Jun 28, 2015 - BATTENKILL from Rt.313 in Arlington VT to Eagleville NY. Rain overnight. Visual gauge in Arlington read 3.15' at the start; Battenville gauge rising from 4.65' to 4.8' but level at Eagleville rose at least 6" while we were out. Temp in the low to mid 60s - I was very warm in long sleeve base layer with splash top. Windy but winds not really felt down at water level. Some class I rapids in VT section, mostly wave trains & riffles in the NY section. Some strainers/sweepers to be dodged. Surfed some waves. Not wilderness but a very scenic valley. Lots of birds incl. cedar waxwings, swallows, kingbirds & cute merganser chicks. 11.5 miles, 3.3 hours.
May 31, 2015 - BATTEN KILL from NY/VT state line to Rt. 22. Battenville gauge at 4.4' when I left the house but rose to 4.8' by the time we finished paddling. Cloudy, cool (low 50s) but no rain. Had the stream to ourselves, no other boaters, just a couple of fly fishermen. 3 covered bridges (Eagleville, Shushan, Rexleigh), minimal development. Always enjoy playing in the wave at an old dam a little before the Tacklebox Bridge (CR 61). After passing the campground but before the stream turns N: there is tree debris in the stream that needs to be maneuvered around in current (2 of our group capsized) & a bit further there was a sycamore tree downed across the water, one can get under it on the L. Eagle, woodchuck, kingfishers, lots of swallows flying low across the water. 12.6 miles, 4.5 hours.
July 27, 2014 - BATTEN KILL from Rt.7A N of Arlington VT to picnic area past VT/NY state line. Waited out a morning storm & killed some time with brunch in Cambridge. Battenville gauge 4.7' & rising (peaked at 5.72' 12 hours after the rain stopped); visual gauge at the Rochester Bridge (Rt.313 in Arlington) 3.2' when we paddled by, 3.9' after the trip (most previous trips this gauge has been in the 2.2-2.5' range) - lively (waves often in the 1.5' range), the usually crystal clear water was a murky brown this time. Some flat water to start then Roaring Branch enters on the L & "The Rock" lurks ahead - I went to the R of it where the main current goes, a gap of a few feet between rocks + a small drop, watch out for more smaller rocks below - the only real Class II rapid on the BK between Manchester VT & Battenville NY. Much carnage: don't worry, Nehasane stayed dry in the Caption but 1 of our kayakers, getting used to a new used ww kayak, capsized 5 times & rolled up 3 of those times!. Rapids generally Class I/I+. Later, a canoe misread the current & ran into a sweeper tree, rescue was fairly easy (all of our boats had float bags or bulkheads). Stopped for a late lunch on a rocky beach on the R where the Green River enters. We did not notice the water level rising until Baja noticed we had 6 paddlers & there were only 5 boats remaining, one of the canoes had sneaked off undetected. Fortunately it was stopped by a strainer 200 yards downstream, ropes were attached & folks were able to pull it out, luckily the paddle stayed with the canoe! The PFD was found a mile downstream! Under the West Arlington covered bridge. The last 4 miles were less eventful with easier rapids. Mergansers, kingfishers, cedar waxwings, cows & a triceratops. 11 miles, 3.6 hours. ![]()
June 15, 2014 - BATTEN KILL from Rt.313 in Arlington VT to CR 64 in Shushan NY. Battenville gage at 5.35', visual gage in Arlington (on Rt.313 bridge, downstream side, river L) at 2.85' - nice easy level. Quickwater, riffles & class I rapids. Vermont part very scenic but some roadnoise, New York section is away from roads. 2 covered bridges. Downed trees we had on June 1 have been cut out. Some fun surfing waves along the way. Goslings, merganser chicks, cedar waxwings. 15 miles, 5.5 hours excluding shuttle.
