A Note to All Tubers:
Most tubers float from the Zoar Picnic Area to the Route 2 Shunpike Rest Area. However, parking is limited and parking restrictions are strictly enforced. Unfortunately, public restroom facilities vary from few to none. While the rapids are straightforward, it is important to realize that you are on whitewater where there are both obvious and less obvious hazards. Among these hazards are trees in or on the side of the river, known as strainers, rocks, and shallow fastwater stretches where foot entrapment is a real, and very tragic possibility.
For these reasons, you might consider going with a commercial tubing outfitter, ESPECIALLY if you have never been down this river before. While people use lots of different inflatable craft on the Deerfield, all inflatables are not equally suitable. If you're on an inflatable river craft, make sure it has more than one air chamber and is designed to withstand the rough treatment a river, including its rocks and tree branches, can dish out. Pool toy floats are not suitable for this river. Period. They are unstable, damage easily, and can leave you stranded a very long way from your vehicle. Wear a life jacket or PFD because, no matter how strong a swimmer you are, you are no match for even an easy rapid unless you are wearing your life jacket.
This is not a gentle river. Never-Never-Never float through Zoar Gap Canyon with a tube. Zoar Gap, the obvious large rapid located just upstream of the Zoar picnic area and river bridge, is significantly more difficult and dangerous than the rest of the run. Put in below it, unless you are a trained whitewater boater.
Most tubers float from the Zoar Picnic Area to the Route 2 Shunpike Rest Area. However, parking is limited and parking restrictions are strictly enforced. Unfortunately, public restroom facilities vary from few to none. The river is also a bit tricky to follow, has pointed rocks and branches, and is fast moving. For these reasons, you might consider going with a commercial tubing outfitter, ESPECIALLY if you have never been down this river before. Pool toy floats are not suitable for this river. Period. They are unstable, damage easily, and can leave you stranded a very long way from your vehicle. It is recommended that everyone wear life jackets. This is not a gentle river. Never-Never-Never float through Zoar Canyon with a tube.
Great Outdoors Safety page is an excellent website to visit for their safety requirements and town requirements.
Click here for several excellent whitewater safety videos from American Whitewater.
Here is a Google map from the Zoar Picnic Area to the Route 2 Shunpike Rest Area. On the map, if you click on the blue teardrops with the white dots, you can learn about each major set of rapids you will encounter.
Where to Float (Kayaks, Rafts, Tubes):
Fife Brook to Shunpike Parking Area
Click here to check current water levels for this section of the river.
There are several sections of the Deerfield that are popular with floaters. The most popular section of river for rafts and kayakers is from the Fife Brook Dam in Florida, MA to the Shunpike Parking Area in Charlemont, which is just downstream of where Rt. 2 crosses the Deerfield River. Click here for a description of this section from the Fife Brook Dam to Zoar Gap. [Credit to Zoar Outdoor]
This section is full of mainly class I and II rapids that can be navigated by experienced paddlers and tubers. Be aware that, above the Zoar Gap Picnic Area, Zoar Gap rapid is class III and significantly more difficult than anything else on this section. Only experienced kayakers, canoeists or rafters should run Zoar Gap. Open boats and tubes should AVOID THIS SECTION and use the portage here and put in below the bridge.
The Dryway
For those looking for a more exciting ride, the section of river above Fife Brook starting below Sherman Dam in Monroe offers excellent class III-IV whitewater on a section of river called the Dryway. It is called the Dryway because a hydropower canal diverts most of the water around this section of river, except on designated release days. Click here to learn more about the Dryway. [Credit to Zoar Outdoor]
Downstream of Shelburne Falls
Downstream of Shelburne Falls, the river enters a steep gorge, where few roads and limited development make the river hard to access, but afford a true wilderness experience. Many tubers and canoeists put in at Bardwell Ferry Bridge. In addition to the main stem of the Deerfield River, several tributaries offer exciting creek boating when there are high flows. Be aware that escape from the river to a public road and help is very limited along this stretch.
FYI - The Waterline website provides water release information for many river dams throughout the United States, other than Fife Brook.
When to Float
Avoid the crowds! Hot summer weekends can be extremely crowded on the Deerfield River and parking can be very limited. And yet, Fridays, and especially Thursdays, can be very uncrowded and typically with plenty of parking. And, don't forget too about those Wednesdays when there are flow releases.
Daily information on water releases from Fife Brook Dam is available here. This will tell you when the water release is planned to start from the dam. The water release moves downstream from the dam at approximately 3 miles per hour, so, depending on where you plan to start a trip, you'll need to calculate when the water will arrive at your put in point and add an hour in order to avoid getting ahead of the release.
Here are the annual release schedules with flow arrival times to various points on the river.
[Credit to: Zoar Outdoor]
FYI - The Waterline website provides water release information for many river dams throughout the United States, other than Fife Brook.
Guide Services
Several guide services offer boating as well as tubing services. Zoar Outdoor is a full service river boating company that offers kayaking and rafting experiences. Berkshire Whitewater and Crabapple offer daily rafting trips in the summer. Deerfield River Portage will provide tubes and transport to facilitate a tubing trip below Bardwell's Ferry Bridge in the Town of Conway to the Town of Deerfield. Other tube rental companies include The Great Outdoors and Hyytinen Hollow in Charlemont.
River Etiquette
The Deerfield is an amazing resource, and floating down the river on a hot summer day is about as close to pure bliss as you're likely to find. DRWA encourages all river users to do so safely and respectfully. Here are some guidelines to ensure that we are all using the river responsibly:
Always wear a PFD when floating down the river
Alcoholic beverages are illegal on the river. The river is actively patrolled by Town of Charlemont Police and they are looking for illegal, alcoholic beverages. Wait until you are done floating to enjoy a beverage - the river is so beautiful, you don't need anything else to enhance the experience
Have a plan to manage your litter. There are several vendors in Charlemont who can rent you a dry-bag to keep your lunch in and garbage for when you're done eating.
Use the restroom at the put-in, if there is one. Not all put-ins have port-a-potty sanitary facilities. Fife Brook and Zoar Picnic Area both have limited sanitary facilities, although they can be full to overflowing and unusable on busy weekends. Respect private property. DRWA is advocating to have sanitary facilities installed at the Shunpike Rest Area on Rt 2 in Charlemont as well.
When boating or tubing in the vicinity of folks fishing, please share the river - limit splashing and noise so as to minimize scaring fish or disturbing the contemplative nature of fishing.
Click here for additional information and photos of floating the Deerfield.
Additional resources for whitewater boating:
Click here for additional information about paddling different sections of the Deerfield River and its tributaries.
Click here for a short video on kayaking the Upper Deerfield River.
Click here for for several excellent whitewater safety videos from American Whitewater.