Body of Water: Presumpscot River, Gorham/South Windham, ME [Maine Gazetteer Map 5, E2] *Also can access Pleasan River from here! (See notes below.)
Directions (from Portland, Maine): Take Brighton Ave. (Rt. 25) through Westbrook and into Gorham. Turn Right onto Rt. 237. You will come to a small rotary/traffic circle/ intersection of Rts. 237 & 202. Stay on Rt. 237 for about a mile. You will pass Shaw Brothers gravel pit then on the right you will see a sign for Shaw Park. Drive down a short road and you will see a parking area on the right, do not park there, go through the gate and into the second parking area near the swingset.
Sign along Rt. 237
This is the first gate, go straight through.
This is the arking area:
Boat Launch: Shaw Park, drive into Shaw Park, through the gate by baseball fields and park near the swingset. You have to carry your kayak down to the water about 10 yards down a small hill. Put in next to grassy shore, rocks/gravel. (You gotta maneuver around the rocks, but it is pretty easy!)
Parking: Free. There is room for 10-12 vehicles in this parking area. If it is full, you could unload the kayak and park in the parking lot further up.
Wildlife: Turtles, turtles, and more turtles. Also Canada geese and ducks.
Notes: During the summer, starting around June 1st, there is a caretaker of the park area who stays in a camper if you have any questions. There can also be canoes and kayaks for rent here, but sometimes are being used by the Gorham Rec. Dept. If you paddle far enough up the Presumpscot River you will go under a covered bridge. I have paddled up as far as I could paddle without portaging, the current is pretty mild for most of the river. It picks up a bit after the covered bridge, but subsides. On a windy day this is a tough place to paddle. The wind usually goes against the current and can cause the water to be quite choppy. When paddling up the river, going under the railroad trestle where kids are often jumping off, there are two places on the right that go off from the river. The second turn off is the Pleasant River and goes for a long time.
Turtle!
This was taken coming back down the river, above the covered bridge.
The covered bridge!
Turtles!
I caught this guy with my own hands. He was not thrilled, but I was!
Canada goose family.
Awesome spot for canoeing too!!! Thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the info and the pictures! The pictures are beautiful! My husband and I have been to many of your destinations.Your directiond are quite helpful! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you are paddling and using my directions! Hoping to explore even more places this spring/summer!
DeleteMy name is Will Blanchard and I had an awesome time with my friend Wil Rossignol jumping off the trestle! IT WAS AWESOME!
ReplyDeletehow high up is the bridge/trustle
ReplyDeleteHmm... I am terrible at estimating the height... maybe 20 feet up?
ReplyDeleteMade it from Shaw Park upriver to Dundee Dam this past Sunday. Water was so clear, compared to other section of the Presumpscot in Westbrook. I could see trout swim by me, one so big it scared me! I also saw a big bald eagle and a few tiny turtles, like those above in the picture. With all the camps on the shore, this is indeed a great place to bring a family for a paddle. There are a couple sections that the water is swift, but overall, it feels more like paddling in a pond, than on a river.
ReplyDeleteHope to see Prescumpscot River , Little Falls small boat portage area improved , very dangerous due to steep hill and dangerous footing due to large sharp rocks . great section of river to put in and out but again dangerous footing .
ReplyDeleteThis may be a repeat but earlier i commented on the dangerous conditions at the Gorham Canel St. portage area near power house , very dangerous footing at waters edge , great section of river to put in and out but have fallen a few times . be careful , should be improved .
ReplyDeleteAs a result of the Westbrook dam removal the river water level between Malison Falls and Saccarappa Falls in Westbrook has dropped three feet or more and it appears we can no longer use the Gorham Canal St portage area . will it be relocated ?
ReplyDeleteHello. I never used the Canal Street Launch as I felt it was too steep and slippery, especially if launching solo...I always launch from Lincoln Street in Westbrook for this leg of the Presumpscot. I cannot speak to another launch... I haven't heard anything about it. Sorry.
DeleteHi there! Just discovered Shaw Park and am trying to find information on Pleasant River. Google doesn't have much to offer, but I found your blog! :) We found the turn off and went a little ways, but it was the end of the day so not far. You say it goes for a long time...what is it like? We'd like to try it, and love if you or anyone could share some information. Based on the map I looked it, it does look long, but is it a good paddle? Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteHi! I am glad you found my blog. I have not paddled wicked far into Pleasant River either. It is narrow and winds through the trees. It seems like it would go quite a ways.
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