a narrow passage past any downed trees that go across the river, so except in the case of newly fallen trees you should not have to get out and lift your boat over or around trees, but you may have to worm through some fairly narrow slots to get around downed trees.

At the broken down dam at Burdickville the only egress here is on the right, immediately upstream of the dam -- a short but awkward take out up a steep, narrow path to Burdickville Road. You may also lift over the left side of the dam, or you may run it in the fast water right of center, close to the little masonry "island." Only at high water should the dam be run down the middle. About a mile below Burdickville, above the next take-out at Bradford, there are a group of unofficial paddle-in campsites in Burlingame Management Area. The sites are on the left. For more about the uncertain status of camping at these sites, see the listing for the Burlingame Canoe Campsites. Four more miles brings you to Bradford. You can take out at the DEM landing ramp and parking area on the left, or continue on to Potter Hill Dam.

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:

Alternate Site Name: Richmond Landing

Town: Charlestown

Driving Landmarks: On Route 91 (Alton-Carolina Road) between Carolina and Wood River Junction, look for signs for this DEM fishing access site on the south side of the road, next to a bridge across the Wood River

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: Boat ramp, portage

ADA Accessible Boat Launch? no

Shoreline: The shoreline both above and below the dam is low and sandy so access is very easy. In theory small trailered boats could be launched here but this is mostly a launch for hand-carried boats.

Float/Dock: no

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

Portage Length: 75 feet

Hours of Operation: Closed from 1/2 hr. after sunset to 5 am, except for fishing and boating

Parking:

Parking: yes: 5 spaces, no overnight parking

ADA Accessible Parking Spaces? no

Nearby Amenities:

Public Restrooms: No

Sources for More Information:

AMC River Guide: 4th Edition, page 141

Other Guidebooks: Paddle 26 in "Paddling Connecticut and Rhode Island"

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

Website: The USGS Gauging Station at this site is online and provides near real-time data on the river level

Ecological, Cultural & Recreational Attractions:

The Pawcatuck River is stocked with Salmon and Trout.

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