Print it. Bag it. Bring it.Phones die, screens crack, and most of this water has no signal. Print this map, fold it into a zip-top bag or dry bag with your license, and you have a backup your electronics can’t give you. Every marker is numbered so you can say exactly where you are.
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Acworth Marshland Town of Acworth | Park / conservation area | 43.23067, -72.23367 | Town conservation marshland on the headwater reach. |
| 2 | Vilas Pool Dam Alstead | Dam / hazard | 43.15387, -72.34838 | Dam forming Vilas Pool on the main stem. |
| 3 | Vilas Pool Park Town of Alstead | Park / conservation area | 43.15315, -72.35485 | Town park at Vilas Pool. |
| 4 | Paper Mill Village Park Town of Alstead | Park / conservation area | 43.14979, -72.36114 | Riverside town park at Paper Mill Village. |
| 5 | USGS streamgauge - Cold River at Drewsville USGS | USGS gauge | 43.14944, -72.36167 | Flow reference for the Cold River. |
| 6 | Drewsville Village Green Walpole | Park / conservation area | 43.12777, -72.39218 | Village green at Drewsville, a short walk from the river. |
| 7 | Connecticut River Access NH Fish and Game | Access / boat ramp | 43.11632, -72.43040 | State boat access on the Connecticut River at the Cold River mouth; the take-out for a Cold River trip. |
Gauge: USGS 01154950 — COLD RIVER AT HIGH STREET, AT ALSTEAD, NH. Live flow on the web page.
Species: Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Creek Chub, Fallfish, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, White Sucker
Regulations: www.wildlife.nh.gov/laws-and-rules
Emergency: call 911 and give the number of the nearest point on this map plus its coordinates.
Alstead - the village at the gauge, the practical base for fishing the middle river.
Walpole - the town at the confluence with the Connecticut River, with food and lodging.
Keene - the regional city a short drive south, with tackle shops and full services.
Route 123 - the road following much of the valley, giving repeated access to the water.
Acworth - the upland village near the headwaters, the approach to the coldest reaches.
Connecticut River - the large river this stream feeds, offering smallmouth and a change of scale.
Ashuelot River - a neighbouring Cheshire County trout stream and a natural second day.
Spring: snowmelt and rain bring the river up hard, and once it drops into shape the trout fishing is at its best.
Summer: flows fall away and the temperature reading on the gauge decides the trip, with the upper reaches staying coldest.
Fall: cooler water and autumn rain revive the fishing, and brook trout colour up ahead of spawning.
Winter: the river runs low and ices in the slower reaches, and