June 1, 2014 - BATTEN KILL from Eagleville to CR61 bridge in Battenville. Battenville gage at 5.35' - a nice level altho I find lower levels more interesting due to having to maneuver & read-the-river more. 3 covered bridges. Sycamore tree down across the stream below the campground - short easy portage on river R; then another tree down - able to scoot across it on river R but portage might be needed if water level gets lower. Quickwater, riffles & class 1 rapids; some surfing waves. Deer, osprey nest. 15.3 miles, 5.6 hours.
June 10, 2011 - THE BATTENKILL from Richville Rd a little S of Manchester Village VT to the picnic area at the NY state line. Battenville gauge at 5.14', visual gauge in Arlington at 2.5' - hit a few rocks but never got stuck. The 1st 4 or 5 miles is fairly flat with some riffles & a logjam we had to get out for - being further from main roads it is quieter than downstream with very nice scenery incl. Mt. Equinox which rises 3,000' above the valley floor & The Burning in the Lye Brook Wilderness rising almost 2,000' to the S. The stream has changed some since Irene - at "The Rock" class 2 section there is less deep route on the outside & the tree that was jammed to the R of the rock is gone & now you can paddle either side of the rock. After that, there are some class 1+ rapids then mostly class 1. Found some surfable waves en route. Mink, cows, orioles. 15+ miles (East-Central guidebook says 15 miles but I'm sure it is 2 or 3 miles more), 6 hours.
Jun 13, 2010 - BATTEN KILL from NY picnic area near NY/VT state line to Rt.22. Battenville gauge at a little over 5' - makes for a nice relatively easy float. Class 1 rapids & riffles. Surfed some waves. Went under 3 covered bridges. Bald eagle, osprey, oriole, kingfisher, mergansers (ducklings getting bigger), mink; some nice flowers too incl. yellow-flowered mossy stonecrop growing on wet rock. Saw no other paddlers other than our group, no tubers; some people fishing from shore; less road noise than VT section. Quite the contrast from Memorial Day trip. 12 miles, 4.6 hours.
May 31, 2010 - Memorial Day - BATTEN KILL. Rt.7A in Arlington VT to Eagleville Covered Bridge NY. "The Rock" class 2. Scratchy at this level (walked one section): 2.2' at the Arlington gauge & 4.65' at Battenville. Just a few others in the morning; tons of people on the river in the afternoon, quite a zoo with beer-drinking tubers & makeshift rafts - one had to be quite skillful to get by them. 14+ miles, 4.6 hours. Somebody remind me not to do the BK on a holiday again. Dagger Axis 10.5 - an excellent choice.
Jun 14, 2009 - BATTEN KILL, from Rt.313 bridge in Arlington, VT to Rt.64 bridge in Shushan. Mergansers with smalll chicks, deer bounding across the stream. Found some waves to play & surf along the way. Arlington visual gauge at 2.8', Battenville gauge at a bit over 5' - a very nice level. 14+ miles, 5.5 hours.
Jun 7, 2009 - BATTEN KILL from Eagleville Covered Bridge to Rt.61 in Battenville. 2 more covered bridges in Shushan & Rexleigh. Class 1 whitewater & riffles - some downed trees make the section between Eagleville & Shushan a bit more technical. Very little development/roads until you reach Rexleigh. Water level 4.67' at Battenville gauge. Side-trip: went over a beaver dam & paddled up a stream into the Eldridge Swamp. Deer, woodchucks, osprey & nest, black ducks & ducklings, mergansers & chicks, C geese & goslings, fish; yellow flag & other flowers added color. 15.7 miles, 5+ hours. Dagger Alchemy 14.0, an extremely versatile 14' light touring kayak - flat water, easy rapids, sea kayaking...
Aug 25, 2008 - BATTEN KILL from Rt.313 in Arlington, VT to CR64 near Shushan, NY. Arlington gauge at 2.4', Battenville 4.8" - a little scratchy in spots but fine, scenic run nonetheless. A couple of small drops early on Class 1+, rest Class 1 & riffles. Eagleville Covered Bridge - swimming in the clear cool waters from small sandy beach, rope swing. Mouse & babies found nesting under float bags of Wayvhog's canoe. 14+ miles, 5.5 hours. Dagger Approach, a playful 10' kayak.
