Here are 6 places to go kayaking near Gardner this summer
The summertime is an exciting time to pick up and participate in recreational and leisure activities like kayaking and canoeing.
Near Gardner and neighboring towns, there are several waterways available for the enjoyment of old and new kayakers and canoers. These five state parks and one small local business are visually aesthetic and safe places to learn and experience the relaxing recreation of kayaking and canoeing.
Dunn State Park
Right in Gardner, there is the Dunn Pond in the Dunn State Park. It's a small body of water which is great practice area for beginner paddlers. There is no fee to kayak or canoe, but there is a $3 parking if you are a Massachusetts resident and $30 for nonresidents. Bring you own boat as, unfortunately, there is no equipment rental service at the park. Dunn State Park, 289 Pearl St., Gardner. https://www.mass.gov/locations/dunn-state-park
Leominster State Forest
Leominster State Forest is about a 15-minute drive from Gardner. Its entrance is in Westminster, with parts of the 4,246-acre park located in Leominster, Fitchburg, Princeton and Sterling, too. The state park has several bodies of water but kayaking and canoeing are only allowed on Paradise Pond. There are no admission fees but there is a parking fee of $8 for Massachusetts residents and $30 for nonresidents. Leominster State Forest, 1 Fitchburg Road, Westminster. https://www.mass.gov/locations/leominster-state-forest
Rutland State Park
Another state park that allows kayaking, canoeing, and other water paddling practices is Rutland State Park which is about a 26-minute drive from Gardner. The entrance for boating is at the main park area and there is no admission fee, just an $8 parking fee per vehicle. There is no rental equipment available on site. Rutland State Park, 49 Whitehall Road, Rutland. https://www.mass.gov/locations/rutland-state-park
Lake Dennison
Lake Dennison Recreational Area in Winchendon is part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Birch Hill Flood Control Project and is managed by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation. There's a swimming beach, restrooms, a pavilion and picnic areas, and at the lake there's a boat ramp for cartop non-motorized boats, including kayaks and canoes. Besides paddle water sports you can have a family camping trip not far from home at one of the lake's 150 campsites. There is no admissions fee to kayak or canoe but there is a parking fee of $8 for Massachusetts residents. Lake Dennison Recreation Area, 219 Baldwinville State Road, Winchendon. https://www.mass.gov/locations/lake-dennison-recreation-area
Queen Lake
The 139-acre Queen Lake in Phillipston was gifted to the town in 1934 by Daniel Baker and is managed by the Queen Lake Association. About a mile from the town center is a gravel boat ramp where you can launch a canoe or kayak. It is next to the town beach that is for Phillipston residents only. Parking for trailers is down the road. The boat ramp is closed 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. There is no on site-rental shop for kayaks and canoes. Queen Lake, 269 Queen Lake Road, Phillipston. https://www.phillipston-ma.gov/queen-lake
Billy Goat Boats on the Millers River
None of the state parks listed above have equipment available for rent, so everyone needs to bring along their own kayak or canoe. About a 25-minute drive from Gardner in Orange is Billy Goat Boats, where you can rents kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and paddleboats. Rent a single-person kayak or canoe for $16 per hour or $64 for the day on weekends; $14 per hour or $56 a day on weekdays. There's also a designated area on the Millers River where customers can enjoy paddling nearby, or take a 6-mile paddle to the Alan Rich Environmental Park in Athol. Bill Goat Boats also repairs kayaks and canoes. Billy Goat Boats, 25 East River St., Orange. https://www.billygoatboats.com/
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Six local locations to go canoeing this summer
