Trip planning advice requested

[rdl]

We are four, relatively mature but not quite senior yet, experienced paddlers looking to take a trip this fall. We've done Algonquin, Quetico and Temagami in the past few years and are considering something in New England this fall.

I know absolutely nothing about paddle options in New England and am looking for some advice.

Ideally we'd like to spend 7 days and be fairly isolated. Moving or flat water - doesn't matter, but class 3 and below. We would like to rent canoes, but will outfit ourselves with everything else we need. Target dates are the first full week in October.

So -- let me have it: any suggestions ?

 

[Amicus]

The Allagash springs to mind. The River will take you a good three days, at the end, and there are a variety of approaches to it on various lakes. A number of outfitters in Allagash Village and possibly elsewhere will rent you canoes and take you to a good put-in.

Have you seen the maps of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail? My set is not at hand but I think you'd need two to cover the whole area you might want to paddle. They're really good - show various possible routes and all established campsites.

 

[rdl]

The Allagash is an area I've heard about, but know nothing. I'll do some searching for Outfitters. Any suggestions on Outfitters for the Allagash ?

And I haven't looked at the Northern Forest Canoe Trail but I will -- good idea...

 

[Amicus]

Any suggestions on Outfitters for the Allagash ?

A bunch of us were happy with Allagash Guide Service, Sean Lizotte prop., on a trip in '06. He has a big cabin in the Village you can stay in the night before, if that suits you.

 

[sardog1]

Nothing in New England outside Maine will come close to your "fairly isolated" experiences in Algonquin, Quetico and Temagami. And even the Pine Tree State is in the second tier when compared with them for wilderness paddling, IMO. The Allagash is probably your best bet if you're looking eastward.

 

[rdl]

I exchanged emails with Sean from Allagash Guide Service and he said water levels on the Allagash in October can be pretty questionable. So we may end up heading to Canada again. Not that there's anything wrong with that, we were just hoping to find someplace new...

 

[WBB]

rdl:

If you are looking for something new in Canada I would suggest Killarney. It is completely different then Algonquin or Temegami. A route that allows the option of climbing Silver Peak at that time of the year would be well worth the effort.

 

[rdl]

If you are looking for something new in Canada I would suggest Killarney

Any outfitters you would suggest for canoe rental and route planning advice ?

 

[WBB]

Killarney Kanoe http://www.killarneykanoes.com/ They are located at the Bell Lake access point and will deliver to the other three southern assess points.

Here is a very good trip report that gives you an overview of the Park. http://cmkl.ca/nbl/ and outlines a route that hits all the high points in the park. It is about 110K.

He refers to this as the “Northern Border Loop” but recently they have expanded the park northward, so when looking at a map some of these lake appear more in the middle.

Silver Peak, Nellie Lake, The Baie Fine, The Pool, OSA and Killarney Lake are spots you will want to research and want to include if at all possible.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Killarney has a completely different character about it, compared to Algonquin, with its quartzite ridges and pink granite. Killarney's quota system fills up fast, so if you decide to go there, make your reservatons soon. Likewise, the French River is different from either of those, because it's really a multi-fingered drainage system carved out of solid rock eons ago that flows from Lake Nippising to Georgian Bay, and there are Elk in the region.