Diane & her team did a great job of accomodating our family on Father's Day! Our father has some physical impairments, and Diane was friendly, prepared, courteous, and made sure that we had a great (and safe!) time! Her team did everything right to ensure that our paddles, life vests, and canoes were disinfected properly, too! Thanks for a great day! We'll be back! read more

We LOVE Nashoba Paddler. From camps for our kids, to a leisurely Sunday paddle, or a full-moon tour, we've had only the best experiences here. Great boats, great river, great staff. read more

With the dog days of summer behind us and fall fast approaching we took advantage of the beautiful weather and decided to explore the Nashua and the Squannacook Rivers. Our journey began at Nashoba Paddler where we had scheduled appointment with the owner. (Note that after Labor Day you must schedule an appointment) After paying for three hours in two old town kayaks we launched into the calm waters of the Nashua River and began our journey south towards the confluence of the Nashua and Squannacook rivers. Like most New England water ways the low the water levels were very noticeable. In addition to the low water levels the river was littered with downed trees many of which jutted out into the river. If you are looking for excitement then this isn't the river for you. If you are looking for a relaxing peaceful paddle down a lazy river then check it out. There wasn't much to see along the river since it is flanked by conservation land and the Groton Town Forest with the exception of the Groton School Boathouse and a few bridges. Along the river we saw a few fish and even fewer birds. We did get a treat and saw a huge snapper turtle with a shell that probably measured a good 14 inches. Sadly I couldn't get a good picture of him since he quickly hid in the plant life at the bottom of the river. Next, we stopped at the abandoned rail bridge and climbed up to get a different perspective of the river. The bridge was still structurally sound but showing its many years of neglect. It is a testament to the old days of transportation. Just around the bend from the rail bridge was the confluence of the two rivers. The owner of Nashoba Paddler told us that if we explored the Squannacook River we would see nests (piles of river rock) built by the freshwater eels. It was interesting to see these nests and even more of a mystery of how they built them. While we didn't see any eels we certainly did see lots of their handy work. Unfortunately the Squannacook river was barely passable from the start and with the fallen trees we didn't manage to make it very far. We continued a little farther down the river until we reached the Route 2A overpass. Having travelled a little more than 3 miles and 1.5 hours down the river we decided our hunger was getting the better of us and we would head back. Our return trip was somewhat quicker since we made no stops or detours and we were travelling with the current. Overall it was a good day but I am not sure I would return. I thought that the price of 88$ for two people for 3 hours was steep for a river that lacked anything really interesting and equipment that was average at best. My kayak seat was damaged and could not be adjusted. Unfortunately I didn't discover that until we were a mile down the river. We also returned to find no one at the shop and we were left padlocks to secure the kayaks. While we expected that since she had said she may not be there we didn't like the responsibility of having to secure the kayaks and leaving the other equipment unsecured. read more

Great spot for a relaxing river trip. Everyone was friendly and did a great job setting us up with a canoe. They also offer kayaks. My fiancé and I brought our own life vests, a cooler, and the dog. There weren't a lot of people on the water, but we did spent a majority of the day paddling toward one of the 2 forests adjacent to the river. The current wasn't strong, and we were able to find a few places to get out, stretch and play with the dog. Enjoyable day! read more

Nashoba Paddler - Taking break on the river bank - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Groton, Massachusetts

We went kayaking up the Nashua and the Squanacook during the super hot & muggy heat wave in July '11... great idea! The people who work here are wonderful, friendly, helped us on our way easily. If you are coming from outside of Groton I recommend pairing a kayak/canoe trip with lunch at Filho's Cucina in downtown Groton... a very enjoyable day! read more

We could not have been more happy with our experience at Nashoba Paddler today. The staff was warm and welcoming. Later, when one of the people in our party lost her balance, they happily helped dredge us out of the river! We'll definitely be back--possibly for a full moon tour. read more

Rent a canoe or kayak and paddle along the serene Nashua River through a quiet corner of Massachusetts. Reasonable prices, boats and life vests are in good shape, helpful staff. But the star of the show is the river itself, which winds through mature forest of oaks and maples. We saw turtles, kingfishers, and great blue herons. Bring a fishing rod, 'cause the river is full of perch, bass, and sunfish, just right for fishing with kids. read more

We had a great time paddling the squanacook for a fall foliage tour. Our guides Diane and Peter were awesome, they kept us safe but also gave us some challenges along the way. Highly recommended. read more

My sister and I had a lovely afternoon canoeing the river. The water was very calm and the scenery is gorgeous, and there weren't many people on the river so it was quiet too. We were on the water for about 3 hours but easily could have done more as the rivers continued further on. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful and the rental process was fast and easy. Overall a wonderful experience, will definitely return soon! read more

We had a great experience with Nashoba Paddler. The staff were friendly and helpful, the river is beautiful, the prices are good, and the rentai procedure takes 2 minutes. We took a canoe for 3+infant and it was great. We saw lots of turtles! read more

Great experience. Nice family trip up the river and back. Rates are super reasonable. Easy river to explore and have fun.

We grabbed our lunches this morning and headed out for a day on the Nashua River. The rental was as smooth as could be and the staff very friendly. We left around 10 am and didn't get back until past 4 - plenty to see on the river. The water was calm and the river was quiet. Very enjoyable day! read more

Great, relaxing canoe ride; river is beautiful, clean, and quiet. Some nature and not many people. Staff at boathouse were very friendly and helpful. Boats in great condition. Price helps, too. Would definitely come again and recommend. read more

Great place for a kayaking beginner/first-timer. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. One of the staff provided guidance to me and my daughter on how to handle the kayak and help us get in/out the kayak. The super-duper friendly staff also gave us a map and told us where and what we could see. There was a wonderful part that we traveled to and saw many turtles. My daughter and I had a great time kayaking on the river, the water was calm and the scenery was beautiful. We had a wonderful time and will return soon. read more

Canoeists! If you can, look at the calendar for the next full moon and book a Nashoba Paddler Full Moon Canoeing Tour. My husband and I along with 10 others did this last night and it was terrific. The moon was glowing, our guides led us through the winding, quiet Nashua River, herons squawking, mink swimming nearby. We rafted together for snacks, then paddled our return with glow sticks on the canoes, lighting the way. A beaver splashed a loud goodbye... read more

Very friendly staff! The process to sign up was very easy and didn't take long at all. Great location!

Great business. We rented a canoe to take it on the Charles River for the 4th of July celebration. The team at Nashoba Paddler were really nice, friendly and helpful. read more

Staff was friendly and helpful, especially Diane, who helped get a canoe attached to the top of our car in the middle of a downpour. They provided everything with the canoe: paddles (even little ones for the kids), life jackets, pads for the kids to sit on, even an extra strap to attach the canoe to our car and a lock, since we were picking it up in the evening for early the next morning. We went up tot he Nissitissit River and had a great time. read more

River was great for seeing beaver activity. Very quiet and beautiful with calm current--easy in and out of kayak from the dock.