For Immediate Release
May 21, 2010
Contact: Kate Williams, NFCT Executive Director
802-496-2285 or kate@northernforestcanoetrail.org
WAITSFIELD, Vt. – There’s plenty to see and experience from the seat of a canoe or kayak on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT). And, off the water there are unique attractions, great restaurants and natural wonders to be discovered in the 44 communities through which the trail passes.
Vacation packages and itineraries along the NFCT include the services of expert local guides, and highlight some of the best lodging, dining and shopping establishments in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, the Great North Woods of New Hampshire, and the western lakes and mountains region of Maine. Here’s a sampling of unique experiences along the 740-mile paddling route.
Vermont
Northeast Kingdom Pedal & Paddle, 2 day/2 night package: Experience two days of recreation on two of the country’s premiere trails. Enjoy a half day of easy paddling on the southern portion of the Clyde River with complementary outfitting and shuttling from Clyde River Recreation. Watch for beavers in the water as you bypass multiple forest types and farmland.
Day passes to the Kingdom Trails based in East Burke will get you bicycling, running or walking on the a 110-mile network of winding singletrack, ancient cart paths, broad fire roads, and scenic country roads. Coupons good for free treats and discounts at area country stores, a picnic lunch, and NFCT and Kingdom Trails maps are also included. Choose from three accommodation packages in East Burke and Lyndonville starting at $199 for two people.
Newport Summer Vacation, 7 day/6 night package: An action-packed week of fun with vacation rental accommodations in the village of North Troy near Jay Peak. Relax at your 2-3 bedroom apartment or cottage, and enjoy complementary kayak and canoe rentals and shuttling service for paddling trips on the northern portion of the Clyde River and its natural ponds, and the South Bay of Lake Memphremagog in the city of Newport.
The package also includes bicycle rentals for four hours, lunch at the Montgomery Café, and a ride on the Jay Peak Tram. The package is available for groups of 4-9 people and costs $300 per person. To book, call Jay Peak Vacation Rentals at 802-578-7103.
New Hampshire
Summer = Family Fun Grand Adventure, 4 day/3 night package: The perfect family getaway with thrills on land and water, and unique accommodations. Stay one night (after a 3.8-mile moderate hike) at the Appalachian Mountain Club Carter Notch Hut on the eastern edge of the White Mountains, and two nights at The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in Dixville Notch.
The Androscoggin River stretches between the two locations and is your destination for a full-day whitewater rafting trip with lunch and a slideshow of your adventure. Three breakfasts, three dinners, the NFCT New Hampshire section map and the official NFCT Guidebook are also included in the package which starts at $1,875. Call 1-800-255-0600 for reservations.
Upper Ammonoosuc Heritage, 2-day itinerary: This itinerary highlights roadside, natural and historic attractions from Berlin to Stark. Along Route 16 between Berlin and Milan there’s a circa-1900 recreated logging camp and the 170-foot tall Nansen Ski Jump.
The Upper Ammonoosuc River flows west from West Milan for 20 miles across the heart of the Great North Woods. Paddlers experience covered bridges, osprey, peregrine falcons, and Class I rapids on the way to Stark, home to a fun gorge trail called the Devil’s Hopyard. Lodging choices in the region range from a yurt at a state park to a riverside inn or pond front cabin. There’s plenty of great home-style cooking and provisions at restaurants and local markets.
Maine
Discover the Valley Below, 2-day itinerary: Paddlers and hikers will enjoy this itinerary in the Flagstaff Lake region of Maine. It features canoeing or kayaking the manmade lake in the shadow of the 4,000-foot Bigelow Mountain Range, and exploring the flooded villages of Flagstaff and Dead River on a guided pontoon boat.
Hiking trails on the Bigelow Range begin from the south shore of the lake or from the town of Stratton. Eustis and Stratton offer lodging, or paddlers can dock at the Maine Huts & Trails Flagstaff Lake Hut. Local markets provide essentials for a picnic on one of the lake’s sandy beaches, and restaurants range from gourmet to steakhouse.
Learn about all vacation packages and itineraries in the "Plan a Trip" section of the NFCT website at http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/. The site also has an interactive Trip Planner Map that gives a detailed look at the 13 sections of the trail and nearby accommodations, services and attractions.
Other resources include the new Official Guidebook to the NFCT and water resistant trail section maps. These can be found on the NFCT website, at specialty outdoor retailers, outfitters along the trail, and at booksellers.
For more information about the Northern Forest Canoe Trail call 802-496-2285 or visit http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/.
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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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