The rivers of the northeast pump the hydraulics of spring. Rapids rumble. Currents race. The snows of winter transform into motion. Come witness the pulse on these seven river hikes, selected for their accessibility, ease, and rushing scenery. But be careful when you’re out there. Expect snow in northern locations through April and never underestimate the power of a river in flood.

The Penobscot
Baxter State Park, Maine
The West Branch of the Penobscot River defines the southwest border of Baxter State Park, a wild waterway tumbling over four powerful falls: Nesowadnehunk, Pockwockamus, and Big and Little Ambejackmockamus. With names like these, a hike along the river is perhaps easier done than said. Follow the Appalachian Trail as it enters the park at Abol Bridge, rambles by the river for four miles, and then turns north toward Katahdin. The main series of falls is farther upriver, but another set of cascades—Big and Little Niagara Falls— races by the trail shortly before its arrival at Daicey Pond Campground.
Distance: 7.5 miles one-way
Info: Appalachian Trail Guide, Maine, Map 1 (ATC); www.baxterstateparkauthority.com

East Fork Pemigewasset
White Mountain National Forest, NH
The East Fork of the Pemigewasset River drains the Pemigewasset Wilderness over a million melodious riffles. From the Lincoln Woods trailhead, cross the river on a large hiking suspension bridge, enjoying a top-down view of the boulder-strewn watercourse. Head north on the Lincoln Woods Trail, a wide easy-cruising path along an old railroad grade. The river hisses nearby, often visible and occasionally accessible. In 2.8 miles Franconia Brook feeds into the river. Follow the brook 0.4 mile upstream to revel in the pools, runnels, and polished granite slabs of Franconia Falls (free day-use permit required).
Distance: 6.4 miles round-trip
Info: White Mountain Guide, Map 4: Moosilauke-Kinsman (AMC Books)

Ipswich River
Bradley Palmer State Park, MA
During the early 19th century, a thriving maritime industry made northeastern Massachusetts rich. The region’s protected rivers and bays provided an ideal venue for the shipping trade, transforming the town of Salem into the nation’s wealthiest city, per capita, during the early 1800s. As the region’s main artery, the broad Ipswich River provides a murmuring reminder of the area’s water-based heyday. Explore its banks in Bradley Palmer State Park, where paths and carriage roads wind alongside the placid waterway.
Distance: 3.0 miles round-trip
Info: 978-887-5931; www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/brad.htm, www.nps.gov/esse

The Housatonic
Kent, CT
It is the longest river walk on the Appalachian Trail. For five miles the AT cruises along the Housatonic River, travelling through a floodplain of remarkable diversity. The low-elevation riparian corridor hosts an abundance of forest scenery seldom seen elsewhere on Northeast trails, including the mottled boles of sycamore, lacy leaves of silver maple, and bobbing fronds of ostrich ferns. Stewart Hollow Lean-to and Stony Brook Campsite are located midway along the hike, ideal for an easy overnight river excursion.
Distance: 3.0 miles round-trip
Info: 978-887-5931; www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/brad.htm, www.nps.gov/esse

The Hudson
Poets' Walk Romantic Landscape Park, NY
A tranquil sliver of open fields, stone walls, and mature hardwoods perches above the Hudson River. Two miles of gentle paths lead to views west over the mile-wide waterway and toward the Catskill Mountains escarpment. Laid out in 1849 by landscape architect Hans Jacob Ehlers, the 120-acre parcel was designed to illustrate the sublime in nature and has hosted such luminaries as Washington Irving and William Cullen Bryant. Myriad benches, gazebos, and rest stops continue to attract artists and nature lovers today.
Distance: 2.0 miles round-trip
Info: 845-473-4440, ext. 270; Best Day Hikes in the Catskills and Hudson Valley (AMC Books)

The Delaware
Martins Creek Preserve, PA
Come take a gander at the Foul Rift rapids. South of Belvidere, N.J., the Delaware River tumbles down a mile-long stretch of Class I-II whitewater, one of the few major navigation hazards between the Water Gap and the river’s mouth. The rapids form the centerpiece of Martins Creek Preserve, a lush 215-acre parcel owned by the PPL company along the river’s western banks. Established as a buffer for the nearby Martins Creek Power Plant, the preserve boasts four miles of trails through remarkably pristine woodlands. The 2.1-mile Scenic River Trail tours the racing watercourse and its rapids.
Distance: 4.2 miles round-trip
Info: www.pplweb.com/martins+creek+preserve/things+to+do/hiking.htm

The Potomac
Great Falls Park, MD
The thousand-foot-wide Potomac River flows calmly toward Great Falls Park. It then narrows to less than 100 feet and drops 76 feet in under a mile. The river roars over the Great Falls of the Potomac— a series of rapids and 20-foot waterfalls— and then rumbles through Mather Gorge. Trails lace the slopes, offering views over the rapids and into the chasm. See it all from the River Trail on the Virginia side, or head across the river to Maryland and follow the more challenging Billy Goat Trail as it scrambles over rocky ledges and past precipitous viewpoints.
Distance: 0.2-4.2 miles round-trip
Info: Great Falls Park, 703-285-2965, www.nps.gov/gwmp/grfa

Contributors
David Boone; Robert Buchsbaum, Author, Best Day Hikes in the White Mountains; Jed Eliades; John Hayes, Co-author, Quiet Water: New York; Megan Lisagor; Mike Manes, Trails Chair, Delaware Valley Chapter; Mark Mikolas; Jerry Monkman; Vanessa Torrado; Tamsin Venn, Author, Sea Kayaking Along the New England Coast