Overnight adventures for kids ages 9-15 on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Spend four-to-six days exploring the Northern Forest, paddling, camping, learning outdoor and leadership skills. Meet new friends, discover new talents and fall in love with the natural wonders of the Adirondack Park in New York, northern Vermont, New Hampshire’s North Country or Maine’s North Woods. A skilled and trusted set of outfitters have led Northern Forest Explorers trips for many years. Check out the list of trips below. Sign up contact the outfitter directly.

Matt Burnett Guiding

Matt Burnett Guiding will once again offer week-long team building trips this summer!

Northern Forest Explorers 101 ($400), July 13-16: An introductory experience for younger and new participants, NFE 101 will feature 3 packed days of activities on Lower St. Regis Lake in the northern Adirondacks.  Participants will build essential outdoor skills including camping, outdoor cooking, and teamwork, with opportunities for fishing, Leave-No-Trace, basic paddling, and nature identification.  We usually fit in a hike up St. Regis Mountain as well. Register 

Adventure on the Allagash FULL ($1,400), June 27 to July 6: Back by popular demand! A journey of 92 miles, this trip is intended for experienced and adventurous campers. Note that this is a longer trip than the regional NY paddles. Trout fishing, moose sighting, an abandoned logging train from over a century ago and a river with a few riffles to navigate. We’re also offering a discount off of registration to any carpool parents willing to drive paddlers to our staging area in Maine.

Rendezvous on the Raquette FULL ($700), July 20-24: The classic route leaving from Long Lake village and ending at the Crusher in Tupper Lake, 33 miles downstream. Includes opportunities for adventures in the Cold River and Northville Placid trail, pike and bass fishing, and lots of fun. For paddlers and campers of all experience levels.

Sojourn on the Saranacs ($700), Aug. 10-14: Starting at Saranac Inn, we’ll be journeying across the Saranac from Upper to Middle to Lower, then out to Osteetah and Lake Flower. We’ll take a day to hike Ampersand Mountain and do some other side trips along the way. For paddlers and campers of all experience levels.

To register for any of these trips, email or text/call 518 524 6441. Commitments and deposits due by April 1st.

There is a limited amount of scholarship money available; use the links below to apply.
Scholarship Form (Online)
Scholarship Form (PDF)

Vermont Trips

Vermont Peaks & Rivers, July 12-17: Canoeing down the Winooski River, summiting Camel’s Hump, and developing leadership skills. Ages 12-15. Intermediate skill level. Hosted by our friends at Mad River Path, this mountain adventure begins with a three-day paddle down the winding currents of the Winooski River. Students learn to negotiate the rapids and camp while respecting the water, plants, and animals. We will swim, rock climb, and study the river ecology. During the second half of the trip, we will follow the Long Trail up the ridge towards Camel’s Hump. Establishing a base camp, we will summit with light packs and take in the breathtaking views. On the way down, we will explore caves and waterfalls before returning home. Students will take on leadership responsibilities and practice mindful living in nature and community. Click here to learn more and sign up!
Scholarship Form (Online)
Scholarship Form (PDF)

Get Outside

Being outside is fun, but it’s a whole lot more! Studies show that spending time in nature improves health by lowering stress, and increasing vitamin D absorption, which helps fight certain illnesses. It increases concentration and helps kids be more active addressing obesity and depression. Kids benefit developmentally from being outside too: time spent in nature has been shown to improve creativity, problem solving and social skills. Help your kids get ahead: get them outside!

Scholarships Available

Through generous support from individual donors and grant funders, Northern Forest Canoe Trail has a limited number of partial and full scholarships available on a first-come, first-serve basis. To apply for a scholarship, fill out this form. If you would like to support our scholarship fund, make a donation and indicate that it is for Northern Forest Explorers in the Special Notes field.