Maine Snowmobile

Summer is family time, and there is nothing like getting outdoors with the kids and playing on rivers and trails to give everyone something to talk about for the rest of the year.  Big travel vacations are tough for families in an economy like this, but a 2-3 day getaway packed with fun is possible, only a short drive away from everyday life. 

Kids in the game room, families playing water volleyball in the swimming pool, everybody trekking through the woods with GPS in hand on a Geocaching hunt — there is no end to the fun a Maine family adventure vacation offers.  Throw in half-price Kennebec River rafting or float trips and everyone is cooled off as well as relaxed. 

In honor of adventerous families, we have gathered our great family getaway activities into one list (TADA!) to make planning Maine adventure vacations with kids easier. Yes, we really are that good.  The fact that many of us have kids and love to watch their faces as they experience new things lets us help visitors with their planning.   We encourage everyone to bring the kids or the grandkids and come out to play.

Rafting enthusiasts take note: For those who have never rafted the Dead River in Maine, we highly recommend it.  The Dead River offers some of the best Maine whitewater rafting and it only runs a limited number of times a year!  With more continuous whitewater than any other river in the East, the Dead River puts you smack in the middle of super-intense, wet and wild action.

The Dead River is dam-controlled and has only 10 high-water releases per season.  We love to thrill guests on heart-pounding Class III, IV, and V whitewater from Grand Falls to the confluence of the Kennebec and Dead Rivers in the West Forks.

This rafting trips builds in intensity with great warm-up rapids at the top and culminates in the Class IV-V Poplar Hill Falls at the end. The scenery is outstanding, especially in September and October when the leaves are turning — if you have time to look!

The Release Schedule for the Rest of the 2010 Season:

Sunday, August 15th	3500 cfs  (Diablo Sport Rafts)
Sunday, September 5th	5500 cfs
Saturday, September 18th	3500 cfs  (Diablo Sport Rafts)
Saturday, October 2nd	Full Open up to 6000 cfs

You never know what you are going to come across driving up to Northern Outdoors for a Maine whitewater rafting vacation.  Sure, you expect to see lots of great views, stands of birch trees, maybe even a moose - but a Bread Festival?  Not exactly high on the list!

For those traveling north on July 29-31, 2010, however, bread should be moved to the top of the list.  The annual Kneading Conference and Artisan Bread Fair is taking place in Skowhegan, Maine.  The Kneading Conference, July 29-30th, brings togeather professional bakers and bread enthusiasts, and requires pre-registration.  On July 31, 2010, the Artisan Bread Fair is free and open to the general public.  Yummy, yummy, yummy!

What better way to start Maine adventure vacations off than with a a taste of fresh, hearty fare?  We know whitewater rafting takes lots of energy and stocking up on fresh-baked carbohydrates is a great way to get some.    Hot summmer days, cooling river rafting, warm bread...not a bad way to spend the weekend!

Up here in Maine, we do what we do best - work and and play hard.  We'd be doing that whether anyone else noticed or not, but every now and then we find ourselves the subject of some great, national level, news coverage.  Recently in the USA Today section 'Travel Tips', our beautiful state got some exposure and Northern Outdoors was right in the mix. 

We like that we do things well enough that other people can appreciate what we have to offer, from the adventure of Maine whitewater rafting, to the luxury of a fully-stocked cabin on the edge of a lake to the fresh brewed beer at the Kennebec River Brewery and Pub.  It's satisfying to know that visiting with us gives people a much needed break and offers many options for fun.  

Thanks to all those who have visited and continue to visit us over the years.  We look forward to seeing you for a long time to come! 

The Kennebec River is a dam-controlled river, meaning so water for whitewater rafting is almost always guaranteed!  The Harris Station dam, built from 1952-1954, provides the releases on the Kennebec River.  Harris Station is a peak generation facility, meaning that it is one of the power plants called upon to meet increases demands for power, such as occur when the temperature rises and more air conditioning is turned on.  Increases in power needs in the summer mean the releases from the dam are often bigger on the hottest days - perfect for those looking to get cool through Kennebec River rafting!  Bigger releases means more water in the river - which means bigger waves and more fun!

