Canoeing Brunswick To Merrymeeting Bay

The Androscoggin River in Maine is a popular destination for canoeing and kayaking. The river runs for over 70 miles from the White Mountains to Merrymeeting Bay, combining stunning scenery and clear water. The Androscoggin is known for its challenging rapids, scenic beauty, and wildlife. The trip from Brunswick to Merrymeeting Bay is a popular option for those seeking a challenging paddle, offering a great way to experience the river's beauty and rapids. This journey can be completed in a day or over a weekend, with plenty of campsites along the route.

Androscoggin River: A challenging canoe trip

The Androscoggin River in Maine offers a challenging yet rewarding canoe trip for outdoor enthusiasts. Stretching over 170 miles from New Hampshire to Merrymeeting Bay in Brunswick, Maine, the river provides a unique paddling experience. Here's what you need to know to plan your trip.

The River Trail

The Androscoggin River Canoe Trail is a collaborative project involving various organizations, including the state of New Hampshire. The trail is divided into three sections: The North Woods (New Hampshire section), The Mahoosucs, and The Greenway – Riverlands. The trail offers a combination of scenic wilderness, challenging rapids, and diverse wildlife. With over 40 mapped public access sites, improvements are ongoing to enhance portages, water access, and day use areas.

Planning Your Trip

When planning your canoe trip on the Androscoggin River, consider factors such as your skill level, available time, and the specific sections of the river you want to paddle. The Androscoggin River Trail's interactive River Trail Map provides up-to-date information on access points and river conditions. Keep in mind that the river can be challenging, especially when navigating rapids, so ensure you have the necessary skills and equipment for a safe journey.

What to Expect

The Androscoggin River is known for its scenic beauty and diverse wildlife. As you paddle, you'll be treated to stunning views of the Maine countryside and possibly spot various bird species, eagles, and osprey. The river also offers excellent fishing opportunities, with anglers frequently catching trout, salmon, and smallmouth bass. Keep an eye out for historical landmarks along the river, as it played a significant role in the development of nearby cities and towns.

When to Go

The Androscoggin River can be canoed any time of the year, depending on your preference and weather conditions. The trip can be completed in a day or extended over a weekend, with plenty of campsites along the route. Remember to pre-register for your trip and consider making a donation to support the administrative costs of maintaining the river trail.

Environmental Concerns

While the Androscoggin River has benefited from environmental efforts and the departure of certain industries, it still faces pollution challenges. Several mills continue to release chemical waste into the river, and until recently, a 14-mile stretch required oxygen bubblers to prevent fish from suffocating. Nevertheless, organizations like the Androscoggin River Watershed Council are dedicated to establishing a water trail along the entire length of the river to improve access for paddling, fishing, and boating.

Androscoggin River Watershed Council: Conservation efforts

The Androscoggin River, flowing through Maine and New Hampshire, was once one of the most polluted rivers in the United States. The Androscoggin River Watershed Council (ARWC) has been instrumental in improving the river's water quality and conserving its natural habitat. Here are some of their conservation efforts:

Improving Water Quality

The Androscoggin River was heavily polluted by industrial wastewater and chemical waste from textile mills, paper mills, and other industries located along its banks. The ARWC, along with environmental groups, has worked to reduce the amount of contaminated wastewater released into the river. While most companies have agreed to reduce wastewater discharge, some have not completely stopped due to the cost. The ARWC continues to advocate for cleaner water practices and the enforcement of regulations.

Establishing a Water Trail

The ARWC is working with various organizations to establish a water trail along the entire length of the Androscoggin River, providing improved access for paddling, fishing, and boating. The trail will include over 40 mapped public access sites, improved portages, water-access-only sites, and day-use areas. This project aims to conserve the river while also promoting recreational activities and ecotourism.

Brook Trout Habitat Restoration

The ARWC has undertaken several projects to restore and maintain brook trout habitat in the Androscoggin watershed. They collaborate with organizations dedicated to restoring brook trout populations, ensuring the river can support a diverse range of fish species.

Source to Sea Event

The ARWC hosts an annual "Source to Sea" event, a paddling adventure that covers nearly 170 miles of the Androscoggin River, from Lake Umbagog in New Hampshire to Merrymeeting Bay in Brunswick. This educational trip welcomes hundreds of participants each year, fostering an understanding of the river's unique resources, including conservation, fishing, history, ecology, and recreation.

Community Engagement and Education

The ARWC believes that community engagement is crucial for effective conservation. They encourage the public to participate in their events and learn about the river firsthand. Through their website and community programs, they provide information on paddling, local conservation, and the river's ecology. The ARWC also works with industry, conservation groups, landowners, and other stakeholders to ensure collaborative efforts in conserving the Androscoggin River.

