More about the
Northern Forest Canoe Trail
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) is a long-distance paddling trail connecting the major watersheds across the Adirondacks and Northern New England. It begins at Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company’s dock and travels 740 miles across New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine. The Trail links communities and wild places, offering canoeists and kayakers a lifetime of paddling destinations and adventures.
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a long-distance paddling trail connecting the major watersheds across the Adirondacks and Northern New England. In the 740-mile traverse across New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine, the Trail links communities and wild places, offering canoeists and kayakers a lifetime of paddling destinations and adventures.
Trail Facts:
- Rivers and Streams: 22
- Lakes and Ponds: 56
- Carries or Portages: 62, totaling 55 miles.
- Skills Needed: Novice to expert, canoes and kayaks welcome. The route includes flat and whitewater paddling, poling, lining, portaging.
- National Wildlife Refuges: 3
- Communities: 45
- Flow of the Trail: Downstream and upstream. Water levels fluctuate due to spring runoff, drought, and dam releases.
- Direction to Paddle: All sectional maps describe waterways in downstream direction. Sectional and destination paddlers typically choose to paddle downstream. Through paddlers should paddle west to east to minimize upstream paddling.
- Lodging options: From primitive campsites, to lovely inns, with overnight options roughly every 15 miles.
- Landscape: Passing through hills and mountains, forests, farmlands and village centers.
Trail History:
The idea for the Northern Forest Canoe Trail was brought to life in the 1990’s when Mike Krepner, Ron Canter, and Randy Mardres of Native Trails, Inc. researched the traditional east-west water routes used by Native Americans and early settlers in the Northern Forest Region, from the Adirondacks to Northern Maine. In 2000, Kay Henry and Rob Center - former principals of Mad River Canoe Company incorporated the Northern Forest Canoe Trail organization as a way to translate this research into a recreational, community, and regional resource.
(Portions republished courtesy of courtesy NorthernForestCanoeTrail.org.)