Harris Station is unique for its “black-start” capability. The station can begin generating power and come on-line without the input of electricity. Black-start generating locations help start up other generators in the event of a large outage. Electricity from Harris is fed into the New England grid and moves throughout the state and the surrounding areas.  This also means that even if the power is down the rafting does not have to be! 

Farther north, Penobscot River rafting offers even more adventure, will great waves and views of Khatadin, the highest mountain in Maine and the northern terminus of the famous Appalachian Trail.

We're watching the mercury hit record temperatures all the way up the coast and thanking our stars that we work on the river where cooling off is part of going to work everyday.  With the forecast calling for nothing cooler that 86 degrees F in Boston for at least the next 10 days, we know people are going to be looking forward to some Maine whitewater rafting. 

The Kennebec and Dead river run cool and Kennebec River rafting and Penobscot River Rafting River rafting are perfect ways to take the bite out of the worst summer heat.  We make sure everyone gets wet in the big waves and that those of age have the option of a chilled, handcrafted, beer on tap at the end of the trip.   Anyone who's still too hot after all that can take a dip in the pool and chill on the deck under the stars.

The Forks, Maine is a rural paradise.  Located on Route 201 in North Western, Maine, The Forks and West Forks have a year round population of under 100 people, but oh what a place we live in!  We have stunning scenery, great kayaking and canoeing, awesome fishing, moose and eagles and great trails.  We also have wild Maine whitewater rafting and super-tastey micobrew beer at the Kennebec River Brewery, and lodging from luxury cabins to tent camping for visitors.  We're so country-cool we can hardly stand it.

Spring and summer means hours of play on the rivers and lakes either fishing or rafting or kayaking and canoeing.  It means day hikes on the Appalachian Trail or extended overnight treks on Maine hut to hut hiking trips.  It means eating well at local restaurants and sipping some KRB BlueBerry Ale after a long day working or playing.

Come fall, the leaves are nothing short of stunning, and long scenic drives are only one way to see them.  Kennebec River rafting or Dead River rafting allow for viewing vistas that most folks never glimpse.  An autumn hike to Moxie falls is something not soon forgotten!

Winter brings its own wonder, with frozen lakes and rivers, moose and rabbit tracks in the snow, and great trails for snowmobiling, whether day trips or over night multi-day excusions.

There's no season here that doesn't delight.  The Forks may be small, but being here is a mighty big time!

Whitewater in New England runs fast and wild - the perfect place to test outdoor gear of all kinds.  Olympus Cameras brought its new waterproof Stylus Tough Digital Camera to Maine to abuse it in all sorts of conditions.  Northern Outdoors' video boater, Nick Atwood, rigged his whitewater kayak with half a dozen cameras and put them through their paces on the Kennebec River.  Best known for as a prime run for Maine whitewater rafting, the Kennebec gave the Stylus and Nick a glorious ride, as the video proves!

Among other adventures the Stylus Tough Camera had in Maine were snowboarding at Sugarloaf, mountain biking in Carrabassett Valley, lobster fishing off Portland Head, skateboarding and bowling (though inexplicably not candlepin bowling!) and a wild ride in a washing machine at the local laundrymat.  That's a tough camera getting put through its paces in a state known for rugged adventure.  From hut to hut hiking trips to Maine whitewater rafting, Maine is a great place to come out and play, and we're thinking the Stylus Tough is a great camera to bring along!

On June 18, 2010 Maine Trail Finder was launched!  Maine Trail Finder is a free, interactive mapping site designed to help residents and visitors find trails for hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking in the Maine.  Folks looking to add other kinds of exploration to Maine whitewater rafting vacations will find great options here.

