Packers Falls is a Class I–II(III) rapid on the Lamprey River in Durham, Strafford County, New Hampshire, where the river drops about 7 feet over a ledge and rock garden beside the Packers Falls Road bridge. The town owns the riverbanks here as a small park.
The falls
The height is listed at 7 feet: a minor set of rapids that falls less than 10 feet over roughly 240 feet, rather than a true waterfall. A six-foot upper ledge is followed by a rock garden and a pool, forming a 0.25-mile park-and-play reach with the put-in and take-out at opposite ends. The recommended range is 250 to 2,400 cfs on the Lamprey River Near Newmarket, NH gauge, which sits downstream with few sizeable tributaries in between.
Getting there
The Packers Falls Bridge Site covers both banks beside Bennett Road and Packers Falls Road. Limited parking is available off either road, with a 0.4-mile trail and canoe access. Durham keeps the property open from dawn to dusk and bans camping, fires, hunting, fireworks, horses and motor vehicles.
When to go
Spring brings Class III rapids, and in summer it is a spot for a dip. High spring runoff can bring ice chunks and an ice shelf.
On site
Paddlers in May 2024 reported strainers downstream of the rapid; check for new wood before running it. Summer swimming is noted at the site.
History and name
A 2021 town history note ties the name to Thomas Packer's mill rights on the river and records it in Durham documents as early as 1750.
Nearby
Hayes Falls on the Cocheco River is about 7.5 miles away, Crawley Falls on the Exeter River about 10.6 miles and Husseys Falls on the Cocheco about 11.6 miles. Newmarket is about 1.6 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.