Boquet River

The Boquet River is a short stream, yet an important player in the iron history of the region. Shallow draft vessels called lighters were used to transport iron ore downstream to the Boquet River Falls. Bloom iron (slag-riddled iron castings) was then taken down the river to the canal boats.

In later years, the river was used to run pulp logs. The ones that were not used by the Willsboro Pulp Mill were collected in a large boom and carried to other local mills. A giant chain hoist on the north side of the river mouth, on property now part of Flat Rock, was used to lift up the floating logs and slide them onto a canal boat.

The mouth of the Boquet River is an ideal location to view wildlife, such as gulls, cormorants, and other waterfowl.

Insider Tip from Paddlers Cathy Frank and Margaret Holden: “The Bouquet offers a series of varied terrain from steeply wooded banks, to floodplain forest, to inviting beach framing the mouth.”