Canoe the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Maine

The Trip

“I’m sure there are many things I’ll never learn from traveling over the earth by canoe. I’m just not sure any of them are worth much.” - Douglas Woods, Paddle Whispers

This is an epic paddling journey on Maine’s legendary Allagash River Wilderness Waterway -- a 100-mile-long chain of lakes and rivers, and one of the few eastern rivers that can be paddled a week or longer without coming into contact with modern civilization.

Having attracted paddlers for more than a century, the Allagash was designated a National Wild and Scenic River in 1970. The Allagash has it all -- from tranquil lakes (less tranquil when the wind kicks up in the afternoon), to easy flowing flat water river sections, to some quick water and moderate Class II whitewater paddling (options to portage these sections). The Allagash is also one of your best bets to see moose and bald eagles, and to drift off to sleep to the cry of the loon echoing across the lake. The upper end of Umsaskis Lake on Day 4 of our trip, in particular, is like a wildlife park, a prime moose feeding area with otter, mink, muskrat, beaver, ducks, geese, and birds of prey as well.

“Primeval, untamed, and forever untamable nature," is how Henry David Thoreau describes the Maine woods after his explorations in 1846. Today much is unchanged. The vast forests, rivers, and lakes are not so different than when Henry David Thoreau journeyed here in the 1800s to canoe its waterways.

We will paddle the Allagash roughly 80 miles north accompanied by a registered Maine Guide who offers a wealth of history, lore, and knowledge of the river. This outing is geared toward paddlers who enjoy backcountry camping. Our campsites have fireplaces, picnic tables, and privies. We will take turns with cooking and clean-up. You will set up your tent, carry water, and have additional camp duties. 

One night we will have a treat when we stay at Jalbert Sporting Camps on Round Pond, which is accessible only by boat (or seaplane). The camp dates to 1941 and is a traditional Maine sporting camp with bunk beds and a kitchenette area. This will be relative luxury compared to camping our other nights.

Canoe rentals and shuttle are included in the trip price.

We will travel by canoe along an 80-mile stretch, from Indian Stream to the northern terminus of the Allagash, where it meets the St. John River. Along the way we'll take time to swim, take photos, and enjoy nature. This time of year we will enjoy long days, take advantage of the warm yet high water, and see relatively few others (except for wildlife!) on the waterway. 

We will paddle the traditional route across Eagle and Churchill lakes to Churchill Dam. Below the dam is the optional 4.5-mile run of Class II whitewater through Chase Rapids for the more adventuresome. Others might choose ranger transport with the gear to put in beyond Bissonnett Bridge, after which you will still enjoy another ~4.5 miles of Class I whitewater. After paddling across Umsaskis and Long lakes to Round Pond, we'll paddle 18 miles to Allagash Falls, a scenic highlight (1/3-mile portage). We continue on to Allagash Village at the confluence of the St. John and Allagash rivers. Weather, conditions, and group dependent, we might continue yet another 10 miles down the St. John River to Pelletier’s Campground, 2 miles past Rankin Rapids.

Campsites are first-come, first-serve and the wind tends to kick up later in the day, so we will get an early start each morning. Although we have a rough idea of where we'd like to camp and our preferred sites, and although early July is relatively quiet on the river, we will be flexible, allowing for times we need to paddle on to a different camp for the night. We will have reservations for our “treat” night at Jalbert Sporting Camps. We generally paddle ~2 mph on the lakes and ~3 mph on the river.

Day 1: We meet at Pelletier’s Campground, St. Francis, Maine on the border with Canada between 1-3 p.m. We will set up camp, enjoy our first meal together, and make sure everyone has the necessary and appropriate gear for our trip.

Day 2: Today we go by van to our put-in at Indian Stream. There we'll load and line our canoes, then walk in water up to our ankles ~ ½ hour before we start our paddle across Eagle Lake. We'll stop for the night, most likely at Farm Island. Along the way, time permitting, we may stop at The Tramway, a small town where workers built a miniature cable railroad, or tramway, around 1903 to carry logs ¾-mile from Eagle Lake to Chamberlain Lake to be driven by water down to the Penobscot River. At peak production, a half-million board feet of logs were handled in a single day. In the 1920s, a full-size railroad took over transporting logs. The two oil-fired locomotives still sit where they were abandoned more than seven decades ago. 

Day 3: We continue our paddle up Eagle Lake (total 12 miles on Eagle Lake), a 2-mile run through the thoroughfare, and five more miles across Churchill Lake. We will camp at The Jaws just before Churchill Dam. 

