Paddle the Border



Spring - Sunday May 16th: from the Woodsville Community Field to the Bedell Bridge State Park. 

Fall - Sunday October 3rd: from Newbury Crossing Boat Launch to Bugbee Landing, Bradford.



A fun filled canoe and kayak paddle on the Connecticut River held twice a year, Spring and Fall. 

The paddle is followed by a cookout provided by the Wells River/Woodsville Rotary Club, with live musical entertainment and displays set up by community groups providing historical, cultural, educational, and environmental information about the Connecticut River Valley.


Our Goals for the 2010 Paddle: To increase local participation in, and appreciation of, the many recreational benefits and the rich beauty of the Connecticut River. Sponsors of this event include, NCC, Haverhill Recreation Commission, Bradford Conservation Commission, and The Lower Cohase Chamber of Commerce.

 

National Trails Day

Trails Work Day is Saturday June 5th !

Every year during National Trails Day, The Newbury Conservation Commission and the Cross Vermont Trail Association sponsor a trails workday where volunteers clean up winter blow down and cut back yearly growth along the trails of the Wells River Conservation Park. Due to some heavy spring storms, we had a lot of large trees fall on the trails in 2009. We took advantage of the situation, taking the blow down, cut it up and use for cribbing to stabilize sections of the trail. For 2010 Trails Day Work Day our goal is to get volunteers to work on the Boltonville Nature Trail area of the Wells River Conservation Park. Trail maintenance is a ongoing job and help with spring clean up is always need.

Birding with Bill

May 14th 2010 - 6:30am

This May event is led by Bill Shepard, Executive Director of the Connecticut River Birding Trails and local host, Alice Allen. The group explores the Wells River Conservation Park and is very successful in calling and identifying a large variety of birds. This is a very popular event and group size is limited so register early. For more information call Alice Allen at 802-584-4077.


Birding with Bill in Boltonville


Where would you find a Virginia Rail  a Northern Parula, a Lousiana Waterthrush and a Scarlet Tanager?  If you had been “Birding with Bill in Boltonville” during the early morning in May,  you could have seen and heard all of them plus many, many more in the Wells River Conservation Park.

Bill Shepard, of Thetford, is the executive director of the Connecticut River Birding Trail.  Bill has been leading our Spring bird walks here along the Wells River for the past nine years.  The CT River Birding Trail is not just one trail but rather a number of birding trails.  We’re fortunate to have two of these trails right here in Wells River;  The Blue Mountain Trail, behind Blue MT Union School, and the Boltonville Nature Trail.  Both trails are loop trails off the Cross Vermont Trail (formerly the Montpelier-Wells River Railroad).


We hope to see you at this year’s event, but you don’t have to wait for Birding with Bill to enjoy birding here in the Upper Valley and the Northeast Kingdom!  Right now, before the leaves are totally filled-out you can see and hear some of the most beautiful migrating songbirds as well as many of our local residents.  All you need is a pair of binoculars, some comfortable footwear (maybe some bug spray?) and patience.  Right outside your back door you’ll hear Robins and Phoebes and Chickadees, maybe a Cardinal, a Rose breasted Grosbeak and possibly an Oriole!  Goldfinches, Yellow Warblers, Ovenbirds, Wood Thrush, Red-winged Blackbirds are all right close-by to be seen and heard even while walking to your mailbox each day!


Spring is a terrific time to get out there with the kids or with your parents to take advantage of all the birds we have right here and now.  Our local libraries and bookstores have plenty of bird and nature books to help with their identities.  There are audio tapes and CDs as well to help tune-in your ear to these beautiful songs! 

 


Fall Foliage Bicycle Ride

Saturday, September 25th

This popular event is in it's 12th year and going strong. Wonderful weather, a fantastic trail, and great people make this ride a must do for young and old alike. The ride follows on the Cross Vermont Trail, covering about 20 miles starting at Kettle Pond in Groton State Forrest and ends at Blue Mt. School in Wells River. The trail follows the route of the old railroad and meanders mostly down hill, passing by Upper Valley Grill in Groton, Ally’s Market in S. Ryegate, and ending with a picnic cookout at Blue Mt. School. By going through the villages and communities from the Connecticut River in Wells River to Lake Champlain in Burlington, the CVT is tying our cultural and historical pass to our economic and environmental friendly future. Plus riding the trail is a lot of fun!