Androscoggin River: Wildlife and conservation

The Androscoggin River, which runs through the US states of Maine and New Hampshire, was once one of the most polluted rivers in the US. Discharges from textile and paper mills, as well as other industries, saw the river lose all of its oxygen, causing millions of fish to die. The Androscoggin's sorry state inspired the Clean Water Act of 1972, drafted by US Senator Edmund Muskie, who grew up near the river in Rumford.

The river is now much cleaner, and it is a popular destination for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. It is the third-largest river in Maine and one of the largest in New England, running for 178 miles from Errol, New Hampshire, to Merrymeeting Bay, where it joins the Kennebec River. The Androscoggin has several ancient names, including Pejepscook, Amasagu'teg, and Amascongan, and its modern name is derived from the Eastern Abenaki term Ammoscocongon, which refers to the portion of the river north of the Great Falls in Lewiston, Maine.

The Androscoggin River is an important habitat for wildlife, including bald eagles and great blue herons, and it provides nesting sites for these birds on its numerous islands. The river also has a rich history of human habitation, with evidence of Wabanaki people utilising the river for at least 13,000 years. The Wabanaki fished for salmon and sturgeon and harvested corn and beans in the lowlands. They also dried meat on the riverbanks of Canton Point.

The Androscoggin River Watershed Council is working to establish a water trail along the entire length of the river to provide improved portages and access sites for paddling, fishing, and boating. There are currently over 40 mapped public access sites to the river. The Androscoggin is also home to several species of fish, including brook, rainbow, and brown trout, as well as landlocked salmon and smallmouth bass.

Androscoggin River: Access and trail improvements

The Androscoggin River, located in the US states of Maine and New Hampshire, has been a site for environmental improvement projects. The Androscoggin River Watershed Council, a local non-profit, has been working to establish a water trail along the entire length of the river. The Androscoggin River flows for 168 miles, and there are over 40 mapped public access sites to the river. The Androscoggin River Canoe Trail is an ongoing project that involves partnerships with many organisations, including the state of New Hampshire, where the river trail begins. The project aims to establish a water trail along the full length of the river, providing access for activities such as paddling, fishing, and motor boating.

The Androscoggin River Trail has three sections: The North Woods (New Hampshire section), The Mahoosucs, and The Greenway – Riverlands. The North Woods section covers the portion of the river located in New Hampshire and is known for its scenic beauty, wildlife, and excellent trout fishing. The Mahoosucs section begins at the Maine border and passes through towns such as Bethel, Rumford, and Dixfield. The Greenway – Riverlands section includes dense woods, fields, islands, and urban areas such as Lewiston and Auburn.

The Androscoggin River has a history of heavy pollution by textile mills, paper mills, and other industries. However, environmental efforts and the departure of certain industries have significantly reduced the amount of contaminated wastewater released into the river. The Androscoggin River is now a popular destination for canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. Anglers can catch trout, salmon, smallmouth bass, and northern pike.

The Androscoggin River Watershed Council hosts an annual event called "Source to Sea," where participants paddle the length of the river from Lake Umbagog in New Hampshire to Merrymeeting Bay in Brunswick. This event offers educational programmes about local conservation, fishing, history, ecology, and recreation.

Androscoggin River: History and name origin

The Androscoggin River, Maine's third-largest river, has played a significant role in the state's history and was utilised by the Wabanaki people for at least 13,0000 years. The river, which flows through Maine and New Hampshire, has its name derived from the Eastern Abenaki term 'Ammoscocongon', referring to the portion of the river north of the Great Falls in Lewiston, Maine. The Anglicisation of the name is likely influenced by colonial governor Edmund Andros.

The Androscoggin River was once known by several ancient names, including Pejepscook, Ammasaquanteg, Ammascongan, and Ambrose Coggin, among others. The river joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay and was an important part of the Native American way of life, providing an abundance of fish and supporting their agricultural practices.

The river's corn planting grounds at Canton and Jay Points, known as 'Rockamecook' to the Indigenous people, were also significant. The Wabanaki people's mobile lifestyle along the river allowed the land to rest and regain fertility, creating a stable ecosystem.

In the 17th century, English settler Thomas Purchase became the first European to permanently reside on the Androscoggin River. However, the Wabanaki people's consent to land ownership was often misunderstood, leading to the dispossession of their homeland. As European settlers rapidly fished and harvested crops, trade between the colonists and tribes turned into conflict, resulting in a series of wars.

The Androscoggin River was also instrumental in the development of industries such as commercial lumbering and shipbuilding. Sawmills and textile mills utilised the river's waterpower, and by the 20th century, efforts were made to mitigate the environmental impact on the river. Today, the Androscoggin River is clean enough to support recreational activities and several fish and wildlife species.

Frequently asked questions