WAITSFIELD, VT – Paddlers will find new campsites, improved access points and portage trails, and increased signage this summer along the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
During the summer of 2008, trail staff and volunteers completed projects in each of the states that the historic 740-mile waterway passes through. The trail also goes through Québec, Canada.
“These projects will improve the paddling experience for canoeists and kayakers, while letting other visitors to the region know about the recreational opportunity that the trail provides,” said NFCT executive director Kate Williams.
New York
- Bog bridges were replaced on the portage trail between Eighth Lake and Browns Tract Inlet within the Adirondack Park Preserve.
- The Franklin Falls Pond campsite was improved and reinforced with additional vegetation. The site will re-open to paddlers in 2010.
Vermont
- Steps were constructed at the Missisquoi River access point in the town of Highgate.
- Tent sites were cleared at the Doe and Lussier campsites on the Missisquoi, trail signs were added, and paddler access to the sites was improved.
- Warning signs were posted for a dam abutment in the Missisquoi near East Highgate.
New Hampshire
- A new campsite with a fire ring, picnic table, self-composting outhouse, and hand-carry water access was built in Groveton along the Upper Ammonoosuc River. A second access point was created below the Weston Dam.
- Three multi-day trip itineraries for New Hampshire are now available on the NFCT Web site. http://northernforestcanoetrail.org/PlanaTrip-2/Itineraries-82
Maine
- The Demo Road portage trail along the Moose River in Somerset County, between Long Pond and Little Brassua Lake, was improved and extended.
- On Moosehead Lake, two campsites and an outhouse were added to Sugar Island, and improvements were made to campsites on Brassua Island and Baker Brook.
- An information kiosk was installed at the Eustis boat landing on Flagstaff Lake, and repairs were made to the kiosk on the St. John River in Fort Kent.
The NFCT now has more than 150 public access points in four states and Quebec, Canada, and more than 470 campsites on public and private land along its route.
An interactive map at http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org gives paddlers a detailed look at each section of the trail and nearby accommodations, services and attractions. Fold out maps for each of the 13 trail sections are available for purchase.
Learn more about the Northern Forest Canoe Trail online, or call 802-496-2285.
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