Recreation
The Blackstone River Valley offers a variety of recreational opportunities. Below is a sampling (Click on the + button to expand any of the listings below to get more information):
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On the Water
There are many opportunities to get on the water in the Blackstone River Watershed. The Blackstone, Quinsigamond, Mumford, West and Mill Rivers in Massachusetts all provide navigable stretches for canoes and kayaks.
National Park Service suggested paddling tours on the Blackstone River
Recreation Guide to the Quinsigamond River
ExploreRI: Information on river access, portages and dams
Blackstone Valley Paddle Club
Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge
Blackstone Valley Explorer Tours
On Foot
There are many places to hike or walk in the Blackstone River Watershed. Here are a selection:
MA Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) parks in the watershed
West Hill Dam and Park
Mass Audubon Preserves
Waters Farm
Grafton Land Trust
On a Bicycle
The Blackstone River Greenway, when complete, will provide a 48-mile bicycle trail from Worcester to Providence with connections to other existing or proposed trails including the East Bay Trail (Providence, RI to Bristol, RI) and the Southern New England Trunk Trail (Franklin, MA to CT state line in Douglas).
Blackstone River Greenway visit the Blackstone River Valley National heritage Corridor.
Hunting Season: Blaze Orange
Massachusetts: Some of these recreational areas listed here are multi-use. This means that hunting is allowed in season. For your safety, we strongly recommend that you and your animal companions stick to marked trails and wear blaze orange clothing during hunting seasons. While some species can be taken by licensed hunters on a year round basis, most huning activity occurs between October 1st and February 29th, and the most intensive hunting activity occurs during deer season between the last Monday of November and the third Saturday of December. Hunting is not allowed on Sunday in Massachusetts.
More details on Massachusetts hunting seasons
Rhode Island: all users of state management areas and other designated undeveloped state parks must wear at least 200 square inches (e.g., a hat or vest) of solid daylight fluorescent orange clothing from the third Saturday in October to the last day of February and from the last Thursday in April to the last day in May, except during shotgun deer season (generally in December) when all users must wear 500 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange clothing (e.g., a hat AND a vest). For more details contact RI DEM or the park or management area you plan to visit.
