The Upper Millers is a long and scenic run that contains plenty of class II-III action, popular with open boaters and anyone else who enjoys catching lots of eddies. It is a slight step up from the Fife Brook section of the Deerfield. Note that if you do get into trouble on it for some reason, this stretch is rather remote by Massachusetts standards; once you put on in South Royalston, you must go the whole 7-mile distance to Athol.
Paddlers park at the take-out on the north side of Crescent St in Athol; there isn't much room here, so be courteous to the neighbors. From the take-out, follow Chestnut Hill Ave north to Royalston and hang a right on Route 68 to South Royalston. Don't miss the turn - the sign faces the wrong way when you come up from the south.
At the put-in, park along the south side of Blossom St. in South Royalston, between the river gauge and the parking spaces by the (closed) King Street bridge. These spaces used to belong to a restaurant that frowned on boaters parking in them, but the restaurant burned down in 2018; no word yet on whether the spaces are now up for grabs.
Some people hike upstream to run the broken dam under the King St. bridge, while other people put in below. Either way, some busy III action follows until the first railroad bridge, where there is a big wave train with great access from a river-right eddy.
Many more II and III drops follow on the way down to Athol. After the second railroad bridge there is a double drop that features a couple of larger waves (that can be bypassed on river right) and further down there is a III stretch with a more gorge-like character.
Take out under the power lines and be advised that you must complete a somewhat arduous trek over sand and gravel slopes to reach the gate at the end of Crescent St.
Click the Flow Info tab for gauge info. There is a new guage for this section.
## Directions
### Put in
The put in is located in South Royalston, MA
From route 2, take the route 202 North exit. It is the last exit before the divided highway ends.
Stay on route 202 North until you reach route 68. There will be a sign on the left that says BIRCH HILL DAM 4 MILES. Go that way.
Once you cross the river, go left with the road and immediately park on the left between an unused bridge and a restaurant.
People from western NH can take 202 from the north side.
At the putin there also appears to be a parking area on river left above the Rt 68 bridge which could be used if you wanted to run the broken dam which is just upstream of the putin below the restaraunt.
### Intermediate Take-out
There is a take-out half-way down the run, a short distance below Mile Long Rapid. It's hidden in the woods with a public access parking lot and path to the river; behind and next to a red house along river right. To reach it from the put-in and the center-of-town; follow Route 68 north for about 1/4 mile; bear left onto Prospect Street; go about 1/10th mile, turn left onto Gulf Road. Follow Gulf Road for 1-3/4 miles (it turns to dirt about half-way); then left onto Bearsden Road and into the parking lot. (Note: Very few of these roads are marked.)
### Take out
Take Chestnut Hill rd all the way north to 68, then back south on 68. Chestnut hill meets 68 at an acute angle in a little village with a typical new england church and common area. The alternate approach which might be worth mentioning is to go South from putin on 68 to 202 south to 2A west to 32 north in Athol. Almost as soon as you get on 32 you cross the river and keep bearing right. First onto Chestnut hill rd. and then almost immediately onto Cresent which is a dead end side road. Go up to the end of Cresent were an iron gate blocks auto access to a park area. A dirt road/path leads to the river and takeout.
### Shuttle Directions
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