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.
Name: Zach Davis Hometown: Smithfield, Maine Age of First Rafting Trip: 14 Year you started guiding at Northern Outdoors: 2011 What type of guiding do you do? Whitewater Rafting, Leadership Programs What do you enjoy most about working at Northern Outdoors? Having a job that doesn't feel like a job. Living, working, and playing within...
Name: Luke DiSilvestro Hometown: Caratunk Age of First Rafting Trip: 8 Year you started guiding at Northern Outdoors: 2007 What type of guiding do you do? Whitewater Rafting, Leadership Programs What do you enjoy most about working at Northern Outdoors? The People What is your favorite river to guide, and your favorite rapid on that river? The Penobscot River,...
Name: Trevor Donoghue Hometown: Freeport, ME Age of First Rafting Trip: 12 Year you started guiding at Northern Outdoors: 2009 What type of guiding do you do? Whitewater Rafting What do you enjoy most about working at Northern Outdoors? The family vibes...
"We, as a staff, depend on each other in a big way. We know we have each other's backs, and we trust each other. We really are a family." Meet Northern Outdoors whitewater rafting guide Emily...
Name: Diamond Mark Schaub Hometown: Newtown, PA/Points Unknown Age of First Rafting Trip: 9 Year you started guiding at Northern Outdoors: 2006 What type of guiding do you do? Whitewater Rafting What do you enjoy most about working at Northern Outdoors? The friends and family I've made along the way, the perpetual party it's been over the...
Name: Kimberly Lyman Hometown: Caratunk Age of First Rafting Trip: 17 Year you started guiding at Northern Outdoors: 1998 What type of guiding do you do? Whitewater Rafting What do you enjoy most about working at Northern Outdoors? I love the feeling of 'family'. Every year when the new guides come, they are drawn into the fold...
Meet Victor DiSilvestro, who first ran these rivers at age 23 with founder Wayne Hockmeyer. Victor joined the team in 1999, and now guides for Northern Outdoors alongside his two sons, Luke and Zack....
8 Days to Raft Maine’s Dead River 8 Days of Rafting, Music, Campfires, Cornhole, Beer Drinkin' Good Times...
My sister planned this whole trip for our family of 20 so I didn't know much about it. Way beyond what I thought it could be. Awesome accommodations - we had a huge cabin that slept 16 of us. Great food when we ate there. Corn hole games, outdoor pool,...
My family came to spend our Labor Day weekend searching for fun and adventure - and boy were we satisfied! Our group ranged in age from 16 to 65 - and each and everyone of us had a blast. We rafted the Kennebec with Alec on Saturday and got our...
My group rafted the Kennebec last summer and had a blast and decided to come up again to raft the Penobscot. The trip was fantastic! Going on a Sunday also proved to be a bonus with only three rafts from Northern Outdoors and only saw two rafts from another outfit....
One of THE BEST family fun vacations ever! We ran the Penobscot and Kennebec rivers this trip. The 'Nob was fab - incredible guides and great rafting. Actually, all the staff from Dave the bus driver/cook to the dining staff and food were excellent. The guides were beyond great! The...
Our rafting experience exceeded my expectations in every way. Not only was it fun, but the entire trip was very organized, lunch was excellent and we had a fantastic guide. We also brought our own ATV and enjoyed many miles of trails which were accessible from Northern Outdoors and so...
This is my fifth year on the Penobscot and second with Northern Outdoors. The trip was flawless & well organized. After meeting in the am during which there was a thorough explanation of the trip, expectations and safety features, we began the trip with a ride through the Exterminator. What...
We had such a good time with Northern Outdoors for my bachelor party. We did whitewater rafting on the Kennebec river, and it was a blast the whole way down. The guides we had (Victor and Brandi) were very knowledgeable and made everything extra fun for us. The property is beautiful...
There are ONLY 4 special Turbine Test releases a year – with 8000 CFS (cubic feet per second) of water flowing down river. That’s almost twice the normal water levels of Kennebec rafting trips of 4800CFS! This means BIG water – the biggest water in the Northeast, and the east...