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Passumpsic River Paddlers’ Trail

December 6, 2016

The Passumpsic River Paddlers’ Trail is a collaborative effort to expand water-based recreational opportunities on the Passumpsic River, while fostering flood resiliency, conservation, and ecological restoration in the watershed.
For several years, the VRC has been helping develop regional Paddler Trails. We have found these efforts not only help improve regional recreational opportunities, but also serve as tools for bringing adult and youth volunteers together in hands-on stewardship projects.
As part of this project, thanks to a grant from the Vermont Community Foundation’s Northeast Kingdom Fund, we completed an inventory and assessment of the Passumpsic River, identifying potential stewardship projects.
Those seeking to explore the Passumpsic River are encouraged to download the following Google Earth file, which contains information on access points, portage trails, rapids, and dams. Work is under way to develop a new guide to the river.
In partnership with the NorthWoods Stewardship Center, and with support from the Upper Connecticut River Mitigation and Enhancement Fund and the State’s Clean Water Fund, projects completed to date include:

  • East Barnet River Access: Following Hurricane Irene, the river bank was lined with rip rap rock here, making access a challenge. Staff from the NorthWoods Stewardship Center and the Vermont River Conservancy graded a new path to the river here, installing a series of switchbacks and stone staircases.
  • Lyndonville “Upper Tubing” Access: This access, developed by the town of Lyndonville, was steep and eroding. With support from the state of Vermont’s Ecological Restoration Grant program, a NorthWoods Stewardship Center crew added additional concrete steps leading down to the river.
  • Confluence Parcel Access: A NorthWoods Stewardship Center crew improved an access trail by adding timber cribbed stairs on this strategic parcel, owned by the Passumpsic Valley Land Trust, at the confluence of the East and West Branch.
  • Lyndonville “Lower Tubing” Access: A steep and eroding access path was stablized with a timber cribbed stair case.


 

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