The NFCT has constructed a new trail and stone staircase that will enhance access to the Missisquoi River.
The project was completed earlier this summer by the NFCT’s professional stewardship team and community volunteers. The access point is located off Horseshoe Road, just outside the town of Richford. The work took place in conjunction with the popular Missisquoi Paddle-Pedal, a summer tradition hosted by Richford, the Upper Missisquoi & Trout Rivers Wild & Scenic Committee (UMATR) and the NFCT.
“Every summer for the last several years, our stewardship crew identifies and implements a project that will complement the Paddle-Pedal by enhancing the infrastructure along the race course,” said Alex Delhagen, the NFCT’s assistant trail director. “The greater Richford area hosts some of the best paddling opportunities in all of Vermont, and the river’s proximity to the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail make this an incredible destination for outdoor recreation. We’re proud to do our part to make paddling more accessible in this region.”
The new staircase consists of 15 stone steps that lead users down a steep slope to the Missisquoi River. The work crew also re-routed an old, eroded path that connects the rail trail to the river, and removed extensive poison ivy from the site.
“The result of this project is safer and more environmentally sustainable access to the river,” Delhagen said. “The NFCT prioritizes accessibility for all users and we seek to continue building more resilient infrastructure on and adjacent to the canoe trail.”
This project was completed in partnership with UMATR, which secured landowner permission and provided project funding. Designated in 2014, the Missisquoi and Trout rivers are the only Wild and Scenic Rivers in the state; UMATR works to safeguard the rivers’ scenic, recreational, wildlife, historic and cultural values.
As the only dedicated water trail crew in the Northeast, the NFCT’s stewardship crew specializes in projects at the interface of land and water, including campsites, portage trails and access points. To learn more about the NFCT’s stewardship work, contact Trail Director Noah Pollock at noah@northernforestcanoetrail.org.
