River guideConnecticut
Farmington River
Choose the Riverton–People’s Forest reach, the People’s Forest–Route 181/318 reach, or the combined run. The selector keeps all three choices together so you can compare endpoints and shuttle needs on one guide.
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End of mapRiver overview
Farmington River paddle planning
What to verify before you commit.
Water levels
These Farmington River routes use West Branch Farmington River at Riverton, CT as the main gauge reference.
Route options
Three trip options cover the two adjoining access legs and their combined run. Retired Lake McDonough combinations now lead to the separate reservoir access explanation below.
Difficulty
Farmington River routes here are marked moderate, so choose the stretch that fits your group and conditions.
Farmington River Coordinating Committee and local access guidance
Upper West Branch access and nearby reservoir
Access-point numbers differ between the current FRCC map and the older Riverton guide; use the place names when staging.
Three river accesses, two adjoining reaches
The selectable runs connect the Route 20 parking lot in Riverton, People’s State Forest, and the Route 181/318 bridge in Pleasant Valley. The forest is an intermediate access on the combined trip, so it can serve as an earlier take-out if conditions or timing change.
Lake McDonough is a separate reservoir paddle
Do not use the lake launch as the take-out for a downriver Farmington trip. The MDC permits canoe and kayak launching with a day-boat fee, but prohibits leaving a boat along the shoreline except at the launch area. Plan it as a separate reservoir outing.
Compare the FRCC Hartland–New Hartford access map with the Town of Riverton canoeing guidance. For the separate reservoir, check the MDC Lake McDonough launch rules and fees. Use the USGS Riverton gauge for the upper West Branch and verify its live trend and current notices before launch.
Quick answers
Farmington River paddling FAQ
Where can I paddle the Farmington River?
Choose among the upper West Branch reaches between the Route 20 Riverton access, People’s State Forest, and the Route 181/318 bridge. Lake McDonough is a separate reservoir launch, not a river take-out.
How should I check Farmington River water levels?
Use USGS 01186000 at Riverton for these upper West Branch trips. Riverton’s 250 cfs minimum and 360–980 cfs optimum for downriver canoeing are community planning cues for this corridor, not safety guarantees or guidance for the lower Farmington. Check the live trend, release notices, weather, and access before launch.
Which Farmington River route is best today?
Compare current scores where available, along with water level, recent trend, weather, access, and route difficulty. Planning-only cards provide trip information without a live paddling recommendation.