Day 4: Our gear and those wishing to go with the gear are transported around the dam and the first 4.5 miles of Class II Whitewater through Chase Rapids. Those who wish will paddle with the water release at 9 a.m. We then meet back up with the gear to paddle the remaining 4.5 miles of Class I water and then 5 miles across Umsaskis Lake. There, we'll likely camp at The Ledges or Sandy Point. Weather, group, and conditions dependent, we might continue on down through the thoroughfare and another 5 miles through Long Lake. We'll camp at Long Lake Dam, where we portage our canoes.

Days 5-7: We continue paddling the 10-mile run downriver to Round Pond, where we will have our “treat” night at the traditional Jalbert Sporting Camps. Then an 18-mile paddle, camping at the spectacular 40-foot Allagash Falls. We portage 1/3-mile around the falls and then run the 8 miles to West Twin Brook, the “official” end of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

Day 8: We’ll get an early start and continue another 5 miles to Allagash Village at the confluence of the St. John and Allagash rivers, where we might end our journey arranging a car shuttle and saying our good-byes. Alternatively -- weather, river conditions, and group dependent -- we might continue another 10 miles down the St. John River to Pelletier’s Campground one mile past Rankin Rapids. We'd arrive early afternoon to unpack the gear, have a quick lunch, and say our farewells.

Getting There

We meet day one (Monday) at Pelletier’s Campground, St. Francis, Maine (Canada is across the river!) between 1-3 p.m. Pelletier’s is roughly 4.5 hours from Bangor, ME International Airport or a 9-hour drive from Boston via I-95 and Routes 11 and 161. Pelletiers charges $200 to pick people up ($200 for one person or up to 4 people) at the Presque Isle, ME airport 2 hours away; an additional $200 for the return to Presque Isle airport at the end of the trip as another option. Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from the starting point. We will share fellow participants' contact information and carpooling is encouraged. 

While we plan to end the trip on day eight (Sunday) after lunch, and fully expect we will, it is possible to become wind-bound. We have allowed time for this in our itinerary; however, it is still wise in making your return travel plans to consider this possibility. 

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

We camp at designated sites along the river. Campsites have fireplaces, picnic tables, and privies. Everyone takes turns with cooking and clean-up and other camp duties.

Our first meal is dinner on day one and our last is lunch on day eight. We enjoy Starbucks coffee in the morning and provide snacks throughout the day, including snack bars, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, etc. Because of the limitations of group meals, commissary equipment, lack of refrigeration, and traveling light, the variety of meals is by necessity limited. Breakfasts, in particular, will be simple so we can get on the water early before the wind kicks up. That said, Sierra Club trips and leaders are known for taking care and pride in good meals, and we plan to meet this expectation.

Please note, we can accommodate vegetarian and medically required special diets within reason as well as some preferences, but not all. Please let us know well in advance. We do offer some organic foods, but the trip is not predominantly organic so if this is your preference you may wish to bring some supply of your own favorite snacks.

Trip Difficulty

Prior canoeing and camping and preferably canoe camping experience is required. While you need not be an expert, you should feel safe and comfortable canoeing and in a canoe. Water conditions vary from wide open lakes with exposure, to wind and waves, to tranquil streams, to Class I and II rapids. Some days may demand your inner resources to meet moderate or possibly strenuous (windy) conditions. Other days may be mostly quiet and leisurely. We will offer some training on paddling techniques and strokes, the pry and draw, etc. and reading the water, paddling into the downstream “V”, etc. If you have questions as to whether your canoeing experience is sufficient for this trip, please contact the leader.

For the adventurous there is a chance to run Chase Rapids, a 4.5-mile section of sharp Class II whitewater. Others will prefer ranger transport with the gear around the first 4.5 miles of Class II rapids. The most difficult section of Chase Rapids is the first mile and a half below Churchill Dam. Chase Rapids has a controlled flow from Churchill Dam, with Waterway Rangers setting the flow at or near 500 cubic feet per second every morning, ideal for canoeing. After the first 4.5 miles, the rest of the rapids are fairly mild Class I with small drops and rocks to navigate around. Generally speaking, if you can read the river and see where to go and make your canoe go there, you shouldn’t have trouble with Chase Rapids. However, we encourage participants to take the portage around the rapids if at all nervous.

Since all canoe trips are somewhat strenuous, you owe it to yourself and the group to get in good physical condition beforehand to ensure the most fun for all. We will paddle most days for a good part of the day, averaging 11-12 miles per day (80 + miles in 7 days of paddling). We will paddle faster on the river, assisted by the flow of the river.

In July, we will have nice long days and take advantage of warm, yet high water and see relatively few others. Our average expected daytime temperature is 75 degrees, with the average nighttime temperatures of 45-50 degrees. We hope we will hit that window in Northern Maine just after black fly season and before the mosquitos. Regardless, we recommend you be prepared with a head net and plenty of mosquito repellent.

