Voices from the Trail

Winding Through the Raquette River Oxbow

Some of the best paddling in the Adirondacks can be found in Tupper Lake, and the oxbow of the Raquette River headlines a long list of beautiful, accessible trips for paddlers of all skill levels. A river’s oxbow is a…

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A Fall Cruise on the Saranac

For paddlers looking for a fun downstream paddle, the Saranac River offers a ton of options, from short jaunts to multi-day camping trips. The Saranac is my second favorite place to paddle. (With all due respect to my hometown river,…

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Moose Pond: Maximum Views, Minimal Work

For anyone looking for an easy, accessible paddle just off the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Moose Pond is a must. This fall, my wife and I went for a post-work paddle on Moose, bringing our dog Zee along for the…

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Spencer Lake and Down Spencer Stream

Through-Paddlers like to call Little Spencer the stream from hell. I can imagine fighting up this persistent little river could be pretty demoralizing, but paddling it with the current is a treat! In early spring or after a heavy rain,…

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‘Round the Mountain Anytime

I was in Saranac Lake last spring preparing to host 100 plus people in the ‘Round the Mountain Canoe & Kayak Race. I only had one bit of anxiety: I had never paddled the course! Being in charge of that…

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Best of 2022: A Beautiful Birthday Paddle

The NFCT’s Best of 2022 series features short stories from staff, board members and friends highlighting their favorite paddles of the year, both on and off the canoe trail. If you have a favorite trip to share on our blog…

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Best of 2022: Escape from New York

The NFCT’s Best of 2022 series features short stories from staff, board members and friends highlighting their favorite paddles of the year, both on and off the canoe trail. If you have a favorite trip to share on our blog…

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A Springtime Paddle Through the Trees

Maybe it’s the backcountry skier in me, but there’s something about weaving in and out of trees that will never get old — and maybe that’s why I always mark the transition from winter to spring with a paddle upstream…

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Aaren Harris: Navigating the NFCT with FarOut

My husband, Chris, my son, Rewan, and I began section paddling the Northern Forest Canoe Trail in June of 2018, when Rew had just turned 4. We knew we wanted to do a long canoe adventure and Rew had grown…

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High Water on the South Branch of the Dead River

(Editor’s Note: This trip took place on May 20 and 21, 2019) My alarm sounded at 5:30 am, and I immediately checked the weather forecast. Pouring rain, high winds, lightning and hail in varying measure over the next 48 hours…

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