Voices from the Trail
Archives: Map Sections
Map Sections
Section 12
Paddlers today following this most remote section of the Trail will experience the vast stretches of forested shoreline that sustained the Abenaki for centuries, the interconnected waters that inspired Thoreau, and rusting relics from the days of log drives. This…
Section 11
This section is characterized by dramatic features and a rich history. Moosehead Lake is the largest lake in Maine, boasting the striking Mt. Kineo. Thoreau traveled this section of the NFCT, writing of his trip in the posthumously published “The…
Section 10
This section includes the Spencer Stream watershed and the Moose River through its outlet in Moosehead Lake. A segment of the Moose River and Attean Pond are part of historic “Moose River Bow Trip” in which paddlers travel in a…
Section 9
The shallow waters of Flagstaff Lake cover three frontier communities that were flooded in Maine’s quest for reliable water flow to generate electricity for the state. The Bigelow Preserve borders the lake, its 36,000 acres of undeveloped, protected ridgeline towering…
Section 8
Traditionally traveled from east to west. This section is characterized by a connected series of large lakes (Rangeley, Mooselookmeguntic, the Richardsons, and Umbagog) and lots of undeveloped, conserved land and sensitive wildlife habitat. The section includes the 4,100 acre Lake…
Section 7
This section travels three rivers: the Connecticut, the Upper Ammonoosuc and Androscoggin. The route passes through the Great North Woods on the northern edge of the highest mountains in the northeast — the Presidential Range of the White Mountains. Birding…
Section 6
This section crosses Lake Memphremagog (beginning in Québec) and follows the Clyde and Nulhegan Rivers to the Connecticut River. The Northeast Kingdom is a high, cold, corner of Vermont whose granite hills remain sparsely settled. The Clyde River wetlands support…
Section 5
This section of Trail includes the Missisquoi River, the North Branch of the Missisquoi, and the Grand Portage between Lake Memphremagog and the Missisquoi watershed. These waterways and the Grand Portage were historically used by the Abenaki, as well as…
Section 4
The Missisquoi River from Enosburg Falls to Swanton is wide and sometimes slow, sometimes swift. Rapids are intermittent and range in difficulty depending on the water level, but at most water levels are Class I-II. Below Swanton, the river is…
Section 3
This section is characterized by varied river travel (often challenging), passing through some ponds on the upper stretch and dropping through rapids to the Lake. The flora and fauna change as the elevation drops and the landscape changes. The river…