Those interested in non-motorized trail use can search trails by category, difficulty and location as well as using an interactive map base.   Maine Trail Finder has detailed trail description pages that let users view the trail(s), get essential information, submit trip comments and photos, find nearby geocaches, and a whole lot more.

The first 15 trails listed are in Greater Franklin County just to the West of Northern Outdoors in The Forks, Maine. New trails will be added each week through the summer in an ever-expanding network - rather like the trails themselves! If you are new to geocaching, check out the geocaching classes and field hikes offered by Northern Outdoors every summer.

Maine whitewater rafting and a new Harley Davidson motorcycle - two great ideas for summer fun - and they have come together this June!  We get lots of visitors on motorcycles, people exploring backroads on New England vacations, who either plan to stop in for lunch, come for a week or just happen upon us on their journeys.  Often they come back year after year, because the roads around here are perfect for motorcycling - rollng, scenic, long and uncrowded.  Throw in a great meal at the pub, awesome rustic lodging, and an evening in the hot tub after a day in the saddle and we're a favorite among bikers!

We appreciate the adventurous spirit displayed by these bikers and so we're thrilled that our friends at LA Harley Davidson in Lewiston, ME are having the Wet N Wild Summer sales event: Buy any new or pre-owned Harley Davidson in stock, LA Harley is going to send you and a guest on an overnight whitewater rafting trip courtesy of Northern Outdoors.    How's that for making our motorcycling friends happy?

Father's Day (June 21, 2010) is the day Dad gets to play.  For a lot of dads that just means they get out of mowing the lawn for a week.  We vote for something more - like playing in the Maine woods for the weekend.  Spending time with friends and family kicking back in a great cabin - rocking some Kennebec River Rafting and lots of fresh beer and good eats at the onsite Kennebec River Pub & Brewery. 

And remember when you bring Dad for a weekend of Maine whitewater rafting at Northern Outdoors, dad rafts for free.  Yep!  You read it right, pay for your own full price trip and dad rides the rapds on us!  (The only thing better than playing for the weekend is playing for less.)  So go ahead and make this a Father's Day not soon forgotten.

Kids love the water - and the idea of whitewater rafting New England rivers thrills many of them.  But what if the kids are too young for a full-on Kennebec River rafting trip?  Float trips are the answer! 

Available for kids as young as 8 years of age, a float trip on a Maine river is both exciting and relaxing.  With splashy ripples, great views, an the posibility of sighting moose, herons, eagles and opsreys in the wild, a self-guided Kennebec River float trip is a great way to get the entire family on the water.  Float trips take place on a calmer section of river than Kennebec River rafting trips, and offer a more relaxed option for a day on the river.

Most of the time, float trips offer the opportunity for each person to raft with a small one-person or two-person inflatable kayak - allowing each child the option of being captain of his or her own ship!  A taste of independence, cool water and fun - what more could anyone want on their Maine family vacation?

Heading to the Maine woods to ride on Maine ATV trails or indulge in Kennebec river rafting, means traveling a few hours from home. Most people make a weekend of it, and turn their time here into mini Maine adventure vacations.

One way to make a weekend getaway affordable is to choose to camp out instead of staying in a motel or renting a cabin. But then there's all the bother of setting up tents, rolling them up damp from dew the morning it's time to leave, drying them out at home and packing them away... Enter the cabin tent!

Made from rugged canvas, these cabin tents — also called platform tents — are semi-permanent structures set up off the ground on wooden platforms. They have wooden doors, often a window or two and have 2-4 wooden cots with mattresses upon which to spread out sleeping bags and dream the night away.   Each also has it's own picnic table and fire ring.

With access to a shared bathhouse complete with hot showers, cabin tents offer the cost savings of tent camping, but without a big part of the hassle. Add to that the sound of the Kennebec River in the background and a short walk to the main lodge where great food, fresh beer, a hot tub and great company await, and cabin tents become a great adventure lodging option!

