Waterway Stewards


Trail Section Adopter Program
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Waterway Stewards keep the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail open year after year. Volunteers adopt a section of the NFCT that is between a half-day to a full-day’s paddle, or approximately ten miles.

Waterway Stewards are the eyes and ears of the trail, reporting damage from flooding or vandals and the need for large-scale work projects. Stewards generally visit their segment twice during the paddling season (preferably spring and fall) to do general upkeep such as:

  • replacing missing or damaged signs
  • clearing portage trails of blowdowns or overgrowth
  • picking up trash
  • maintaining paddler campsites

For their efforts, Waterway Stewards receive the following:

  • Annual NFCT Membership
  • NFCT Map that their section is in
  • Camaraderie with a very unique group of individuals
  • Better understanding of their section of the NFCT
  • Good paddling karma!

Resources for current and prospective stewards:

If you have a section that is close to your home, near and dear to your heart, or you just want to help maintain this beautiful resource, contact Noah Pollock to get involved. Sections up for “adoption” include:

New York

  • Raquette River (Long Lake-Axton’s Landing): Monitoring, basic maintenance of DEC campsites, Raquette Falls Carry
  • Saranac River (Cadyville-Lake Champlain): Secondary maintainer for several carries (Kent Falls, Treadwell Mills, Indian Dam)

Vermont/Quebec

  • Missisquoi River (Canadian Border to East Berkshire): Monitoring the East Richford access, the Lawyers Landing portage, the Davis Park launch, the Doe Campsite, the East Berkshire Landing
  • Missisquoi River (East Berkshire-Enosburg Falls): East Berkshire Landing, Doe Campsite, Brownway Campsite
  • Missisquoi River (Enosburg Falls-Sheldon Springs): Lussier Campsite, Sheldon Springs Carry
  • Lake Memphremagog (Perkin’s Landing to Canada border):  monitoring condition of our kiosk in Newport and the Eagle Point Campsite.
  • Nulhegan Pond to Wenlock (Put-in at Nulhegan Pond, blow-downs)
  • Clyde River (Island Pond to 10 Mile Square Road): Island Pond Kiosk, NorthWoods Landing Campsite, old dam portage, and the clearing of down trees. (Secondary maintainer)

New Hampshire

  • Corner Store to Stark: Removal of down trees, maintenance of access at Gord’s Corner Store and a take-out above Stark.

Maine

  • Dead River: Maintenance of the Long Falls Carry, Grand Falls Carry, and Island of the Giants campsite (additional steward)
  • Moose River, Spencer Rips to Attean Landing: Campsite and portage trail maintenance along a section of the Moose Bow loop. 
  • Moose River and Moosehead Lake: Maintaining the Demo Road Carry, and NFCT campsites on Brassua Lake and at Baker Brook (Moosehead Lake)
  • Spencer Lake-Moose River: Maintaining the portage around the Spencer Dam, and the portage between Fish Pond and the Moose River.

The map below shows sections of the NFCT. Click on a segment to learn who has adopted it. The sections in red are in need of volunteers. Thanks!