Jun 22, 2008 - BATTEN KILL from CR64 in Shushan to CR61 in Battenville. Didn't get far downriver before we were in the middle of a wicked storm - hunkered down on shore under canoes & tarp for over an hour while thunder & lightning all around us. Noaa weather radio said storms should be out by 12:30pm. Afternoon got nice & sunny - nice to dry out. 2 covered bridges. Shushan to Rexleigh: somewhat remote feel, other than railroad tracks & bridges. Salem to Battenville: closer to Rt.29, light development. Easy class 1 whitewater, riffles, flatwater - at "deadman's curve" (approaching E Greenwich, a little after the "vulture tree hangout"), a L hand curve, there is a log partially submerged on river R - make sure you stay L. After E Greenwich there is a tree down across the main channel & we had to portage a short distance along gravel bar on L. River level at Battenville ~4.4' & rising - scratchy in a few spots but makes for a fine run. 11+ miles, 5 hrs (3.5 hrs actually paddling).
May 26, 2008 Memorial Day - BATTEN KILL from above Arlington, VT to Eagleville, NY. Put-in below Rt.7A bridge 2 miles N of Arlington, take-out just before Eagleville Covered Bridge. Class 2 at "the rock" a mile from the start where Roaring Branch comes in (land & scout from river L) - a log blocks the main current to the R of the rock so one must make a hard L then R while the current tries to put you into the rock. After that rapids are class 1. Very scenic valley; road noise often intrudes; many other users in canoes, kayaks, rafts (coolers & beer often in evidence). Gauge at Battenville was at 4.65' (fairly scratchy, river will be less scratchy at over 5'), visual gauge on Rt.313 bridge (river L, downstream side) in Arlington read 2.3'(best if above 2.5'). Interesting frogsongs in the afternoon. 14.2 miles, 5+ hours.
July 4, 2005 - BATTEN KILL from Rt.313 in Arlington, VT to Rt.22 in NY. Gauge at Battenville read 5.3' early this morning but is not a good indicator of water level for this section - visual gauge on Rt.313 bridge read 2.8' (2.5'-3.5' is considered optimum). Rapids are class 1/1+ - beware of turns where the current will force you to the outside of the curve & possibly into overhanging branches (one of our group managed to do this about 2 miles down the river resulting in an early swim; make sure your gear is tied into your boat; canoeists have better control when in a kneeling position; all paddlers should know how to do draw strokes & canoeists should also know pries & cross-bow draws - these are fundamental strokes that paddlers should know to get past the beginner level). Sparrows & cedar waxwings swoop overhead. Groups of tubers became prevalent from the state line thru the campground past the Eagleville Covered Bridge (one of 4 covered bridges on our route) - the typical tuber is noisy, foul-mouthed, drinks tasteless light yellow beer & smokes. 1.5 miles past the Eagleville Bridge a tree trunk overhangs the stream - side-slip the boat to the shallows on the L (inside of the curve) to avoid being beheaded (the current will try to put you into the tree). After Shushan the last 4 miles are a relaxing cruise with riffles & minimal development - thrushes sing in the woods. If I ever run this scenic stream again on July 4 I will start at sunrise & finish by noon to avoid the crowds. For info on put-ins/take-outs see the ADK East-Central NY guidebook. 19.5 miles, 6.5 hours. Dagger Reflection 16, a 16'4" tandem canoe made of super-durable Royalex.
