History, Natural History & the Arts
Water currents can be strong at any time of year, but early season boaters, paddlers, anglers and swimmers are at a greater risk in spring when waters are still cold – cold enough to cause cold water shock, hypothermia and death in minutes.
Three recent stories highlight the dangers of recreating on and around cold and fast waters in Spring: [Read more…] about Early Season Paddling Tragedies Are A Cold Reminder
Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) has announced the latest additions to its roster of official thru-paddlers. Five paddlers completed the entire 740-mile inland water trail in 2025: Austin Garber of Hermon, Maine; Jonah Vitale-Wolff of Petersburgh, in Rensselaer County, NY; Cassandra Smith and Henry Kohler of Martinsburg, PA; and Justin Reich of Arlington, MA.
The NFCT will host a virtual session on February 5th, featuring presentations by thru-paddlers along with time for questions and answers. [Read more…] about Five Paddlers Completed 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail in 2025
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) will close out its 2025 Adirondack Race Series with the Long Lake Long Boat Regatta on Saturday, September 20th.
Hosted in partnership with Long Lake Recreation and Tourism, the Regatta welcomes paddlers of all skill levels, from ramblers and touring boats to competitive classes. [Read more…] about Long Lake Long Boat Regatta Set for September 20th
The Adirondack Canoe Classic — more commonly known as the 90-Miler — is set for September 5-7, with 275 boats and more than 600 paddlers signed up for the three-day paddling stage race.
The race is hosted by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) with support from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, dozens of businesses, nonprofits and communities, as well as hundreds of volunteers. It takes paddlers on a three-day journey from Old Forge to Saranac Lake — the first 90 miles of the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail. [Read more…] about 90-Miler Adirondack Canoe Classic Returns Sept 5-7
Valcour Island is a 968-acre island in Lake Champlain in Clinton County, NY. The island is mostly in the Town of Peru and partly in the Town of Plattsburgh, southeast of the City of Plattsburgh. It is within the boundaries of the Adirondack Park and on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, the longest in-land water trail in the nation.
The two mile-long and one mile-wide island is rich in history ranging from before European settlement through recent times, including the periods of exploration and settlement, the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. [Read more…] about Historic Valcour Island Recreation Improvements Continue
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) has announced its official roster of 2024 thru-paddlers. The NFCT, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is a mapped inland water trail tracing 740 miles of Indigenous and historic travel routes across New York, Vermont, Québec, New Hampshire and Maine. Three paddlers from New York State officially completed the trail. [Read more…] about Northern Forest Canoe Trail Announces 2024 Thru-Paddlers
Registration is open for the 2025 Adirondack Paddling Symposium, June 13-16 in Saranac Lake, NY. Presented by NRS and the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT), the Symposium is a comprehensive weekend of paddling instruction for beginners and intermediates, and includes course tracks for kayaks, pack boats and canoes. The Harrietstown Town Hall in downtown Saranac Lake serves as the Symposium’s headquarters. [Read more…] about 2025 Adirondack Paddling Symposium Set For June 13-16
Registration is open for the 2025 Adirondack Paddling Symposium, June 13-16 in Saranac Lake. Presented by NRS and the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, the Symposium is a comprehensive weekend of paddling instruction for beginners and intermediates, and includes course tracks for kayaks, pack boats and canoes. [Read more…] about 2025 Adirondack Paddling Symposium
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025, an occasion that is expected to be marked with dozens of community events throughout the Northeast.
The NFCT is an inland water trail tracing 740 miles of Indigenous and historic travel routes across New York, Vermont, Québec, New Hampshire and Maine. The canoe trail starts in Old Forge, NY, and ends in Fort Kent, Maine, traversing 23 rivers and streams, 59 lakes and ponds, 45 communities and towns, and more than 65 portages. [Read more…] about Northern Forest Canoe Trail Celebrating 25 Years
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) wrapped up its 2024 stewardship season earlier this fall, completing a diverse array of infrastructure and access projects across the 740-mile water trail that runs from Old Forge, NY, to Fort Kent, Maine, and connects New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire and Maine.
This year’s NFCT stewardship program set new benchmarks for the organization, with more staff and volunteers on hand than ever before and a record number of projects completed. [Read more…] about Northern Forest Canoe Trail Wraps 2024 Stewardship Season
The Adirondack Canoe Classic — more commonly known as the 90-Miler — is set for September 6-8, with 250 boats and more than 600 paddlers signed up for the three-day paddling stage race.
The race is hosted by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) with support from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, dozens of businesses, nonprofits and communities, as well as countless volunteers. It takes paddlers on a three-day journey from Old Forge to Saranac Lake — the first 90 miles of the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail. [Read more…] about 90-Miler: The Adirondack Canoe Classic Set for Sept 6-8
A popular canoe carry and several campsites are the beneficiaries of stewardship work performed by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s crew of professional staff and volunteers.
Work was completed on the Lower Locks portage trail that connects Lower Saranac Lake to Oseetah Pond, thanks to a partnership between the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and local trail stewards. [Read more…] about Adirondack Crews Restore Portage, Enhance Campsites, Water Access Points
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) has announced its roster of 2023 thru-paddlers, the largest class in a single year to date.
Seventeen people paddled the 740-mile water route from end to end in 2023. [Read more…] about Northern Forest Canoe Trail Announces Latest Thru-Paddler Roster
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) has announced its stewardship programming for the 2024 season, which will be supported by a growing professional staff and provide opportunities for as many as 50 volunteers to help steward the waterways along the trail. [Read more…] about Northern Forest Canoe Trail Expands Stewardship Staff, Offers Volunteer Opportunities
Registration is open for the 2024 Adirondack Paddling Symposium, June 14-17 in Saranac Lake, NY. Presented by NRS and the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT), the Symposium is a comprehensive weekend of paddling instruction for beginners and intermediates, and includes course tracks for kayaks, pack boats, stand-up paddleboards and canoes. The Harrietstown Town Hall in downtown Saranac Lake serves as the Symposium’s headquarters. [Read more…] about Adirondack Paddling Symposium Set for June 14-17
New York State and The Nature Conservancy have reached an agreement to protect more than 14,600 acres of ecologically rare and culturally significant natural resources in the Adirondacks through two conservation easements and a research consortium. The collaboration is expected to provide new public recreational access in the Raquette River corridor and establish a first-of-its-kind freshwater research preserve. [Read more…] about State, Nature Conservancy Reach Agreement On Follensby Pond Plans
The village of Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks has two new boat racks at key access points on Lake Flower, providing local users and thru-paddlers with valuable infrastructure.
The new racks were constructed by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) professional stewardship crew and installed with support from the village’s Department of Public Works. [Read more…] about New Boat Racks Installed on Northern Forest Canoe Trail in Saranac Lake
The Adirondack Canoe Classic — more commonly known as the 90-Miler — will celebrate its 40th anniversary September 8th through the 10th, with over 250 boats and more than 700 paddlers. [Read more…] about 40th Adirondack Canoe Classic, The 90-Miler, Set for September 8-10
The 40th annual Adirondack Canoe Classic — the 90-Miler — will take place September 8th through 10th, with nearly 600 paddlers competing in 250 boats.
[Read more…] about 90-Miler Paddling Race Registration Starts July 1
The Headwaters Campaign is an effort to address the unique challenges faced by lake associations in the headwaters of the St. Lawrence River, which includes the Raquette River watershed, as they strive to stop the spread of invasive species and meet other critical stewardship needs. [Read more…] about New Partnership Aims to Protect Raquette Headwaters
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