Contoocook River
The Contoocook River is a river in New Hampshire. It flows from Pool Pond and Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/Rindge border to Penacook, where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire that flow in a predominantly northward direction. Three covered bridges span the river, one in the village of Contoocook in the town of Hopkinton, one in the town of Henniker, and a third on the Hancock-Greenfield line. Residents and tourists have made the Contoocook popular for fishing and whitewater boating.
The name Contoocook came from the Pennacook tribe of Native Americans and perhaps means "place of the river near pines." Other variations of the name include the Abenaki meaning "nut trees river" or Natick language meaning "small plantation at the river."
The river gives its name to Contoocook, New Hampshire, a census-designated place within the town of Hopkinton.Principal tributaries
From south to north:
