Canoe the Wild

Dave Conley

AWWF Youth on the Allagash Program, May 28- June 1, 2024

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The first of two trips this season with the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation Youth on the Allagash Program. provided free of charge for St John River Valley students.  Five days and four nights. Students interviewed park rangers, learned how to handle a canoe in whitewater, explored the artifacts of the logging history, took part in camp chores including starting a fire with a spark, fire wood gathering, cooking, dishes, baking over an open fire and took on leadership roles.  Students learned to leave the campsite better then they found it.  We’ll be doing a 2nd trip in July.

 

St Croix River Day Trip with East Grand School, May 17, 2024

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Day trip on the St Croix River with 8th graders from East Grand School, 4 outdoor education high school student leaders, teachers and adult volunteers. The trip was made possible by the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative grant. The outing also included a visit to an off grid home in Vanceboro were students learned about how to live off grid including raised beds gardening, capturing water for domestic and use in gardens, the process of making organic soil and a peak at an in progress, in ground green house for growing vegetables year around. We do have room on 3 day and 2 night trips on the St Croix River this summer. See our summer schedule here 

St John River, One of Maine’s Best Canoe Trips

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Here is a trip that has a small window of opportunity to paddle, typically early to late May (sometimes earlier) then the water is gone. One of Maine’s finest remote canoe trips, our trip begins at the outlet of Baker Lake. Later in the trip, we’ll take on Big Black Rapids (class III)  and on the last day Big Rapids (class III). No previous experience is required just good camping skills and being teachable on how to handle a canoe in moving water. We’ll be sure to help those that need it, brush up on canoeing skills and commands on the calmer parts of the trip to get you ready for these rapids. The trip from Baker Lake to the Town of Dickey is 105 miles and can be done in six days. Pictures of our 2021 trip

For more information and to sign up online for this trip. See our 2024 Schedule.

 

We’ll be sure to stop and visit the old Steam Shovel (BELOW) at 9 Mile. The steam shovel was instrumental in building Churchill Dam and the road into the Allagash Region from Quebec. It was over this road, then across frozen Churchill and Eagle Lakes, trains (in parts) and rails were hauled in along with supplies to erect a working village on the shores of Eagle Lake to build the Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad for the purpose of moving logs from the Allagash watershed to the West Branch of the Penobscot River watershed to feed the hungry mills in Millinocket.

Canoe Trip Picture Highlights, 2023

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Below are highlights of guided canoe trips with Canoe the Wild last season. We offer fully outfitted and guided canoe trips on the St Croix River (1-5 days), the Allagash (5-7 days) St John River (scheduled for early May 2024), the Bonaventure River (scheduled for June 2024) and the NE Mistassibi River which is scheduled for July of 2024. Canoe trips make for a great summer adventure vacation for individuals, groups and families. All the mentioned trips are a go for the 24 season and we are at about 70% capacity as of January 2024. Be sure to check out of 2024 schedule here for openings. signing up and making payments can all be done online. Please let Canoe the Wild owner Dave Conley know if you have any questions and we hope you can join us this upcoming season!

5 Day Allagash Trip, September 1-5, 2023

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Another 5 day Canoe the Wild trip on the Allagash.  The trip included paddling on Churchill Lake, lively Chase Stream Rapids (after some very good instruction for those that needed it), Umsaskis Lake, Long Lake, Round Pond, Masquacook Deadwater and taking out at Michaud Farms. The trip was guided by Will and Rachel. Photo credits go to Will Cliff.  Be sure to check out our 2024 schedule here for guided and outfitted canoe trips on the St John River, St Croix, Allagash, the Bonaventure and NE Mistassibi Rivers in Quebec.