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.
Maine outdoor writers George and Linda Smith just spent two fantastic days with us Kennebec River rafting, fishing and touring our Maine brewery for their upcoming articles on traveling Maine.
Two separate articles on Boston.com recommend Maine whitewater rafting with Northern Outdoors this summer, and there’s no better time than now to stay cool by getting on the river with us!
Maine whitewater rafting is exciting, fun and a great way to connect with the outdoors. Throw some hot weather into the mix and there’s just not a better way to spend a summer day than on a Kennebec River Rafting trip. Sunshine, refreshingly clean water and a boat…
Interested in rafting all three rivers in one weekend?! Earn the exclusive Triple Crown paddle by booking the Penobscot, Dead, and Kennebec Rivers on Labor Day Weekend.
The most iconic place to experience Maine whitewater rafting is on the mighty Penobscot River. Mount Katahdin, Maine’s highest mountain, stands as the backdrop as you navigate through some of the most technical rapids in the east.
This past Memorial Weekend was sure one to remember for those that went Dead River rafting with Northern Outdoors. Originally, we were scheduled for Kennebec River rafting on Saturday and Dead River rafting on Sunday. But due to the extreme high water levels, from the previous night’s rain, we rafted the Dead River on both Saturday and Sunday. A chance like this hardly ever happens!
One of those well-known adventures is Dead River rafting with Northern Outdoors. Each year, we’re lucky enough to have 8 releases on the Dead River. This 16-mile trip offers a day of paddling through heart-pounding Class III, IV, and V whitewater and avid rafters say that “you haven’t rafted Maine until you have been on all three rivers – Dead, Kennebec and Penobscot“.
Kennebec River rafting is always fun. Throw a little extra water into the mix and the trip becomes down right AWESOME! The standard water level for Kennebec River rafting is 4,800CFS (cubic feet per second), and this past weekend we rafted on 8,500CFS of water.
The Long Falls Dam, where water is now released for us to enjoy Dead River rafting, impounds the waters of Flagstaff Lake.
Slaid Cleaves and Nicole St. Pierre, with photos contributed by the Dead River Area Historical Society, produced this song and video titled “Below” which chronicles the 1940’s flooding of Flagstaff and Dead River in Maine.