Northern Forest Canoe Trail
A 740-mile marked canoeing and paddling trail linking waterways from Old Forge, New York, to Fort Kent, Maine, through Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) is a long-distance water trail extending approximately 740 miles, or 1,190 kilometers, across the northeastern United States and Canada. Its western terminus is in Old Forge in New York's Adirondack region, while its eastern terminus is in Fort Kent, Maine. The route crosses or connects waterways in New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine, creating a continuous paddling itinerary through a region of lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, forests, rural communities, and working landscapes. The trail was formally opened on June 3, 2006. It is often compared with the Appalachian Trail because both are nationally significant long-distance routes that many users experience through day outings, short trips, or sectional expeditions rather than a single end-to-end journey. The comparison is limited, however: the NFCT is primarily a water-based route and includes numerous carries, or portages, where paddlers must transport boats and equipment over land. Access to campsites, portages, and launch areas is supported in part through permissions and relationships with landowners rather than through a single continuous protected corridor. The NFCT includes 58 lakes and ponds, 22 rivers and streams, and 63 carries totaling about 53 miles, or 85 kilometers. Trail users encounter conditions ranging from relatively accessible flatwater sections to technically demanding waterways requiring navigation, portaging, and substantial paddling experience. Route markers and access points in some areas use NFCT medallions featuring a yellow diamond with blue lettering. The trail is divided into 13 documented sections: Adirondack Country West, Adirondack North Country Central, Adirondack Country East, Islands and Farms Region, Upper Missisquoi Valley, Northeast Kingdom, Great North Woods, Rangeley Lakes, Flagstaff, Greater Jackman, Moosehead/Penobscot, Allagash South, and Allagash North. The route serves both as a recreational destination and as a framework for exploring communities and landscapes in the Northern Forest region. Trail towns and service areas include Old Forge, Richford, the Errol-Berlin corridor, and Rangeley, while much of the Maine route passes through the North Maine Woods. The American Canoe Association has recognized the NFCT as an ACA-Recommended Water Trail. Through-paddling is possible but demanding. Nicole Grohoski and Thomas Perkins were the first officially recorded end-to-end paddlers after the trail opened, completing the route in 2006 in approximately 45 days. Earlier, Donnie Mullen traveled the full route in 2000, before the official opening and before the complete system of trail signs and maps was available. Later expeditions established faster times, including a 2012 effort by Elspeth Ronnander, Erik Peih, and Emily Johnson that lasted 21 days, 3 hours, and 45 minutes. In June 2024, Jake Sexton and Monty Fuss completed an unsupported, self-propelled end-to-end trip in 17 days, 15 hours, and 41 minutes. As of 2025, published trail information reported 175 through-paddlers and 10 additional people who had completed the route through multiple section trips.
History
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail was developed as a continuous long-distance paddling route through the Northern Forest of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. Its alignment links existing lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, portage paths, campsites, and access points rather than following a single uninterrupted watercourse. The resulting route connects communities and wilderness-oriented landscapes across five jurisdictions: New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine. The trail's western end is at Old Forge in the Adirondacks of New York, and its eastern end is at Fort Kent in northern Maine. The completed route measures about 740 miles, including approximately 53 miles of land carries. It contains 58 lakes and ponds and 22 rivers and streams. Because the route combines flatwater, moving water, portages, and remote sections, users need to plan for navigation, boat transport, changing weather, variable water conditions, and limited services in some regions. The trail formally opened on June 3, 2006. Its development involved mapping and documenting 13 regional sections, including three Adirondack sections in New York, several Vermont and Quebec sections, the Great North Woods in New Hampshire, and multiple regions of Maine extending from the Rangeley Lakes through the Allagash. Trail markers, including yellow-and-blue NFCT medallions, help identify parts of the route, while published maps