We’ve been guiding whitewater rafting trips at Northern Outdoors in The Forks, Maine for over 40 years, but somehow Maine’s three rivers — the Kennebec River, the Dead River and the Penobscot River — are more fun every season! It must be you guys. Read your whitewater rafting trip reports, get some Maine travel tips, and meet our Registered Maine Whitewater Guides below. Post your rafting photos and other Maine adventures on Instagram with #NorthernOutdoors to be featured in our taproom.
I came up from MA with a group of six. Some seasoned rafters and some new. Our guide was Zach and from the start we all felt really comfortable as he seemed like a very seasoned guide. We expected a professional and safe experience because one member of our group was a former employee and Kennebec rafting vet (she recommended Northern).
Beauty Beneath the Dirt Brandon and I had a wonderful time at Northern Outdoors. We
Nick Menounos really captured the intensity and the beauty of the Penobscot River on his trip this past spring with Northern Outdoors. If you want to see what the river “feels” like from an “in-the-boat” perspective, through some of the biggest rapids and most dramatic scenery, watch this!
My husband and I came up on Friday afternoon with another couple. Due to us booking late and limited availability, we stayed in a lakeside cabin for 12 people on Friday, then had to check out and into the Lodge on Saturday. This turned out great because we would never have booked a cabin for 12 people when it was only 4 of us! Now we KNOW that we LOVE the cabin and we will be back next year with more friends and rent the cabin!
We have been up to Northern Outdoors three times now. We have done everything from camp with Tents, used our RV/Horse Trailer, and rented their beautiful Town Houses overlooking a private pond. The Facilities are as good as they get for a adventure-focused operation. The main lodge has a HUGE hot tub, heated swimming pool (with indoor in-out for wintertime), and their own Brewery!
My experience with Northern Outdoors could not have been a better one! In all aspects of the river experience on the Kennebec, the service and staff, the lodge itself, as well as the surrounding natural beauty, I was very impressed.
Northern Outdoors is not only the only rafting company or adventure resort in Maine with its own microbrewery onsite, but it’s the only one in New England, and (sources close to us suggest, but have not confirmed yet), all of the US!
I want to take the time to thank Northern Outdoors and your staff. My family and I had a lot of fun and a great time. Your resort staff, guides, equipment, training, et. al., were just wonderful. My wife planned and scheduled the trip, and I reluctantly went along. But I can’t lie to you – your whitewater rafting excursion far exceeded all my expectations, and some.
The entire package was a great value, and one of the most satisfying family adventures we have ever had (there have been many). My 17-year old son now wants to take the training course and work as a guide while in college.
The Penobscot River is a true class 4-5 Maine whitewater rafting gem, and Northern Outdoors is well known for running this river as a classic top-to-bottom river trip.
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