Canoe the Wild

ghost trains

Canoeing Maine’s Allagash Wilderness Waterway and Ghost Trains

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Ava Kabouchy article and images are featured in the March issue of Go World Travel Magazine. Ava took part in a Canoe the Wild, Seven day Allagash canoe trip, September, 2024. Below, the sun sets over the Allagash Wilderness Waterway

Canoeing the Allagash with experienced guides is a sought-after experience, so I knew I had to book my spot early. Fortunately, Canoe the Wild still had availability for early September, which aligned perfectly with my travel plans. They provided clear directions to our meeting point in Ashland, Maine, and sent over a comprehensive packing list. The company took care of everything—guides, tents, sleeping mats, all our meals, and even dry bags for our gear. One highlight for me was our stop at Eagle Lake to check out the Ghost Trains. Bob kindly let me borrow a camper’s whistle, reminding me that when nature calls at 3 AM, it’s good to be prepared for anything!

Below is one of two ghost trains located near the shores of Eagle Lake, Allagash Wilderness Waterway State Park.

Article and Images credit: Ava Kabouchy. Read Ava’s article here: Go World Travel Magazine, HERE

 

 

7 Day Allagash Canoe Trip, August 20-26, 2024

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Another Canoe the Wild trip on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in the books, 7 days and 6 nights with 10 canoe guests and 2 guides. We saw moose, river otters, eagles, beaver and more. We eat meals cooked over the open fire and desserts baked in a Dutch style oven. This is a great trip for first timers or seasoned paddler’s alike. Read about what others have to say on Trip Advisor and check out our 2025 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.