and descriptions support trip planning. Unlike a conventional protected hiking corridor, the NFCT depends in part on landowner permission and local relationships for campsites, portages, and access areas. This arrangement allows the trail to connect a broad network of waterways but also means that stewardship, access coordination, and responsible use are central to its continued operation. Trail towns and service corridors provide resupply and logistical support, while portions of the Maine route pass through the North Maine Woods. The NFCT is used at several scales. Local paddlers may use individual lakes or sections for day trips, visitors may undertake short overnight journeys, and experienced expeditions may attempt the complete route. Nicole Grohoski and Thomas Perkins were the first officially recorded through-paddlers after the trail opened, completing it in about 45 days in 2006. Donnie Mullen had traveled the entire route in 2000, before the formal opening and before the full system of signs and maps was available. Subsequent expeditions demonstrated that the route could be completed more quickly, including a 2012 trip by Elspeth Ronnander, Erik Peih, and Emily Johnson lasting 21 days, 3 hours, and 45 minutes. Jake Sexton and Monty Fuss completed an unsupported, self-propelled trip in June 2024 in 17 days, 15 hours, and 41 minutes. Published information stated that, by 2025, 175 people had completed the route in a single expedition and another 10 had completed it through multiple section trips. The trail has also generated a small body of dedicated literature, including guide material, through-paddling narratives, and a history of the route. The American Canoe Association has designated it an ACA-Recommended Water Trail, reinforcing its role as a significant recreational paddling route rather than simply a local canoe circuit.
- 2025
Reported through-paddler count
[1]Published trail information reported 175 complete through-paddlers and 10 additional section-paddlers.
- 2024
Unsupported end-to-end completion
[1]Jake Sexton and Monty Fuss completed an unsupported, self-propelled end-to-end trip in 17 days, 15 hours, and 41 minutes, finishing on June 17.
- 2012
Fast through-paddle
[1]Elspeth Ronnander, Erik Peih, and Emily Johnson completed a reported through-paddle in 21 days, 3 hours, and 45 minutes.
- 2006
Official opening
[1]The Northern Forest Canoe Trail formally opened on June 3, 2006.
- 2006
First official through-paddle
[1]Nicole Grohoski and Thomas Perkins became the first officially recognized end-to-end paddlers, completing the trail in approximately 45 days.
- 2000
Pre-opening full-route paddle
[1]Donnie Mullen traveled the full route before the trail's official opening, completing the journey without the later system of signs and maps.
Products and positioning
A challenging, cross-border water trail for canoeists and other paddlers, positioned as a northern forest counterpart to a long-distance hiking trail and experienced through day trips, sectional journeys, or full through-paddles.
Long-distance water trail · 2006
Northern Forest Canoe Trail
The core offering is a marked, approximately 740-mile canoeing route from Old Forge, New York, to Fort Kent, Maine. It crosses five jurisdictions and combines lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and land carries. The trail can be used for day paddles, short overnight outings, section trips, or an end-to-end expedition.
Navigation and trip-planning resource
NFCT route maps and documentation
The route is organized into 13 mapped and documented sections covering New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine. Supporting information identifies waterways, portages, campsites, access areas, trail towns, and other logistical features needed to plan paddling trips.
Trail wayfinding system
NFCT trail markers
Some portage trails, campsites, and access areas are identified with Northern Forest Canoe Trail medallions. The markers are described as yellow diamonds with blue lettering and provide visual confirmation along portions of the route.
Recent events
- 2024
Unsupported end-to-end speed record reported[1]
Other
Jake Sexton and Monty Fuss completed an unsupported, self-propelled end-to-end trip on June 17, 2024, in 17 days, 15 hours, and 41 minutes.
- 2006
Northern Forest Canoe Trail officially opens[1]
Other
The 740-mile water trail was formally opened on June 3, 2006, providing a marked and documented paddling route across the northeastern United States and Canada.
- 2006
First officially recognized through-paddle completed[1]
Other
Nicole Grohoski and Thomas Perkins became the first officially recognized paddlers to travel the entire trail in one expedition, completing the route in approximately 45 days.
Sources1 sources
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