Ideal for adults and kids to learn canoe tripping and camping skills
Best instructional river for whitewater canoeing and poling
Great opportunities for bald eagle and wildlife sightings
Full Description
The finest wilderness canoeing anywhere for both the novice and experienced boater.
The St. Croix - the ideal river to begin your whitewater canoe tripping experience and the perfect one to learn the art of canoe poling. The river forms the eastern boundary between Maine and New Brunswick, Canada, and is classified as a Canadian Heritage River, meaning that no further development will take place on either shore. To paddle just the river portion, one would launch at one of several sites in Vanceboro, Maine. From here to a point on Grand Falls Flowage, referred to as "Kellyland," is one of the best four-day, three-night canoe trips in all of Maine. This section is approximately 35 miles long, so more or less time could be taken depending on your group's desires. The campsites are strategically located, well maintained and have picnic tables and toilet boxes for camper convenience.
The river could not be better laid out, even if designed by an engineer. Starting in Vanceboro, Maine, it has a flatwater section, which leads into quickwater, followed by easy, intermittent, open Class ll rapids. It is also an excellent river to learn the use of a setting pole, as it is shallow through all the rapids. As the river continues, the intensity of the rapids increase; perfect, as it allows the paddler the time to start honing up on their skills in preparation for more challenging sections to come.
Little Falls is always an adrenaline rush. Pull out on river right above the rapid and walk down to have a look. The noise is loud and a choice has to be made - do we unload and carry everything, just carry the gear and run empty canoes, or just run it? There are always factors to be taken into consideration - what the weather is like, water temperature, water level and your skill. At most levels they look worse than they really are, and once you run it, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about - that is, if you've read it right! If you have a guide along, they will show you the route and you'll see just how easy and fun it can be.
Beyond Little Falls the rapids run to a Class II and are longer, with a few more rocks to dodge, sharpening one's skills and keeping you on your toes, or should I say knees. Between each of the rapids there are sections of quick and flat water to give you a break. The trip can be shortened by a day by taking out at Loon Bay. This section finishes off with Canoose Ledges, which can easily be scouted along the left bank. Beyond lay several miles of flatwater and then a paddle across the flowage created by the dam at Kellyland, the take-out point.
Before all else, your safety is our number one priority. All participants are required to be properly wearing PFD's at all times on the river. Once at the river, we thoroughly review paddling techniques, river characteristics and self-rescue skills. Our guides are fully trained in CPR and wilderness safety, and are equipped for river rescue should it be required. Mike's wife, Shauna, accompanies him on most trips and is a Registered Nurse and past First Aid Instructor for the Mountaineers Club in Seattle.
Includes:
A fully guided and outfitted expedition
All transportation to and 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 lunch at the take-out
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1
We will meet our guests either in Belfast, Maine or in Bangor to which air service is available. Everyone will be outfitted with the appropriate gear, river bag, PFD, paddles, and personal gear reviewed to ensure completeness, and then we will begin the three hour drive to the river put in point, Vanceboro, Maine, right on the Canadian border. We will arrive there about lunchtime, so that will be one of the first things to attend to; we provide this meal, along with all the rest of the meals, through lunch at the take out.
After lunch, we will divide up and load the canoes equally, distributing the group gear and then give instruction on our method for tying in the gear and explain the rationale for this procedure. Next will be the safety talk, whitewater reading instruction, and instruction and practicing of paddling strokes, for both tandem and solo boaters. This is a great river to try solo boating and also for learning the art of canoe poling. There is nothing we like better than looking behind us, while floating downstream, and seeing our guests wielding a setting pole for the first time. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked.
This river was designed with the whitewater canoeist in mind. It is the perfect river to learn whitewater canoe tripping, and is also a favorite of the experienced paddler as well. It starts out with quick water, allowing us to practice our paddle strokes, and then it goes into a couple short open rapids with good wave trains and eddies on the right and left. If you are unfamiliar with these terms, don’t worry, this is why you came, to have good safe fun, plus learn more about the river, the hows and whys of running the river with confidence.
We will run a few more easy rapids today, maybe even see a bald eagle or two, certainly their nest, and camp in one of our favorite campsites. The campsites on the St Croix are all established authorized sites with fire rings, picnic tables and toilet boxes. Unique to this river is the fact that we are on the international boundary between the U.S. and Canada, it is a Canadian Heritage River, which is like our Wild and Scenic River designation.
