Adventuring on Maine’s water trails
Article & photos by Carey Kish
Maine is home to 3,500 miles of salty coastline, a bounty of islands, bays, peninsulas and beaches, while the vast forested interior holds 6,000 lakes and ponds and 31,000 miles of rivers and streams. It’s no wonder that Maine is a veritable paradise of canoeing and kayaking opportunities for paddlers of every ability and interest level. Try following one of these six great designated water trails, each rich in natural beauty and history, on your next outdoor adventure.
Sebago to Sea Trail
A “river of many rough places” according to the native Abenaki, the Presumpscot River flows 26 miles from Sebago Lake to Portland on Casco Bay. The easy 5-mile section between South Windham (begin at the Sappi parking lot on Canal St.) and Westbrook, part of the land and water Sebago to Sea Trail, is heavily wooded and passes no bridges, giving the river a remote feel amid the surrounding suburbia.
Royal River Water Trail
From Sabbathday Lake, the Royal River flows 26 miles southeast to Casco Bay at Yarmouth. The river is named for William Royall, who settled in 1636 near the mouth of the river, then known as the Westcustogo. The fun 6-mile stretch from Route 9 in North Yarmouth to Royal River Park, with minimal development and winding oxbows, is a popular flatwater paddle.
Kennebec River Paddle Trip
The Kennebec River flows 168 miles from Moosehead Lake to the Gulf of Maine at Popham Beach, making it one of Maine’s longest waterways. The 17-mile section between historic Fort Halifax in Winslow and old Fort Western in Augusta features abundant bald eagles and amazing jumping sturgeon. The small rapids on this wide stretch of river are easily negotiated.
Orange River Water Trail
The Orange River in Whiting is important habitat for waterfowl and wading birds, plus bald eagles and brook trout. A 6-mile network of flatwater routes wend through the Orange River Conservation Area, a project of the Downeast Coastal Conservancy, which maintains hand carry boat launches at Reynolds Marsh Overlook and Orange River Landing on U.S. Route 1.
Maine Island Trail
America’s first-ever water trail, the Maine Island Trail extends the length of Maine’s coast from New Hampshire to the Canadian border. The 375-mile trail connects 200 islands and mainland sites available for day or overnight use. The islands comprising the Stonington Archipelago off Deer Isle offer some of the trail’s finest paddling; launch from Old Quarry Ocean Adventures.
Northern Forest Canoe Trail
This historic 740-mile route follows a remarkable series of waterways from New York’s Adirondacks through Vermont, Quebec and New Hampshire to Fort Kent in northern Maine. To experience a nice section, put in at Route 27 in Stratton and paddle north on Flagstaff Lake, the route of the old Dead River, with the high peaks of the Bigelow Range rising prominently above.
MORE INFO AND SAFETY TIPS: Find these and many other official water trails online at www.mainetrailfinder.com. For tips on safe canoeing and kayaking, take the ACA’s Paddlesports Online Course. This free course takes about 20 minutes to complete.
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Green & Healthy Maine is published by TheSunriseGuide, LLC. This article originally ran in the 2019 SunriseGuide.