New Hampshire whitewater, Merrimack River Merrimack county, Franklin to Penacook section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS I     18 miles   If you're coming from Concord it's not a long drive at all to the put-in location, as you can see on the road map further down. The Franklin to Penacook stretch of Merrimack River in Merrimack County is 18 miles long and is rated by American Whitewater as a class I section. Getting some good exercise and just hanging out with mother nature have people coming from far and near. The average New Hampshire whitewater rafting or kayaking river     tends to be harder to run than those in other states, so keep in mind that many of the sections here are not safe for beginners. If you're a camper you can camp at one of the great campgrounds nearby. There aren’t any hotels right nearby but if you're willing to drive a short distance then no problem but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way around here you'll find a large number of good spots. This stretch has enough mileage for an overnight trip, so why not pack your sleeping bag too. There are a few other stretches in this river system that can be paddled   as well. The natural beauty of Merrimack County and the cool fresh water beats anything. Briefly about the general area: Merrimack River State Forest is a wonderful forest area in the vicinity of Merrimack River, and you're sure to encounter some nice people from Canterbury here. Merrimack River is a good site of normal rain. For the duration of May this area sees the most rain, and the driest of the months is January. Summertime highs at Merrimack River usually tend to be in the 80's, and the nighttime is a little colder of course, mostly in the 50's. All through the wintertime the highs are regularly in the 20's while Merrimack River night low temperatures during the wintertime are in the 0's. Merrimack River, Franklin to Penacook road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Merrimack River.   Whitewater Near Merrimack River: Winnipesaukee River, Belknap / Merrimack County, 4 miles away       Class III-IV - 1.25 miles long (Cross Mill bridge road to Franklin) Merrimack River, Merrimack County, 4 miles away       Class I - 18 miles long (Franklin to Penacook) Winnipesaukee River, Belknap County, 6 miles away       Class I-II - 2.1 miles long (Upper) Blackwater River, Merrimack County, 6 miles away       Class II-IV - 2.5 miles long (Route 127 to Snyder's Mill) Pemigewasset River, Grafton/ Belknap County, 14 miles away       Class II(III) - 1.6 miles long (Ayers Island dam to Coolidge) Newfound River River, Grafton County, 15 miles away       Class II-III - 1.5 miles long (Newfound lake to Bristol) Smith River, Merrimack / Grafton County, 16 miles away       Class IV - 1.75 miles long (Route 104 to Bristol) Piscataquog River, Hillsborough County, 18 miles away       Class II - 2.4 miles long (Goffstown) Contoocook River, Hillsborough County, 18 miles away       Class II(III) - 2 miles long (Henniker) Contoocook River, Hillsborough County, 20 miles away       Class III-IV - 3 miles long (Hillsborough to Henniker)   Ski Areas Near Merrimack River: Pats Peak, New Hampshire , 16 miles away, 710 foot drop, 8 lifts, 21 runs Ragged Mountain, New Hampshire , 16 miles away, 1250 foot drop, 5 lifts, 45 runs Gunstock, New Hampshire , 20 miles away, 1400 foot drop, 8 lifts, 45 runs Tenney Mountain, New Hampshire , 22 miles away, 1400 foot drop, 4 lifts, 48 runs McIntyre, New Hampshire , 22 miles away, 300 foot drop, 5 lifts, 11 runs Crotched Mountain, New Hampshire , 25 miles away, 875 foot drop, 5 lifts, 23 runs Abenaki, New Hampshire , 30 miles away, 100 foot drop, 2 lifts, 6 runs Waterville Valley, New Hampshire , 31 miles away, 2020 foot drop, 11 lifts, 52 runs Mount Sunapee, New Hampshire , 32 miles away, 1510 foot drop, 10 lifts, 62 runs Loon Mountain, New Hampshire , 35 miles away, 2100 foot drop, 10 lifts, 45 runs   Marinas Near Merrimack River: Jay's Marina, Tilton , 10 miles away Lakeport Landing, Laconia , 14 miles away Thurston's Marina, Laconia , 17 miles away Meredith Marina, Meredith , 17 miles away Paugus Bay Marina, Meredith , 17 miles away   Beaches Near Merrimack River: Endicott Park Beach, Belknap , 17 miles away Gilford Beach, Belknap , 19 miles away   Hotels Near Merrimack River: Super 8 Tilton/Lake Winnipesaukee, Tilton , 6 miles away Holiday Inn Express & Suites TILTON - LAKES REGION, Tilton , 6 miles away Hampton Inn - Suites Tilton, Tilton , 7 miles away Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Tilton, Tilton , 8 miles away Travelodge Tilton/Lake Winnisquam, Tilton , 9 miles away   Campgrounds Near Merrimack River: Thousand Aces Family Campground, Franklin, 3 miles away Pine Grove Campground, Franklin, 5 miles away Cold Brook Campground, Webster, 8 miles away   Trails Near Merrimack River: Wilmot Trail, Merrimack , 17 miles away Onemile Trail, Merrimack , 20 miles away Old Country Road, Hillsborough , 20 miles away   Public Lands Near Merrimack River: Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Boston - MA , 64 miles away Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Woonsocket - RI , 69 miles away Rollins State Park, New Hampshire , 16 miles away Winslow State Park, New Hampshire , 17 miles away Wellington State Beach, New Hampshire , 18 miles away   Golf Courses Near Merrimack River: Canterbury Woods Country Club, Canterbury , 2 miles away Mojalaki Golf Club, Franklin , 4 miles away Beaver Meadow Golf Course, Concord , 7 miles away   Lakes Near Merrimack River Pillsbury Lake, Merrimack , 6 miles away Webster Lake, Merrimack , 7 miles away Lake Winnisquam, Belknap , 8 miles away