As with all Sierra Club trips, we are a team. You are expected to have a positive attitude and an open mind. The unexpected can occur at any time. You are expected to be supportive and understanding of anyone having difficulties. Everyone is expected to contribute to the group experience, be approachable by others, and take genuine interest in team members. Interpersonal matters that participants cannot resolve themselves should be brought to the attention of the leaders for resolution. Participants are expected to stay committed to the planned activity and respect and follow the leader’s decisions. Participants’ thoughts, concerns, and group consensus are appreciated and taken into consideration in the leader’s decisions. To minimize risk we stick together as a group and canoe together.

Equipment and Clothing

We will send you a detailed equipment list and answer questions about gear when you are accepted onto the trip. The trip price includes a canoe rental. If you pan to bring your own there is no discount in the trip price and your canoe is subject to leader approval to ensure it is suitable for this trip.

You will need a system to keep your personal gear dry. The easiest method is to put everything in one large dry bag that has shoulder straps or a large dry bag duffel. Summer is generally warm and sunny; however, rain is always possible and evenings can get chilly. All your clothing should be made of synthetic materails or wool to retain their warmth when wet and have the advantage of drying quickly. Cotton should be avoided. Good rain gear is essential as well as wet shoes (river sandals or sneakers) and dry shoes for camp. 

You will need a reliable small tent, sleeping bag, and pad. We ask that you bring your own eating utensils, etc. A hat with a brim is invaluable, especially to support an insect head-net (recommended this time of year) and you will want to bring bug repellent, of course.

All gear, including food and group gear, will be carried in the canoes, so we will ask you to keep your personal gear to a reasonable minimum. The club provides food, cooking equipment, a first aid kit, and tablets for water purification.

References

Books:

Books you might like to read include:

• Thoreau, Henry David, The Maine Woods.
• Gilpatrick, Gil, The Allagash Guide.
• Gilpatrick, Gil, Allagash: A Journey Through Time on Maine’s Legendary Wilderness Waterway.
• Deitz, Lew, The Allagash.
• Hubbard, Lucius, Woods and Lakes of Maine.
• The Northern Forest Canoe Trail: Enjoy 740 Miles of Canoe and Kayak Destinations in New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine, The Northern Forest Canoe Trail.

Maps:

Your leaders will have ample maps, but it is always fun to have your own. We will provide each participant the “Allagash Waterway Guide & Map” published by the Maine Department of Conservation. You might also like to have:

• Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) Maps available from the NFCT at: http://shop.northernforestcanoetrail.org/products/nfctmaps.php; or on Amazon.
• Map 12: Allagash Region (South) Maine $9.95 Umbazooksas Stream to Umsaskis Lake
• Map 13: Allagash Region (North) Maine $9.95 Umsaskis Lake to St. John River
• The very best map is the Delorme map, Allagash & St. John which is no longer published. You can get it on Amazon used at: https://www.amazon.com/Allagash-St-John-Map-Guide/dp/0899333575; but it is expensive.
• "Allagash Wilderness Waterway North and South," National Geographic Trails Illustrated

Video:

• A video from the 2018 trip: https://vimeo.com/303359966

Conservation

The Sierra Club’s history is steeped in efforts to preserve endangered habitat and wilderness. Like all areas, the north Maine woods has environmental issues that include the expansion of public lands, sale of timber holdings, logging, recreational use, and future employment. Our route travels part of the newly created Northern Forest Canoe Trail that extends from Old Forge, New York to Fort Kent, Maine. President Obama established a portion of this area as national monument.

Although this project doesn’t directly affect the Allagash, Central Maine Power proposes building a 145-mile, high-voltage power transmission line from the Quebec-Maine border through Maine’s North Woods. Approximately 53 miles of the proposed CMP transmission line would require clearing a 300-foot-wide path through a large swath of Maine’s North Woods, an area that contains the largest population of moose in the Lower 48, the largest population of lynx, and the second-largest loon population. The proposed CMP transmission line includes above ground wires across the Kennebec River Gorge, the Appalachian Trail, numerous streams and wetlands, including waterfowl and wading bird habitat. The proposal to build the CMP corridor arose after local governments, environmental groups, and hunting and fishing organizations defeated the Northern Pass proposal, which would have routed the transmission line through New Hampshire. During the trip, we will discuss the effects of the proposed power line and provide suggestions of how you can voice your opposition to the project.

On this, as on all Sierra Club outings, we will show concern and consideration for the environment and employ good conservation practices. We will recycle where we can and follow Leave No Trace (LNT) principles. Notably, at Allagash Falls, we will enjoy the bog “boardwalk” built by a Sierra Club Service Trip in 1990.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.