Adventure Based Itinerary

Northern Forest Canoe Trail Androscoggin River Adventure Itinerary **Map 7**

The region surrounding the town of Errol, NH offers visitors extensive opportunities to view wildlife, play in whitewater rapids and hike to glorious views. Below you will find a sample itinerary designed to reveal a few of the many activities and experiences available to visitors here. To tailor your own trip to this area, simply visit the Trip Planner and create your own itinerary or see a full listing of the area’s services at the end of this itinerary.

Note: If you are a novice paddler and are unfamiliar with whitewater travel, consider referring to the other New Hampshire itineraries for a journey that requires less boating experience or plan to hire a local guide.

Day 1 Day 1 Dining Begin your North Woods exploration with a hike to Table Rock in Lunch Dixville Notch and enjoy views of cliff bands, undulating mountains  Log Haven and the historic Balsam’s Grand Resort Hotel. Table Rock is a narrow Restaurant and granite outcropping which measures only 10 feet across in spots and Lounge Errol, NH drops a hair-raising 700 feet to either side. Peregrine Falcons make  Balsams Grand their nests in the surrounding cliffs and are capable of diving into the Resort Hotel, canyon at over 200 miles per hour while hunting for prey. The trail to Dixville, Notch Table Rock passes across the 160-mile Cohos Trail. Dinner  Northern Exposure While you are in Dixville Notch, it is worth your while to stop and Restaurant and tour the historic displays at the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel. This Black Bear Pub majestic hotel was built in 1866 in an era when visitors traveled to the Errol, NH region by train and horseback to enjoy its natural splendor in luxury.  Bull Moose The Balsams is also famous for its Ballot Room where residents of the Restaurant and town of Dixville cast their ballots in Presidential Elections. It is the Lounge Errol, NH first site in the nation to report Primary voting results. Activities You can also have a first class lunch at the Balsams or, on your way  hike to Table Rock back to the town of Errol, enjoy a tasty home-cooked burger,  shopping sandwich or seafood special at the Log Haven Restaurant. The town  preparing for your of Colebrook is west of Dixville Notch along Rte. 26 and has several paddling adventure other shopping and dining options.

1 Lodging Spend the remainder of your day enjoying the town of Errol’s shops  150 MAIN STREET and heritage sites and preparing for your paddling trip. Stop at L.L. LODGING ON THE Cote for camping, fishing and canoeing supplies. Canoes and kayaks ANDROSCOGGIN can be rented from Northern Waters Outfitters where you can also Errol, NH hire a local guide. Guides can provide invaluable assistance as you  Phillips Brook navigate whitewater rapids, arrange shuttles and other logistics, find Recreation Area wildlife and learn tales of the history of the Androscoggin River. Errol, NH L.L. Cote and Knot Just Logs are also great sources for gifts and local  Log Haven products. Campground Errol, NH If you are eager to get on the water on your first day, a journey into  Complete listing of the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge will offer you endless Errol lodging rewards. Bald Eagles, Osprey, and countless species of songbirds can be observed on the waters and shorelines of this massive lake. A quiet observer may also encounter moose, black bear, bobcats and beaver. Learn more about the area’s wildlife at the Refuge Headquarters and Visitor Center.

Rustic, riverside lodging is available at Phillips Brook Recreation Area ’s Errol Rapids Yurt. For those who would rather stay in town, enjoy a comfortable, well-kept room at 150 MAIN STREET LODGING ON THE ANDROSCOGGIN. Camping is also available at the Log Haven Campground.

Enjoy a delicious steak, seafood special or sandwich at either the Northern Exposure Restaurant and Black Bear Pub , the Log Haven Restaurant and Lounge or the Bull Moose Restaurant and Lounge.

Day 2 Day 2 Dining On your second day, eat a hearty breakfast at the Log Haven Breakfast Restaurant and Lounge or the Northern Exposure Restaurant and  Log Haven Black Bear Pub. Afterwards, begin your canoe trip at the Bragg’s Bay Restaurant and landing and the Northern Forest Canoe Trail kiosk. If you are eager to Lounge Errol, NH run the Class III rapids below the Errol Dam and just north of Bragg’s  Northern Exposure Bay, be sure to scout them first. You may also want to leave your gear Restaurant and at the Bragg’s Bay landing and pick it up after shooting the rapids. Black Bear Pub Errol, NH As you travel down river, you will pass through several more Class II Lunch rapids and stunning vistas of the river and surrounding mountains and  riverside picnic hills. This area is known as the 13 Mile Woods and has been protected Dinner through a Forest Legacy conservation easement. While timber cutting  riverside picnic and recreating are permitted along this pristine stretch, buildings and Activities billboards are strictly prohibited.  paddling 8 miles on Androscoggin River If there are anglers in your group, bring along a rod or two and take through Class I, II advantage of the Androscoggin’s prime Rainbow and Brown Trout and III rapids fishing. The frothing currents oxygenate the water creating ideal

2 Lodging feeding grounds for fish. Moose, osprey and bald eagles can also be  Camping at seen as the current carries you down stream. Mollidgewock State (More fishing information) Park or further on at the Moose Crossing There are many opportunities for lunch spots along this section, but or Osprey Campsites the Mollidgewock State Park is a great wayside for a picnic. You can also camp here although you may want to cover more miles before stopping for the day.

