Customer Reviews

The Northern Forest Canoe Trail: Enjoy 740 Miles of Canoe and Kayak Destinations in New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine

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This is an excellent guidebook for anyone who is interested in doing any part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Section by section the guidebook walks the reader through what to expect and look for along the trail. Combined with the section maps and web based trip planner there aren't many questions that go unanswered.

There's a lot of information packed into the book with excellent trip suggestions and pointers on what to see and look for on your trip. I especially liked the suggested trips and the section on through paddling.

For me trip planning goes through distinct stages. The Northern Forest Canoe Trail guidebook addresses each stage.

Initially I explore destination ideas, then narrow in on a region, then focus on the trip I can do with time and resources available. Introductory text in the guide provides a sweeping overview of the region, including human and natural history. Now I'm hooked on the idea. The authors have done the work for me in narrowing the trips with a handy listing by categories such as "for families or beginners," "wildlife-viewing trips," and "paddling-hiking/biking combinations."

Time for packing and logistical details. They have a pre-trip planning section and trip put-in/put-out information.

On the water, suddenly that boring to read at home text of the route details (e.g., "...approach to the dam, which is dangerous because of exposed metal rebar in the river...") is the center of my focus! Critical point by critical point, the guide helps me make safe route choices and alerts me to interesting features I might otherwise miss.

The waterproof section maps (sold separately) complement the book.

This book was written by several authors, each sharing their expertise for segments of the route. All write well and the guide flows together nicely; however, at least one is an exceptional writer.

My only suggestion for improvement would be that the guidebook be plastic spiral bound so it could rest open within a zip-lock plastic bag for field use. I don't want to be thumbing for the right route section each time I review the guide while underway.

Find a comfortable chair because as soon as you open this book, you will be dreaming about and planning for the next trip. The Northern Forest Canoe Trail Guidebook is good enough for arm chair travelers and through paddlers alike.

It is rich in information for preliminary trip planning. Historical context and anecdotes are weaved between area attractions, navigation tips, terrain charts, pictures, maps, and itinerary recommendations. There are also segment profiles for quick reference to access points, services, contacts, and trail features.

The section maps (13 in total, sold separately) are a fantastic addition to the book with visual depiction of the trail, mileage markers, and service locations.

And there is the NFCT web site at [...]
with full directory of services, their contact information, itineraries, and events.

This is where the book falls short. I wish it included the contact details for the groceries, bakeries, B&Bs, and other services it refers to, so they are readily available while off and on the trail.

I enjoyed reading the book and planning for my first trip on the trail. I encourage you to plan a trip too. Stay safe and wear a life jacket.

Great book. For everyone from really experienced paddlers right down to "arm chair" adventurers! I defy any paddler -- or would be paddler -- to read this book and not come away dreaming of doing at least some portion of the trail. 6 paddlers in my family read the book and all, even this 67 year old recreational paddler, are just itching to do a section of the trail in NY before cold weather comes later this year.

There is an excellent introduction chapter covering the history of the trail, both natural and human, pretrip planning, a really complete gear checklistn, discussions of the different types of waters that may be encountered (flat water, large lakes, etc.).
There is a list of trips of all different duration that can be targeted according to the paddler's level of experience and availble time. There are even trips for novice paddlers with little tykes as crew members.

Comprehensive chapters on the sections in each state and provence cover types of water to expect, best seasons to travel the trail, heads up on put in and take out spots, hazards, camping, services, sight seeing, fishing, and much more.

The photographs are beautiful. The writing is very well done, easy to read, and very interesting. The layout of the book invites skipping around if that's your reading style.

Buy the book -- or borrow it from it someone -- you'll be well rewarded for your time.

Note: A waterproof edition, spiral bound would be nice, because this is a guide that should be with you on this water trail!

The NFCT is such a diverse resource and this guide does an outstading job of describing the variet along the length of the trail. The majority of people will be using the Trail for day, weekend of perhaps a short multi day outing - and this guide is designed to really shed light on those types of paddling opportunities (but for the intrepid thru paddler there is a chapter at the end). Face it, most of us who paddle have asked the question "where can I paddle?". This answers that with 740 miles of options. That is a lot of distance to choose from but this in conjunction with the maps and the Northern Forest Canoe Trail web site at northernforestcanoetrail.org is great combination for being able to choose a segment, figure out the support resources such as camping/lodging, determine the type of paddling and surroundings and get a sense of the wilderness quotent. Great resource for getting a detailed feel for a paddling trail with a lot of destination to choose from.

Now that the detailed guide is out and in conjunction with the NFCT maps and on-line assistance a trip to plan and meet your customized needs or preferances has become a lot of fun. While all this information may take a little of the wilderness out of the trip, it allows the experience to be both safer and rewarding: as long as you do it.

This excellent guide covers the 740 miles of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. The trail follows connected waterways in New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire & Maine. After a short introduction, the guide is organized by state (province)segments. Each segment is described with many trail tips and interesting historical facts. Many black & white photographs are interspersed with the descriptions. The main set of 13 maps offered for sale by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail are referenced whenever possible. In the middle of the guide are 16 pages of very nice color photographs of the trail. The fall photographs are particularly appealing. The 13 map series published by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a must to make the best use of this guide. This is a guide that one will want to have while canoeing the trail itself. To that end, it would be nice if future editions offered a waterproof edition. All in all a great guide for a great trail.