For Immediate Release
September 9, 2010
Contact: Kate Williams, Executive Director
Northern Forest Canoe Trail
802-496-2285 or kate@northernforestcanoetrail.org
WAITSFIELD, Vt. – The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) passes through some of the northeast’s favorite destinations for fall foliage viewing and fall harvest fun.
The 740-mile recreational trail has 13 mapped sections for canoeists and kayakers, and connects lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and portage trails between Old Forge, N.Y., and Fort Kent, Maine. Paddlers have spectacular views of turning foliage on waterways like New York’s Saranac Lakes, Vermont’s Missisquoi River, the Androscoggin River in New Hampshire, and Moosehead Lake in Maine from mid-September to mid-October.
The Upper, Middle and Lower Saranac Lakes offer views of the colorful foliage on the High Peaks of the Adirondacks to the south, and Boot Bay Mountain to the north. Pitch a tent at the Saranac Lake Islands Campground or stay at an inn or bed and breakfast in the village of Saranac Lake.
For a flatwater New York river paddle with no portages, try the 10-mile trip from Picketts Corners to Cadyville Beach in the town of Cadyville on the Saranac River.
The NFCT follows the Missisquoi River from the Canadian border to Lake Champlain in northwest Vermont. Enjoy an autumn paddle through rolling farmland from Highgate Falls to Swanton, or paddle from Swanton into the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge – breeding grounds for many of the wading and migratory birds seen on Lake Champlain. Use the "Missisquoi Wildlife Wonders" one-day itinerary as a guide for exploring the refuge.
Newport, Vermont, is a starting point for exploring the trail in the Northeast Kingdom. The city is the southern port on Lake Memphremagog and the largest shopping area in the region. The winding Clyde River flows into the lake from the east. Drive to the village of Lake Salem for a day paddle on Little Salem Pond and Salem Lake, two of many standing bodies of water that are part of the Clyde. The NFCT has six pre-planned paddling itineraries and vacations for waterways in the Northeast Kingdom.
Plenty of people have driven through New Hampshire’s 13-Mile Woods Scenic Area along the Androscoggin River. But, the ultimate way to experience the protected forestland in the fall is by canoe or kayak. The paddling along this section of the trail between the town of Errol and the Pontook Reservoir is a mix of floating on moving flatwater and moderate rapids.
The two-night "Autumn on the Androscoggin" vacation package includes canoe or kayak rentals. Paddlers can also stay at a state park campground or two primitive campsites within the scenic area.
The Rangeley region of western Maine is popular during the fall for its colorful landscape of mountains and hills surrounding lakes and ponds. Use the "Discover the Rangeley Lakes" two-day itinerary to plan paddling trips, hikes and waterfall hunts along this section of the NFCT.
Visit the Plan A Trip (http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/PlanaTrip-2/Itineraries-&-Vacation-Packages-82) section of the NFCT website to see all vacation packages and itineraries along the trail. The site also has an interactive Trip Planner Map that shows attractions, outfitters, accommodations and visitor services along the trail.
For more information, visit the Northern Forest Canoe Trail online at http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org or call 802-496-2285.
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About the Northern Forest Canoe Trail: The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a 740-mile inland paddling trail tracing historic travel routes across New York, Vermont, Québec, New Hampshire, and Maine. NFCT, Inc. is internationally regarded as the preeminent water trail organization in North America, and connects people to the Trail’s natural environment, human heritage, and contemporary communities by stewarding, promoting, and providing access to canoe and kayak experiences along this route.
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