Organization that oversees the trail looks back on 25 years of paddling and progress
By Zachariah Morehouse
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) is the longest inland water trail in the United States, covering 740 miles in four states: New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, and even dips into Quebec.
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail also serves as a nonprofit that oversees the trail.
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Celebrating its 25th year in 2025, the organization was formed in 2000, and the trail was completed in 2006. The trail wasn’t built from scratch, however, as almost the entire trail consists of traditional canoe routes. Along the entirety of the trail are campsites for paddlers to stay at. Users choose to section-paddle or thru-paddle the trail, of which there are around 100 documented finishers.
From the beginning, the organization’s goal was to encourage canoe-based recreation while encouraging participants to steward the waters and support communities along the trail. For the 45 communities along the trail, recreation serves as a significant economic driver.
“People come to these communities; they spend money on lodging, they spend money on food, they spend money on gas…those elements are all very much contributing to the local economy,” said Karrie Thomas, NFCT executive director. “Outdoor recreation makes the region a more appealing place for people to live.”
Exploring New York’s section
A significant chunk of the NFCT’s trail is in New York. In fact, the trail’s western terminus begins in the Adirondack Park, in Old Forge. It passes through the Fulton Chain of Lakes, Long Lake, Raquette River, Saranac Chain of Lakes, Saranac River, and into Lake Champlain, which begins the Vermont/Quebec section.
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The Adirondack Canoe Classic, or, the “90-Miler,” is an annual event that goes back decades and highlights some of the best features of the NFCT’s New York section. The race spans three days in September and is the largest canoeing event in the Adirondack Park.
Events and adventures
A number of annual events along the route create waves of revenue for the communities along the trail.
Highlights include:
- Round the Mountain Canoe & Kayak Race on May 10 in Saranac Lake
- Rangeley Oquossoc Adventure Rendezvous, June 21-22 in Rangeley, Maine
- Missisquoi Paddle-Pedal on July 12 in Richford, Vermont
- Adirondack Canoe Classic – also called the 90-Miler – Sept. 5-6 in the Adirondacks
- Long Boat Regatta on Sept. 20 in Long Lake
Trail work
Over the years, the NFCT made many accomplishments, beginning with the construction of the trail itself.
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“Organizing, orchestrating the infrastructure, creating the maps, laying out the trail, in the course of six years was an amazing accomplishment,” said Thomas.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many organizations and businesses struggled with the loss of consumers and employees. The NFCT, however, thrived during the pandemic, as did many other outdoor spaces. During this time, the trail saw an increase in popularity, serving as yet another achievement. However, it also saw significant wear and tear.
“The more people you bring into the outdoors, the greater the impact on the environment is – so, we’re trying to strike that balance between facilitating those high-quality experiences while also maintaining the ecological integrity of the landscapes the trail passes through. If something happens to cause a spike in usership, that definitely has an impact on the trail,” said Alex Delhagen, assistant trail director.
More to Explore
First-time racer Leigh Hornbeck shared her thoughts on the three-day Adirondack Canoe Classic boat race.
Read it here: 90 miles in a canoe, a lifetime in boats
Photo by Mike Lynch
What lies ahead
Due to the physical impact of recreation, coupled with effects from natural flooding, it was clear that the NFCT needed to focus on new infrastructure. Moving forward, the organization plans on creating a more accessible, stronger trail – one that can resist the weather-based erosion and allows for people of all abilities to utilize the space.
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Accomplishing this means creating easily accessible put-ins, using docks when embankments are too steep. It also includes the installment of steps throughout portages that decrease erosion and increase accessibility for all, as well as more media coverage highlighting the most accessible access points – that way, people with different abilities will know where to go if they decide to recreate on the NFCT.
In 2024, the NFCT established an accessible campsite in the Allagash region in Maine. Accessible campsites are likely to include a combination of features including wider docking-zones for canoes, clearer signage, elevated firepits and wheelchair-accessible picnic benches, and privies with a ramp. For the Jaws campsite in the Allagash region, a beach-mat has been installed to help traversal through the sand.
“It’s been neat to see, over the years, the NFCT emerge as a leader in waterway stewardship. We’ve pioneered a variety of infrastructure – from composting privies to removable access steps to living river banks,” said Noah Pollock, NFCT Stewardship Director.
Photo at top: Olivier Van Herck and Zoë Agasi paddle on Franklin Falls Pond in 2019. The European couple were on a four-year human-powered journey that included biking through portions of Europe and South, Central and North America, sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, hiking on the Appalachian Trail, and paddling the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Explorer file photo by Mike Lynch
SUNY Potsdam student Zachariah Morehouse is an intern with Adirondack Explorer.
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