IRIS

Housatonic River
Current Level
Bulls Bridge Section
Early spring brings big water to the Nutmeg State at Bulls Bridge, a nearly three-mile section of the Housatonic River south of Kent. From the Staircase to Powerhouse Rapids, the bull kicks up a Class V frenzy at gauge levels above 7.0 feet. The top section, the Staircase, has been run above 7.8 feet, and the four major drops below above 8.0 feet, but runs at those levels are not recommended! It is possible to run this section at only 1.6 feet when summertime releases from Falls Village reach Bulls Bridge about seven o'clock at night. Be wary, however, of late spring and summer gauge readings from the Gaylordsville gauge; sometimes all of the water is diverted through a canal and discharged at a power plant above the gauging station.
The put-in is five miles south of Kent on Route 7. At a traffic light opposite the Bulls Bridge Inn, turn right over a canal and pass through one of Connecticut's few remaining covered bridges. The take-out is 2.25 miles south of the put-in on Route 7, at the second roadside turnout past the power plant. The Gaylordsville gauge is just past the discharge tubes on river left.
Scouting is strongly recommended at the put-in, where a network of paths lead to vantage points above the Staircase and the Funnel. Dead Horse Gulch, another channel of the Housatonic, adds considerable volume to the river just above the Funnel. Although rumored to have been paddled: at extremely low levels, the Gulch is considered un runnable.
There is no warm-up if you decide to run the Staircase, which plunges 25 feet over 200 yards through eroded kettle holes, boulders and exposed ledges. A clean run depends more upon the whims of the river gods then a well-placed paddle strokes. The set-up is on river left heading right over a five-foot, river-wide ledge. Make sure you miss a badly-pillowed pourover directly below, and an even nastier pourover ledge that resembles Little Niagara. Head back to the left after these obstacles to avoid a boulder sieve against the right bank with an ear-bracing hole just beyond. If you have made it this far, the river gods have been kind, and remember to pay homage at the end of the run! Below the covered bridge a Class III drop brings you face to face with the Funnel. Complicating the set-up for this ten-foot plunge is the outflow from Dead Horse Gulch, which often carries more volume than the main river channel. The current pushes you left, but you want to be on the right to run the only slot over the river-wide ledge. Ferry upstream against the outflow from the Gulch, then peel out, looking for the small wave train that marks the drop. Big water phenomena follow: shifting waves, holes, boiling. dies, and swirlies. A large eddy in which to collect your gear and your friends lies below on the right.
The Housatonic bends into S- Turn Rapids a half-mile below the Funnel. This river-wide ledge must be run on the left-avoiding river right at all costs-because the pourover is large enough to swallow your shuttle vehicle. Take out and scout on river left above the drop; from here both S- Turn and the Pencil Sharpener can be seen. The Pencil Sharpener is the culmination of a series of 40-foot-long wave/holes at high water and ledge/holes below 7 feet. A mean-looking, V-shaped curler lies at the bottom-so avoid being "sharpened" against the right bank. The left side of the 200-foot-wide rapid may look easier, but numerous .edges block the channel and would love to have you for lunch.
Next on the menu is Powerhouse Rapids, a ledge that meets the river in a hard-right corner one mile below the Ten Mile River confluence on the right. George's Hole lies to the left center. (Great Park and Play!!!) There is parking and you can also takeout at the Power Station, if you do not want to take out at RT 7.

There is but one more drop between you and the take-out, just below the Gaylordsville USGS gauge on river left. A sticky boulder-ledge drop lies on river left, the easier route is through the waves to the right. The take out is on the left shore at a section of pebbly beach alongside Route 7.
Bull's Bridge is the New England equivalent of the Ottawa ... the Gauley, all rolled into one.

Suitable for: Day cruising
Skill Level: Advanced, expert paddlers
Months Runnable: February through April, summer evening
releases
Interest Highlights: Whitewater, scenery, local history
Scenery: Pretty to beautiful in spots-unusually rugged for Connecticut

Runnable Water Levels: Gaylordsville gauge Minimum: 4.0'
Maximum: 8.0 feet
Hazards: Difficult drops, strainers, keeper hydraulics
Scouting: All major drops

Section: Bulls Bridge
Counties: Litchfield
USGS Quads: Kent (CT), Dover Plains (NY)

Difficulty: International Scale IV (V in high water) Average Width: 100 feet
Velocity: Fast to sluggish in spots
Gradient: 40 feet per mile (100 feet per mile maximum)

Portages: None
Rescue Index: Accessible to accessible but difficult
Source of Additional Information: Gaylordsville gauge is on the
Telemark System (203) 722-2014.
Special Notes: Gauge reading in drier months does not tell the whole story, as flows are sometimes totally diverted through a hydro canal. Discharge is above gauge. Call Clarke Outdoors in Sharon (203) 672-6365 if in doubt.

River Miles 2.75
Shuttle Miles 2.25