Lamoille, North Branch

Belvedere Junction to Waterville

Reach banner
DifficultyIV
Length12 mi
Avg Gradientn/a
GaugeLamoille River at Johnson, Vt
Flow Rate as of 1 hour
3450 cfsIV-V(V+)high runnable
Reach Info Last UpdatedJuly 27, 2023

River Description

North Branch Lamoille

This is a great high water run, which can be run by a class-3 group by selectively choosing which rapids to avoid depending on the level.  There are many put in and take out options along this run so go to Montgomery Rd and check the guage on river right under the covered bridge.  At low water it is common to put in at the Elementary School, park to the right and walk across the field along the side.   You can run down through to the gauge bridge or down to the Waterville ledges.  Know that the Waterville Ledges do not go well at very low flows.  Alternatively if flows are 2.75 or higher you can put in at The Bog which is beautiful wilderness class III-IV+ (IV-V at 5ft)

NBL Gorge

The gorge section by the school is the better section when flows are super low.   Other options to put in if the water is over 2.5 you can keep going up.   Just above the bridge on Back Road, there is a good class-4 fall. Go either left or right depending on level, and trees. After this fall, it is mainly calm water, until some nice class-3 ledges just above the 109 Bridge.  After a fair bit more flatwater, you pass the school on river right. Shortly after this, is a continuous class-3 section, which runs for about 1 km. This ends at a covered bridge. Just after the covered bridge is another class-3 ledge, and some good playspots. This is also a good alternative takeout.

Wateville Ledges (IV-V)

Passing under the Route 109 for the last time brings you to the Ledges. These are a fantastic series of drops and slides. There are a couple of sticky holes, and a small amount of rebar in the river, so scout carefully. Towards the bottom, there are a couple of slightly unercut drops. The river splits around an island towards the bottom also. Take the right hand channel for the best whitewater, although the left channel can be fun if you avoid the entry sieve. Scouting and protection is easy, as rocky ledges run all the way down the ledges on riv

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River Features

Bog Road Put-in

Distance: 0 mi

Black Road Put-in

Distance: 6.3 mi

NBL Gorge

Class: IIIDistance: 8.64 mi
Rapid
NBL Gorge

Waterville Ledges

Class: IV+Distance: 11.15 mi
Waterfall / Large Drop
Rapid

Take-out

Distance: 11.6 mi
Take Out

SM
Steven Melamed

Apr 15, 2020


This is not really a good gauge to be using. Check out flow of the Lamoille at Johnson (USGS gauge 04292000 - https://waterdata.usgs.gov/vt/nwis/uv?site\_no=04292000) and word on street is that the N.B. is probably flowing if it is 1000cfs and rising or 2000cfs and falling.

SG
Scott Gilbert

Jul 21, 2008


right after Grayson smacked his head off the log