Allagash Canoe Adventure

September 7-11 2025

Book online here.

The Allagash is renowned in Maine lore, and in this trip, you can experience all it has to offer without the hassle of planning the details. 

Workshop Description

We’ve partnered with Canoe the Wild, run by Registered Maine Guide Dave Conley, on this all-inclusive, 5-day guided trip along the Allagash River. This is a truly immersive experience — a chance to leave behind electronic devices and tune in to nature. Paddling will be leisurely, with plenty of time set aside to look out for eagles, loons, moose, and other animals. With the comfortable sleeping arrangements and nights spent around the campfire while sharing stories and eating great food, you'll want to do this trip again and again.

Itinerary

On September 7, we will meet at 8 a.m. at the Ashland One Stop at 117 Main St in Ashland, which is in the center of town on your left as you are heading north on Route 11. After transitioning your gear into our river bags, you'll park your vehicle in a secure location in Ashland. Next, we’ll load into a van, enter the Maine North Woods, and travel to our put in location at Umsaskis/ Long Lake thoroughfare.

A typical day involves rising by 6 a.m. (or potentially earlier on the big lakes to avoid potential headwinds that may arise mid to late morning), having breakfast, and breaking down camp to be underway around 8:30 a.m. We will typically average around 5+ hours of paddling per day to arrive into our next camp by 2-3 p.m., which allows plenty of time to set up camp and have some down time to relax, swim, explore, or perhaps another short paddle to view wildlife!

We will arrive back at your cars in Ashland around 2:30 p.m. on September 11.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in this trip?

Logistics & Planning

Canoe the Wild takes care of all pre-trip planning, packing of group gear, menu, shopping for food and packing meals. With years of experience and many outings on Maine and Canadian rivers, they’ve become quite efficient with the whole process including: best place to start and end your trip; where to camp; what rapids to scout; river distances and time needed to travel; points of interest; camp setup & takedown; providing quick shelter; proper fire wood selection and building the campfire, and knowledge & experience of your route so you can have a safe and enjoyable time.

Gear

We will provide all necessary equipment including: river bags to keep your clothing dry; compact sleeping pads; type III life jackets; paddles; durable kayaks; compact camp chairs to relax around the campsite; group tarp; cooking & eating utensils; a well-stocked First Aid kit and for a little added peace of mind; a satellite phone; and a Garmin InReach two-way satellite communicator.

Meals

Breakfasts include: organic coffee, an assortment of regular & herbal teas; hot chocolate; oatmeal with fruit, buttermilk pancakes, served with real Maine blueberries & syrup; and the traditional Maine guide breakfast of local farm fresh eggs, meat, and potatoes.

Lunches are on the fly and may include make your own wraps with assorted breads, meats and cheeses, tuna, lettuce, pickles and tomatoes. Snack foods may include trail mix, bars, cookies, and fruit.

Suppers may include: the best cuts of locally-raised Ribeye steaks; wild caught Atlantic salmon; vegetables; fresh-cooked biscuits; spaghetti with homemade sauce and garlic bread; chicken & rice; vegetables & dumplings; fresh salads; and freshly-baked desserts like brownies or strawberry shortcake.

We can accommodate vegetarian diets, but vegan diets will require bringing substitutes that require no extra cooking, as space over the fire and pots are limited.

For gluten-free folks, please contact us to discuss what you can bring to substitute as needed.

What is not included in this trip?

Cost does not include transportation to our meeting location, food before and after the river part of the trip, or trip insurance.

A Note on Gratuities

While not required, it is customary to tip your Registered Maine Guides up to 10-15% of the trip cost for exceptional service.

What should I bring?

Clothing

• 3 pairs of wool socks (can be synthetic)
• 2 pairs of cotton socks
• 1 pair of river shoes for paddling and wading with good traction that fit properly (such as old sneakers with smart wool socks)
• Heavy duty shoes or hiking boots for around the campsite
  • You will never want to wear this pair on the river so you won't have two wet pairs of shoes!
• 3-4 pairs of underwear (cotton or synthetic)
• 1 pair shorts and/or quick-drying swim suit
• 2 quick-drying pants (light cotton or synthetic — no jeans)
• 2-3 undershirts (at least one synthetic or Merino wool)
• 1 long sleeve shirt light in color
• 1-2 warm synthetic tops for cool weather
• Quality rain coat & rain pants
• Windbreaker
• Bandana
• Hat with visor
• Knit or felt hat

Gear

• *Dry bag for your personal clothing and sleeping bag (Sealine 115 liter)
• *Dry bag to use as a day bag (Sealine 20 or 30 liter)
• *Sleeping pad
• *Biodegradable soap
• Sleeping bag
  • Canoe the Wild recommends a 20° F. bag that's compact and packable.
• Quick-drying towel
• Sunblock
• Small flashlight with extra batteries
• Personal toiletries including toothpaste & brush and deodorant
• Pocket knife
• Wide-mouth personal water bottles — no glass
• Several gallon-size plastic bags for organization

*These items will be provided by Canoe the Wild unless you indicate on the application that you are bringing your own.

Optional Additional Gear / Items

• Fishing license
  • MUST have if you plan on fishing.
• Fishing gear
• Camera &waterproof case
  • We like pelican cases that are quick to access when spotting wildlife underway.
• Binoculars
• Bug net
• Paddling gloves
• Small shave kit
• Medications
• Spare glasses
• Long underwear
• Lightweight, over-the-calf rubber boots with good traction
• Box of wine — no glass

Note on Packing from Dave at Canoe the Wild

I like to organize my personal gear and clothing in 3+ 13-gallon size trash bags prior to placing in my waterproof river bag. If this is already done when we meet, it will save us time transitioning into river bags as well as save space: tying to stuff a pack or duffel bag into a 70L or even 115L dry bag makes it hard to roll and close. Items you may want throughout the day can be packed into a smaller 20-30L dry bag.

What are the physical requirements for this trip?

This trip involves getting in and out of a canoe on potentially muddy or uneven ground, loading and unloading gear from your canoe, paddling, and setting up and breaking down camp daily.

No previous canoeing experience is necessary for this trip. Canoe the Wild has lots of practice at teaching the basics of how to handle a canoe, and they have a series of videos covering the basics if you'd like to watch them prior to the trip.

What about transportation?

Participants are responsible for their own transportation to our meeting location, but we recommend carpooling.

What about bathroom facilities?

There are maintained outhouses at all the Allagash campsites. Toilet paper is supplied, but most visitors bring a secret stash of their own. There are no shower facilities, so we recommend bringing travel wipes (wet ones) for freshening up.

What is the alcohol policy?

For the evenings, you may bring boxed wine and cans of beer — no glass. Responsible drinking only. It is against the law to drink while paddling.

What about cell service?

There is no cell phone coverage in the area. If someone back home needs to reach you in the event of an emergency, they can reach Dave on his Garmin InReach.

What about lodging before the trip?

Dave recommends:

• River’s Edge Motel and Pizza in Medway (1.5 hours away from our meeting spot)
• Vacationland Estates in Island Falls (1 hour away)
• Homestead Lodge in Oxbow (25 minutes away)
• The Hampton Inn in Presque Isle (30 minutes away)

Presque Isle is your best option for meals and picking up last-minute items.

Cancellations

The payment is refundable up to 90 days prior to the trip. After that time, your payment is non-refundable and non-transferable. Alternatively, 100% of your payment will be refunded if a replacement can be found before the trip.

Canoe the Wild reserves the right to cancel a trip due to stay safe from forces in nature that are beyond our control, such as low or high water levels. In these cases, your payment is fully refundable.