2020 volunteer recruitment underway

What does your generosity do?

It gives kids a life-changing experience. Our Northern Forest Explorers program gets Northern Forest youth outside and on the water. This year, we provided scholarships so kids could participate in trips with Raquette River Outfitters in New York, Northwoods Stewardship Center…

Taking care of your trail

Stewarding the Northern Forest Canoe Trail and inspiring people to paddle on its many waterways represents the heart and soul of our work — but our impact extends much further. We help stimulate local economies, create opportunities for youth to…

Dream job

I spent quite a bit of my free time last winter applying for internships. I thought I had my summer planned in Minnesota — until I found the posting for a GIS intern with the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. It…

In good company

Trailwork is teamwork. Just about every stone step I placed this summer weighs more than I do. I learned this lesson early on, after an attempt to move a stone solo deposited the rock in the opposite direction of where…

135,000 pounds

135,000 pounds. That’s my calculation of how many pounds of stone, timber, and gravel our stewardship crew and its partners moved, installed, and fretted over this summer.  Physics tells us that work is “a measure of energy transfer that occurs…

Grateful for landowners who support public access

Some of the best outdoor adventures rely on the right mix of public and private lands. The board and staff of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail are eternally grateful to our landowner partners in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New…

Vermont welcomes input on outdoor recreation planning

The Northern Forest Canoe Trail urges its partners to participate in the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation’s online surveys to gather input on the next Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). An open host will be held Tuesday,…

Relying on determination, support and humor

My forearms were burning as I swung the double-jack down on the rebar. We were nearing the end of a 10- hour day on the Missisquoi River in northern Vermont. It was our second week of training in early June,…

A waterway work trip at Raquette Falls

In 2011 I was searching “Google” and discovered the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, and immediately I was enamored. I spent several days reading about the organization and decided to become a member. Seriously what could be better: a 740 mile…