A huge part of great Maine family vacations is enjoying the incredible beauty that surrounds Maine's roads and trails.  Route 201 on the way to some of the best Maine whitewater rafting is so beautiful and historic, it's been listed as a National Scenic Byway. 

There are several great pullouts along Route 201 north of Bingham - and the picnic area at the Wyman Lake Overlook is worth stopping at even for those who have not packed a feast.  The view down the length of Wyman Lake is stunning as you take in the islands, mountains and forest around you.

For those who plan ahead and pack a lunch or snack, the covered picnic tables at this location make for comfortable roadside dining.   There are also primative toilet facilities provided and informative interpretive boards telling about the history of the area.  A great place to spend a few minutes or an hour before getting back on the road to The Forks and more great things to do on your Maine adventure vacation.

(Coordinates to the picnic area in Google Maps are: 45.15583,-69.956498)

Headlines in the Portland Press Herald recently announced the discovery of the world's largest beaver dam in Canada - the length of 8 football fields and visible from space!  Talk about generations of business.

Here in Maine, we have some good size beaver dams of our own.  Visitors on hut to hut hiking trips often spot beaver ponds on their journeys, even those traveling through the north country by car see the work of these animal architects.  Beaver ponds provide not only safe habitat for beavers to live and store their food in, but they create perfect places from moose, birds and fish to live as well, and often times the ponds extend to the edges of roadways, as seen in the photo of a beaverdam made right from the side of Route 201.

For a backwoods look at a larger beaver created-wetland area, from the big overlook parking at Robbin's Hill at the southern end of the Old Canada Road Scenic Byway, it is a moderate walk down the hill to a beaver-flooded pond in progress.   The trail is still new, uneven and very wet, so hikers should be prepared to get muddy and damp,  but for those looking to add even more adventure to their Maine adventure vacations, this little side journeys is a nice twist.  Throw on some hiking boots and bug spray and go see what the beaver clan has been up to.

In order to get to the best Maine whitewater rafting (Dead River rafting & Kennebec River rafting), visitors drive up US Route 201.   This scenic road is runs from Fairfield to the Canadian border and is known by a couple of other names - The Old Canada Road Scenic Byway and "Moose Alley."  Anyone traveling along this stunning road will see instantly why it is listed as a Scenic Byway and once the road begins to parallel the Kennebec River, the fact that this is moose country makes the reason for the second nickname obvious as well.

Moose (Alces alces) are the largest members of the deer family.  They are are usually dark brown in color, though they can appear tan or even patchwork when they are transitioning to and from their winter coats.  They have long legs, large bulbous noses and short powerful necks.  Females are known as cows, babies as calves and males as bulls.  Bulls drop their antlers in the winter, but begin growing them again in the spring and are often spotted with enormous, flat-spanning racks in summer and into fall.

Because of their short necks, moose cannot lower their heads to graze in a traditional fashion, so they are often seen standing chest deep in water and marshes, feeding on underwater weeds or shore grasses.   This habit makes US Route 201 ideal of moose spotting as the road is bordered by miles of rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes.

Keeping an eye out for these 1000+ pound giants is a wise idea, not only because it is a thrill to spot one, but because having an automotive encounter with one is not recommended.  Making moose spotting part of Maine family vacations is always a great idea and those travel "Moose Alley" to The Forks amd north towards Jackman and the Canadian border have a head start on the fun.

Father's Day is coming right up and we're looking forward to seeing a lot of dads on the river enjoying Maine whitewater rafting.   There's nothing like getting out on the river to make a day special - especially when dads get to go rafting for free!  (Which they do at Northern Outdoors, with one other full paying guest.)

Northern Outdoors is dad's favorite type of place - lots of fun, great food, fresh beer on tap, and a great cabin to go back to at the end of an adventure-packed day.  Make a weekend of it  - heck if a day of appreciation is good, then two days are even better.  Grab a cabin and no one has to mow the lawn, take out the trash or do the dishes. 

