Saxtons River Access

Westminster, Bellows Falls, Vermont

Saxtons River

Swimming Hole
Swimming Hole
Swimming Hole
Swimming Hole
Wildlife & Watershed Protection
Wildlife & Watershed Protection
Fishing Area
Fishing Area
Swim, fish, and celebrate re-connecting our rivers! Once the site of a broken-down dam, this spot on the Saxtons River is now free-flowing and better than ever for public access.
Accessible
Accessible
Dogs allowed on leash
Dogs allowed on leash
Danger, use caution
Danger, use caution
Danger, drowning
Danger, risk of drowning
! Special considerations: Accessibility note: The path to the river is graded and wide but steep. There are good views of the river from the parking area and the roadside, and from the level, grassy area of the site beside the road.
  • Public access: Yes
  • Activities: Feeling curious? Wade in the water and count sea lamprey nests to see how removing derelict dams helps restore Vermont fish populations!
  • Caretaker: Vermont River Conservancy
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Saxtons River Access Westminster, Bellows Falls, Vermont Saxtons River

Saxtons River Access

Our phone rang mid-summer 2024: Connecticut River Conservancy had everything ready to take a dam out of the Saxtons River in August except one last critical piece – permission from the landowner. Help take out dams and free our rivers? Yes! In a matter of weeks, Vermont River Conservancy became the landowner and made sure trucks could get on-site to haul out the derelict dam. Then we added a riverfront path, stone steps down to the river, and a parking area, and worked with CRC to plant trees for clean water and wildlife.

Thanks to this partnership, fish like sea lamprey and American eel can move from the Connecticut River up the Saxtons River for the first time in over 150 years… and Westminster and Bellows Falls have a brand new way to access this popular swimming and fishing spot.

Learn more about the dam removal here.

Local Businesses

Snack to your heart’s content – and stock up on farm-fresh veggies and locally made crafts – at the Common Sense Store. Or grab a coffee at Rockingham Roasters or the Flat Iron Cooperative, then head next door to Jamaican Jewelz for a bite to eat. In the mood for a movie? The Bellows Falls Opera House is a cozy historic theater with new and classic films.

Conservation Details

  • River: Saxtons River
  • Acreage: 4.6
  • River frontage (ft): 800

Funding Partners

This project made possible thanks to the support and partnership of:

  • Connecticut River Conservancy

Before You Go

We recently planted sycamores, gray birch, staghorn sumac, red osier dogwood, and other native species that we expect to thrive in the conditions of this site and create a healthier river buffer for clean water and happy wildlife! Keep your eye out for young saplings and stay away as to keep from trampling them!

Directions

From Bellows Falls, travel south on US-5/Westminster Street. Before the Route 5 bridge, turn left on Paper Mill Road and follow it to the bottom of the hill. The parking area is on the right side of the road, opposite James Plumbing & Heating Oil Co. Please park only in the designated area or on the road, not on the grass, to protect the new tree planting area.