From mountainous, forest lakes to meandering, pastoral rivers to the friendly, historic villages that dot these landscapes—the Northern Forest Canoe Trail has it all.
Since its inception in 2000, it has remained the longest inland water trail in North America, linking the waterways of New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire and Maine, inviting paddlers from all walks of life.
“A 67-year-old retired truck driver paddled the entire trail last summer, a family from Northern Vermont is paddling the trail in sections and many people use it for day trips to week-long excursions, or for angling and birding,” says Kate Williams, the trail’s Executive Director. Williams, who has paddled a large portion of the water trail’s 1,190-kilometre length—much of it with her two young kids, shares her favourite weekend excursions.
Long Lake to Axton Landing • New York
Panoramic vistas of faraway summits and a stunning picnic lunch view of 80-foot Racket Falls highlight the wildest section of canoe trail in New York. “This route provides a nice combination of lake and river paddling,” says Williams. Plenty of campsites and lean-tos are available. Bring your rod to enjoy excellent bass, pike and walleye fishing.
Northeast Kingdom • Vermont
“For families with diverse interests, the Northeast Kingdom paddle and pedal itinerary is ideal,” says Williams. Spend a full day meandering through a bucolic landscape on the Clide River and canoe through a rare wetland complex. The following day, head to the village of East Burke to mountain bike or hike part of the 110-mile trail complex at Kingdom Trails—recently voted North America’s best trail network by BIKE magazine readers.
Lake Memphremagog • Quebec/Vermont
Finger-shaped Lake Memphremagog extends 43 kilometres along the Quebec/Vermont border. Nestled among steep mountains, Williams says the glacial lake offers “excellent birding opportunities in the South Bay
Wildlife Management Area.” Local lore has it that the deep lake also harbours a 30-foot sea serpent named Memphre. Over 200 alleged sightings exist, dating from the 1800s to most recently in 2003.
Connecticut River • Vermont/New Hampshire
Enjoy a leisure float down the agricultural valley of the Connecticut River—the longest in New England. “It’s definitely one of my favourites,” says Williams. “It’s a big, wide river with no portaging, excellent camping and a rich history.” Paddle under an antique railroad trestle, watch for osprey and eagles and swim at one of the many sand beaches from Bloomfield to Groveton.
Flagstaff Lake • Maine
“Flagstaff Lake provides a neat blend of recreation and history,” says Williams. Villages that were submersed by the Long Falls Dam in 1949 have been mapped out by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. “With our GPS coordinates or brochure,” she adds, “you can paddle over and know the exact location of the old school house and many farms.” Overnight options range from huts to luxurious bed and breakfasts.
Learn more about the Northern Forest Canoe Trail here: http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org
This article first appeared in Canoeroots and Family Camping, Summer/Fall 2010 issue. For more expert tips, download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