Kennebec River rafting is an awesome experience that people return to again and again.  If Dad gets hooked on it, this can become an annual family adventure vacation.  Not bad when you consider the hearty eats and great adventures available to the whole crew.

We've noticed this year that our rafting calendar shows a few weekends when all three of Maine's whitewater rivers are flowing. Wow! We thought how can we share these super special weekends with everyone? Lo & behold the Maine Triple Crown of Rafting was born. (And you thought Triple Crowns were just for horses.)

Northern Outdoors is offering rafting on our three fantastic rivers, the Kennebec River, the Dead River and the Penobscot River for the price of two. Each river offers its own style of ferociously wet fun, and there is no better way to experience them than one right after the other - and for a raging deal of a price.

The Maine Whitewater Rafting Triple Crown is designed to send shivers of bliss through the serious river-loving rafting enthusiast. Raft the Kennebec, Dead, and Penobscot all in one long weekend and save half price on the second and third river trips. Oh yeah! 

Between the rafting, the great food and lodging, these long whitewater weekends are sure to be the highlight of the summer for anyone who is up for the challenge. 

Adventures Weddings in the Maine woods can be both thrilling and unique.  Whether the ceremony is planned for indoors in a timberframe lodge or outside by the pond or on a rocky backroad, there is something about a true north country setting that makes such an event special -- perhaps it is the casual nature of such a wedding. 

The informal nature of an adventure wedding is a pleasant twist on an often overly formal event.  The nice thing about Maine adventure weddings, is they can be causal or grand, back-woods or formal in every aspect from food to ceremony setting.

Single day wedding events are one of a kind happenings set in a rustic yet completely comfortable atmosphere filled with food, drink and fantastic scenery.

Multi-day adventure weddings at Northern Outdoors include cabin lodging, multiple evenings to enjoy live music and time in the pool or hot tub.  With clear rivers for Maine whitewater rafting, hiking trails to explore and stunning lakes to float, brides, grooms, wedding party members and guests will not be at a loss for things to do during the day. 

Great local bands and musicians, catered food from the Kennebec River Pub and fresh brewed beer provided by the Kennebec River Brewery make receptions simple to arrange, and the open, rustic main lodge is the perfect setting for dining and dancing. 

The Appalachian Trail (AT) is the longest foot trail in the United States and runs 2,178 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine, passing through 14 states along the way.  In Maine, the trail comes out of New Hampshire's, White Mountains, through the Mahoosics, over the Height of Land, through the 100 Mile Wilderness, before reaching its Northern terminus in Baxter State Park.

There are numerous creek and river crossings along the way, some small enough to walk across, some spanned by sturdy bridges.  The Kennebec River Crossing is another adventure entirely.

At 70 yards wide and too deep to safely ford, the Kennebec River is the longest unbridged river crossing on the entire length of the AT.  The Maine Appalachian Trail Club has contracted with David P. Corrigan of Fletcher Mountain Outfitters to provide a scheduled  Ferry Service to AT Hikers. While not open to use by the general public, it is a site worth seeing.






The Ferry consists of a large, red canoe paddled expertly from one shore to the other carrying hikers and their gear.  It's quite exciting to watch the Ferry in action, and anyone visiting the area for Maine whitewater rafting, hiking or fishing while the Ferry is running, should stop and see it in action. 

The Ferry is located on the Kennebec River where the Appalachian Trail meets the river at Caratunk, below the part of the river known for Kennebec river rafting.   There is an area for cars to park off the road, allowing visitors to hike the short distance along the AT to see the Ferry.





The Kennebec River Appalachian Trail Ferry schedule for 2010 is as follows:

• May 28 – July 15              9 a.m. to 11 a.m. only
• July 16 – September 30    9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• October 1 – October 11    9 a.m. to 11 a.m. only

(Northern Outdoors provides a daily scheduled shuttle service back to the Ferry Crossing / Trail to AT Hikers who stop at our adventure resort for a bite to eat or a good night's sleep and hot showers.)