The first night’s meal, what us Mainers call suppah, is generally baked salmon with all the fixings. No one ever goes hungry on our trips. Prior to the trip, we have received information from our guests on their likes and dislikes and any dietary restrictions, so that we can accommodate everyone.
Sleep usually comes easy with the sounds of solitude, maybe a loon cry, an owl hoot, a coyote howl, and the rapids in the foreground.
Day 2
When the dark spell goes away and you smell the cowboy coffee, it is time to begin a new day. The casual routine of eating, paddling and sleeping comes easy, forget about work! Today we’ll be kicking up the river running a notch, the rapids on this river are laid out perfectly, they start very easy and they increase in intensity and length each day. This is a great way to build up confidence and skills and get the most enjoyment out of it all. Today we will run a lot of named rapids, Mile Rips, Tunnel Rips, Joe George’s Rips, Hall’s Rips, Little Falls, Pork Rips, Tyler Rips, Cedar Island Rips, Albee Rips, and Rocky Rip. They are mostly Class II, with Little Falls for a little extra punch. We will get out and scout this one, show you the route to run, set up a support crew and cameraman and run this rapid one boat at a time. Once you finish this, you will wonder what all the fuss was about; we have never had anyone tip over on this rapid. Kids groups, and the young at heart, always want to carry back to the top and run it again.
After this, it is time for a break, lunch and maybe a quick power nap, but not too long, we don’t want you to get too sluggish as we have a lot of fun rapids ahead. Life definitely doesn’t get any better than this!!
By mid afternoon, it’s time to stop, set up camp, go for a swim, maybe catch a bass, and just plain relax. While you are doing this, we will get the kitchen set, the fire going, prep tonight’s meal, and set the hoss’ do vers out, maybe even bake up tonight’s desert. Camp life is as much fun as running the river. When the dark spell comes on people just kinda drift away to their tents, guess we wore them out, but it is a good kinda worn out. See you in the morning!
Day 3
Another hearty breakfast, let’s check the map and see what’s in store for today. Oh look, more rapids, let’s see, there is Split Rock Rips, Meeting House Rips and the longest most challenging one on the river, Haycock Rips, although still a Class II, just more rocks and a little more maneuvering required, however, it’s wide with lots of options available so have fun and we’ll meet you at the bottom.
Following Haycock Rips, we will float out in to Loon Bay, this is either a narrow lake or a wide section in the river, whichever way you would like to look at it. This is also the take out point for the three day trip, and the lunch break for the four day trip. Loon Bay is a couple miles of flatwater, but finishes with a bang, that would be Canoose Ledges. We will get out here and have a look, this is a lot like Little Falls, it has an approach rip, then the ledge drop, followed by Canoose Rapids. We will point out the runnable options and then set up the support and camera crew. We will bring one boat down to show you the line, eddy out and all regroup just below the ledges. Canoose Rapids run on for a good half mile and is the last significant rapid in the river.
We will have a couple of class I runs, Dog Falls and Kendrick’s Rips, combined with several miles of flatwater, before getting to camp for the night. Tomorrow we’ll see if we can find the Hidden Passage. This will be the last night on the river for the four day trip, so let’s really enjoy it. I’ve seen moose and black bear from this site, don’t worry they are more scared of you than you are of them. Seeing them is definitely a special treat.
Let’s not go to bed too early tonight, let’s savor our time, tell a few campfire stories, maybe even cook up some samores, does that bring back good memories. Bring the kids or bring the kid out in you. This is a great outing for family groups, if you feel uncomfortable with taking the little ones with you, we can put them in with one of the guides, kinda like a talking Duluth pack, we love it!
Day 4 and or 5
This morning consists of locating and going through the Hidden Passage, being REALLY quiet; all the better to see the unsuspecting moose. Next we take on Spednik Falls and Grand Falls Flowage. Grand Falls Flowage is a couple miles of lake paddling, which was created by damming up Grand Falls for hydro power to support the pulp and paper mills downstream. But, at Vanceboro, where we started, just upstream there is also a dam, this is regulated to maintain a flow in the river, the only reason we can canoe this river from ice out to ice in.
Once we get across Grand Falls Flowage we will be at the take out, our vehicles will have been shuttled to there, so we can load up and depart directly from there. That is, once we have one more riverside lunch. On the way back to Bangor or Belfast, we know of a little old fashion ice cream store, one last treat, and your back to the other world. See you next time and keep the hair side up!
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!