The Moose Crossing and Osprey campsites lay approximately 4 miles downstream and offer primitive camping closer to the half way point Day 3 of this two-day journey. To get there you will plunge through 8-10 Dining more sections of Class II whitewater rapids. You will also need to Breakfast reserve these sites at Mollidgewock State Park.  riverside picnic Lunch and Dinner Day 3  riverside picnic On Day 3 you may decide to leave the river behind and take out your  Ursula’s Snack boat at the Seven Islands Bridge. Within a 30 minute drive, you can Shack Milan, NH learn the stories of the region’s logging and recreation history at  The Milan Berlin’s Northern Forest Heritage Park and view the 170-foot steel Luncheonette and Nansen Ski Jump. You may also enjoy hiking the multi-use trails and Variety Milan, NH taking in the fire tower’s 360 degree views of the Presidential and  Northland Dairy Mahoosuc Mountain Ranges at the Milan State Park. Bar, Berlin, NH Activity Otherwise, you can continue your journey downstream along the  Explore local Androscoggin. Although the majority of the whitewater is behind you, heritage sites opportunities for wildlife viewing abound along this stretch. This is  Hike in Milan State particularly true as the river widens in the Pontook Reservoir. In the Park, Milan, NH early mornings and evenings, moose are often seen grazing on the OR river’s banks and along the road sides here.  Paddle 9 miles to the Pontook Dam You will take out your canoe at the Pontook Reservoir Dam. through Class I and II rapids You may want to plan for a riverside picnic for lunch. You can also Lodging pick up a pizza or sandwich at the Milan Luncheonette and Variety in  Dubee Our Guest Milan or stop in at Ursula’s Snack Shack on Route 16 north of Milan. Bed and Breakfast Milan, NH Lodging is available in the town of Milan at the Dubee Our Guest Bed  Great Northern and Breakfast or further north along Route 16 at the Great Northern Moose Lodge Moose Lodge. Dummer, NH

Full Area listings Lodging Dining Internet Access Outdoor Recreation Heritage Sites Supplies Guides 3 Recommended Reading Maps and Guides  Northern Forest Canoe Trail Map 7: Great North Woods, The Mountaineers Books, 2005.  AMC River Guide: New Hampshire/Vermont, Appalachian Mountain Club, 2002.  Androscoggin River Map and Guide, Appalachian Mountain Club, 2001.  New Hampshire Atlas and Gazetteer, Delorme, 2005  The Cohos Trail, Kim Nilsen. Nicolin Fields Publishing, 2000.  USGS Topographical Map: Groveton (NH-VT-ME). (888) ASK-USGS or www.usgs.gov

Fact and Fiction  Tall Trees, Tough Men, Robert E. Pike. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1999.  Northwoods Echoes: A Collection of True Short Stories and Accounts of the North Country, Richard E. Pinette. Self-published, 1986.  Ecological Atlas of the Upper Androscoggin River Watershed, David Publicover and Doug Weirauch. Appalachian Mountain Club, 2003  Northeast Passage: A Photographers Journey Along the Historic Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Clyde Smith. Thistle Hill Publications, 2005.  Smoke from a Thousand Campfires, Paul Doherty. Smith and Town Printers, 1993.  Northwoods Heritage: Authentic Short Accounts of the Northland in Another Era, Richard E. Pinette. Liebel Printing, 1992.

Looking for a vacation package for this section of the Androscoggin?

If you enjoyed this adventure, consider exploring other portions of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Map 1 – Fulton Chain of Lakes to Long Lake Map 2 – Long Lake to Saranac River Map 3 – Saranac River to Lake Champlain Map 4 – Lake Champlain to Missisquoi River Map 5- Missisquoi River to Lake Memphremagog Map 6 – Lake Memphremagog to Connecticut River Map 7 – Connecticut River to Umbagog Lake Map 8 – Umbagog Lake to Rangeley Lake Map 9 – Rangeley Lake to Spencer Stream Map 10 – Spencer Stream to Moosehead Lake Map 11 – Moosehead Lake to Umbazooksus Stream Map 12 – Umbazooksus Stream to Umsaskis Lake Map 13 – Umsaskis Lake to St. John River

Interested in Getting Involved with the Northern Forest Canoe Trail? Find a service project in your area and help us to preserve the natural and cultural history of this great natural resource.