Blackwater River

The Blackwater River is a 37.5 mile long river located in central New Hampshire. It is a tributary of the Contoocook River and part of the Merrimack River watershed.

The river begins at the outlet of Pleasant Lake in New London. It then flows east through the town of Wilmot into Andover, beyond which it turns south, flowing through a broadwater area known as The Bay, and dropping over rapids through the village of West Salisbury, through Boscawen, to the impoundment area of the Blackwater flood control reservoir in the town of Webster. Below the reservoir dam, the Blackwater encounters a short, intense whitewater stretch before flattening again for the final miles to the Contoocook in Hopkinton.

The streamside environment includes a meandering 8 mile stretch of the Blackwater River, an excellent canoe stream stocked with trout. Hunting, fishing, hiking, and snowmobile opportunities abound.