Northern Forest Canoe Trail

DDM

Si vous aimez être au contact de la nature et un brin d'aventure, la Northern Forest Canoe Trail vous propose de pagayer sur les anciennes voies navigables empruntées par les indiens.

Imagine a wilderness path from the Adirondack Plateau in New York State east through Vermont and Quebec, through New Hampshire and Maine, ending right on the Canadian border in the river town of Fort Kent. Now, imagine if you could canoe that path, all 740 miles of it.

The Native Americans used a series of rivers, streams, and lakes to travel across what is now the northeastern region of the US. We do not rely on rivers and streams for transportation anymore, but the passage remains and is navigable for anyone with a canoe and some free time.

The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) is the eponymous organization in charge of this liquid “trail.” They maintain maps of the twelve-section passage, noting the features of the waterways, topography, and the campsites encountered enroute. The trail passes through towns and undeveloped game reserves.

Just about any section of the NFCT could make a splendid short trip. Since the trail flows mostly “downriver” from Old Forge northeast to Fort Kent, most trips along the streams and rivers should end northeast of their starting point; don’t plan to paddle back. This usually means leaving someone behind who can drive to the pick-up point and fetch the paddlers.

The NFCT passes through fifty six lakes; paddle around the islands and coves, then end up right back where you started. While lakes generally don’t have currents, they often have wind; paddle through Chamberlain Lake and other large, open lakes only when the winds are calm, lest you tire yourself out going a few dozen meters.

Many of the lakes have campsites, from commercial facilities with real bathrooms and game rooms to “primitive” sites that are little more than a flat spot and a sandy beach. Depending on current, wind, and temperature, canoeists can cover fifteen miles comfortably in a day…or push a bit and cover thirty on some stretches. The campsite spacing works out very well, and the NFCT provides good information on campsite costs and policies, park use permits and other concerns along the way.

The NFCT is a young organization, and they’re still working to improve the trail’s recognition—and the amenities. With plenty of day and weekend options, and even the full 740 mile through-paddle, the trail offers a wide array of sights and experiences for paddlers of every skill and interest level.

Be careful, though; once you experience life on the water, you just might never go back to the city.

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