Adventure 16: Outdoor and Travel Outfitters - Since 1963

< Back to Search Results

Allagash Wilderness Waterway

Canoeing in Maine with Wilds of Maine

Highlights

  • Paddles lakes and flatwater to challenging Class II rapid
  • Learn the history of Maine’s early logging days
  • Camp on well-maintained sites: grassy areas for tents, beautiful rock fireplaces with steel grates to cook on, picnic tables with ridgepoles over them for your rain fly, and well-maintained outhouses.

Full Description

When one thinks of canoeing in Maine, the first place that comes to mind is the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. It was established by the Maine legislature in 1966 to preserve this wilderness area for our future generations' recreational use. In addition, in 1970 the Waterway was named to the Federal National Wild and Scenic River system.

The Allagash can provide the paddler with everything desired. If a flatwater trip is the call, then a four to five day run starting at Chamberlain Bridge at the south end of Chamberlain Lake and paddling north to Churchill Dam at the outlet of Churchill Lake is a good choice. If river running is desired, then a five to six day trip from Churchill Dam to Allagash Village will suit the bill.

The river portion alone is approximately 60 miles long and begins with the seven mile Chase Rapids, a sharp Class ll run. There are several short lakes, many easier Class ll sections, long quickwater pieces and two mandatory but easy portages, one at Long Lake Dam and one at Allagash Falls. If you're looking for the best of both worlds, then spend eight days or more on the entire waterway and cover the whole 90+ miles. The campsites on the waterway are well maintained.Even though it is thought of as a wilderness area, there are rangers around and they know where everyone is. This is a good thing as the safety factor is a comforting feeling for some folk. This is an excellent family or group trip; party size is strictly limited to a maximum of 12.

Includes:

  • A fully guided and outfitted expedition
  • All park entrance and camping fees
  • All meals prepared and varied with fresh ingredients. Dietary needs accommodated
  • All transport to & from the river from the group meeting point
  • Paddling and poling instructions as desired
  • All equipment available such as canoes, life jackets, paddles and tents
  • All group camping gear (cooking gear, tarps,etc)

Excludes:

  • Travel to and from the trip's meeting location
  • Pre- and post-trip hotel accommodation
  • Any food or snacks desired prior to lunch at the put-in, and after at the take-out

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1

We meet our guests at a predetermined point, usually either Belfast, or Bangor for those that have flown in to Bangor International Airport. Then it is a half day drive to reach the beginning of the river, our regular put in at Churchill Dam. The last three hours of the drive is off pavement, but all the better chance to see a moose or a black bear. When we reach Churchill, we set up camp, and get organized to start out the next morning all fresh and ready to go. Churchill is the site of one of the old logging villages, now with a great little museum, with many of the artifacts leftover from that era, as well as the old hotel.

Day 2

After a hearty breakfast, we load up the canoes, talk about river safety, how to read the rapids soon to come, and review paddling strokes. We’ll do a little practice in the pool below the dam, just to make sure everyone is comfortable with each stroke. When we are ready, we will push the bow out into the current and begin the famous Chase Rapids. This is pretty much steady for seven miles, with a few eddy pools here and there, with a couple slower spots to catch your breath. One great thing about this section of the river is that we do have the option to have the Park Ranger transport the gear to the bottom of the rapids, and we then get to run that section with an empty boat. Once Chase Rapids is behind us, the river slows and then flows out in to Umsaskis Lake. This is not a large lake, but on occasion it can get wind blown, so we may have to pull up at one of the campsites and wait it out. Evening paddles can sometimes be a highlight of a trip. There are plenty of campsites on Umsaskis Lake, we generally camp at one end or the other. I won’t tell you what you will have for all the meals, we’ll just surprise you, but you won’t lose weight on our trips, unless you really want to. We do not serve freeze dried, the meals are always fresh and healthy. As the Mainer would say “wicked good!”

Day 3

We’re not in a hurry, never are out here! The smell of coffee, cowboy style, will be enough to get you rolling. The camp routine gets easier each day, and the enjoyment of it all, the fresh air, the smell of the pines and maybe the drumming of a partridge, it doesn’t get any better than this. Today we will paddle Long Lake, with lunch at the other end. It’s all downhill from here, that is, it’s good current with class I-II rapids. Last year just as we finished this river section, entering in to Round Pond we were treated to three moose, a cow with her calf and a big bull, all together. It’s a short hop over to the campsite, probably the prettiest site on any river in Maine. There’s a Ranger stationed on the pond and she takes a lot of pride in her sites; a fellow guide and good friend. Campfire stories tonight!

Day 4

Round Pond is very small, so we will be across it is a few minutes, then it’s all river to the take out point. This is a great section of the river, it just keeps rolling on. The highlight of today will be the stop at the Cunliffe Depot, this is one of the old time logging depots along the river, here you will see the only remains of two log lombards that are still in existence. This river was heavily logged a hundred years ago, but you would never know it to see it today.

Day 5

Stretch out those muscles, cause we’ll give them a little work out today. Within the first hour of paddling we’ll come to the ranger station at the site of the old Michaud Farm. This will be the take out point for the 5 day trip.

Days 6 & 7

Not too much further down stream is Allagash Falls, a mandatory portage. But as far as portages go, this is the easiest one around. The trail is flat, wide, not all that long, and beats most of the sidewalks in Maine. Once at the base of the falls, we will stop for lunch and the perfect photo-op. Adding one or two days to the trip allows for more leisurely time in camp, exploring historical sites, photography and fishing. Our take out will be Allagash Village where we will have lunch then drive about five hours to the initial meeting point – time for a nap! The entire Waterway includes three separate lakes above Churchill Dam – Chamberlain, Eagle and Churchill Lakes. This trip requires eight days, with three days spent above the dam. The lakes include more of the old logging history and artifacts – old locomotives used to haul logs from Eagle to Chesuncook Lake and the tramway that lifted logs from Eagle to Chamberlain. Both allowed the logs to run south into tributaries of the Penobscot River to mills in Veazie and Bangor, rather than north into Canada – an era of great political wrangling!

About The Operator:

Wilds of Maine

Headquarters:

Belfast, Maine

Established:

January 1995

Mike Patterson is the owner, head guide, and chief cook and bottle washer of the "Wilds of Maine Guide Service." An avid outdoor enthusiast, Mike's love of paddling started with earning his 'canoe merit' badge on the way to becoming an Eagle Scout. A native Mainer of Belfast, Maine, he worked in the shipbuilding industry following graduation from the Maine Maritime Academy in Marine Engineering. After 23 years of spending all his vacation and weekends on the water, he turned his real passion into his full-time profession. It's been fifteen years and millions of strokes since.

Mike is past president of the Professional Maine Guides Association and a 17-year veteran Boy Scouts of America leader. He is featured in Canoe & Kayak's Special Anniversary Issue, and his articles have appeared in National Geographic Adventure and Paddler Magazine. Over the years he has been a whitewater canoeing instructor for the Appalachian Mountain Club, and winner of the Northeast Divisional Championship for canoe poling. He continues to offer instruction in poling - see our Schedule. His other pursuits have included mountaineering, ice climbing and cross-country and downhill skiing, including instructing for Maine's ski resorts.

He's usually found paddling somewhere nine months of the year with guests and friends, and wife, Shauna. In November and December he's helping folks make their Christmas merrier by operating a Christmas tree and wreath lot. January finds him in the office and barn getting ready for the next paddling season, but he still finds time to participate in his winter pleasures of skiing and snowshoeing. Course he's always ready to talk about rivers, or his favorite haunts in Maine. Call anytime!