Jun 13, 2004 - BATTEN KILL canoeing. State line to Rt.22. Nice water level - possibly a bit higher than normal for this time of year. Put-in at picnic/rest area on Rt.313. Scenic valley, 3 covered bridges, light development, clear water. Fastwater & class 1 rapids for the most part, last 4 miles past Shushan are easier (mostly riffles). Between Eagleville Covered Bridge & the curve where the stream turns & goes N, there are a couple of turns with strainers (downed trees) on outside of curves - stay to the inside of the turns since the current will push you to the outside anyway - a R-hander also has a small stump midstream to complicate matters - make sure your draw stroke is up to snuff, helps also if bow (or solo canoe) paddler can do cross-bow draws, pries & duffeks (altho many paddlers on the BK get by without). Short maneuverable rec kayaks do fine, rec/touring kayakers may find a shorter paddle is easier to make draw strokes with (2 of our lite touring kayakers took unplanned swims). Last half of trip (past Shushan) is more away from roads, only an old railroad detracts from a feeling of remoteness. Took a short swim during a break - water is a bit on the cool side. Colorful birding: red cardinals, orange orioles, some yellow bird; many mergansers; a small fawn. 12 miles, 6 hrs. Bell Northwind Rx , a 16.5' royalex tandem - good maneuverability; very good primary & secondary stability; barely a hint of oil-canning in center of hull; excellent durability, moderate weight
Jun 15, 2003 - BATTEN KILL canoeing. Put-in: Next to bridge on Rt.7A 1.5 miles N of Arlington, VT. Take-out: just upstream of Eagleville Covered Bridge, NY. Put-in on E side of footbridge. Flatwater for close to a mile then Roaring Brook comes in from the L. A large rock to the R on a curve makes for an interesting decision - go R thru a chute as Waygassy did in the Dagger GT8.1 whitewater kayak, carry into Roaring brook & ride some waves into the BK or maneuver to the L of the rock like the rest of us did (the current will want to push you R of the rock) - this section is rated class 2 because it is a bit more technical altho not too dangerous at this water level (things could be different in early spring). The rest of the route is class 1/1+ waves/riffles - any difficulties people might encounter have to do with making turns & some overhanging branches. An alternate put-in is 2 miles downstream from our start next to the RT.313 bridge at a golf course. The BK parallels Rt.313 for the most part & some traffic noise intrudes. It ain't wilderness but the BK cuts thru a picturesque valley & as we enter NYS the steep hillsides close in. After going under Rt.313 the BK goes away from roads & is more peaceful. Some folks spotted a moose in a nearby field. The current is very fast at the take-out & those that don't cut in quickly got swept into a downed tree - 1 rental canoe tipped over here. Quite a few rental canoes & kayaks on the river today - saw more & more people as the day wore on. Expect to scrape bottom a few times at summer water levels. 12 miles, 4.5 hrs. Dagger Reflection 15, a 15'4" tandem canoe made of Royalex, handled everything quite well - the super-durable Royalex can take a lot of banging around. A couple of folks with us had an enjoyable time in their inflatable Innova Safari kayaks - these are made to handle up to class 3 whitewater.
Jun 17, 2001 - Batten Kill canoeing, Arlington, VT. to Shushan, NY. Put-in is on Rt.313 west of Arlington on river L next to golf course. Take-out is next to railroad bridge on Rt.64 south of Shushan. Rain showers on the ride up but no rain on the trip - mostly cloudy but warm; some hazy afternoon sun. Some fun Class 1+ in the first hour may give paddlers who haven't become familiar with draw & sweep strokes some challenge. Good spots to practice eddying in & peeling out. (I believe that flatwater paddlers should pay more attention to maneuvering strokes & that whitewater paddlers should pay more attention to efficient power strokes.) Vermont section stays too close to Rt.313 & some traffic noise is heard. Bucolic setting; enjoyed seeing sycamore trees with their patchy-looking trunks. Chased 3 mergansers downstream. After 1.5 hrs. stopped for lunch on a gravel bank next to a tributary coming in from the north. Entering New York, steep-sided hills crowd in the waterway in its most beautiful stretch - new yellow-green growth on the hemlocks. Rest of trip is mostly punctuated with Class 1 riffles; decent water level: not too scratchy. One small ledge created some small surfing waves which some of us played in. Stopped at the Eagleville covered bridge. Some people had set up a rope swing & the kids were hooked - even a couple of us big kids gave it a try. Lots of flowers on banks - especially liked the yellow flag. Dagger Legend 16. is nice canoe for moving water, quite maneuverable & forgiving - Waygassy able to stand in bow thru small rapids! Do not like it on flatwater, tho - too slow. 14 miles, 5 hrs.
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