Tag Archives: canoeing

Maine

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

Leave a comment

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

Managed by National Park Service

Established 2016

87,564 acres

Website: nps.gov/kaww

Overview

Central Maine is an ecological transition zone between boreal and broadleaf deciduous forests that provides habitat for Canada lynx, black bear, moose, and beaver.  The waters are home to brook trout and Atlantic salmon, which are being reestablished with cooperation between government agencies and the Penobscot and other Wabanaki Nations.  The official northern terminus of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Katahdin means “greatest mountain” in the Penobscot language and is the name of the 5,269-foot peak outside National Monument boundaries in neighboring Baxter State Park.  This undeveloped landscape was purchased by the businesswoman Roxanne Quimby beginning in 2001 with the plan to turn it into a National Park.  It was donated to the National Park Service to mark the centennial of its creation and, despite some controversy, was established by President Barack Obama. 

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments. It is now available for sale on Amazon.com.

Highlights

Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, Patten Lumbermen’s Museum, Katahdin Loop Road, Barnard Mountain, Stair Falls

Must-Do Activity

Opened in 2025 near the south entrance, the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is seasonally open Friday through Sunday in a building inspired by Wabanaki culture.  The National Park Service no longer works out of the Patten Lumbermen’s Museum (but it is still worth a visit).  The 17-mile-long Katahdin Loop Road in the southern section of the National Monument is the most developed with picnic areas, vault toilets, and overlooks.  The unpaved loop road is accessed from the east by miles of unpaved road and has no access to Baxter State Park.  About 30 miles of the International Appalachian Trail runs through Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument with lean-tos dispersed along the route.  Other than hiking, visitors enjoy stargazing, birding, leaf peeping in the fall, canoeing the East Branch of the Penobscot River with portages around its many waterfalls.  In the winter, there are opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. 

Best Trail

From the Haskell Gate at the end of New River Road, it is 3.5 miles out-and-back to Stair Falls on the East Branch of the Penobscot River.  The first part follows an old road and the International Appalachian Trail before branching north at a signed junction to access the water and is also open to bicycles.  The only trailhead accessed from a paved road is the 13.6-mile Seboeis Riverside Trail that starts outside the National Monument off Grand Lake Road.     

Photographic Opportunity

One of the best views of Katahdin is from the top of Barnard Mountain, accessed by a two-mile one-way hike with 725 feet of elevation gain. 

Peak Season

Summer

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/kaww/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm

Fees

None

Road Conditions

Every road within the National Monument is unpaved, so watch for potholes and logging trucks.  The north and south entrances have gates that close seasonally.

Camping

Reservations are required to car camp at designated sites within Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and can be made online at Recreation.gov. 

Related Sites

Appalachian National Scenic Trail (Maine to Georgia)

Saint Croix Island International Historic Site (Maine)

White Mountain National Forest (New Hampshire, Maine)

Nearest National Park

Acadia

Patten Lumbermen’s Museum
Snowing on October 28
International Appalachian Trail
Stair Falls

Explore More – When did Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument receive official recognition as a Dark Sky Sanctuary?

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments

Montana

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument

Leave a comment

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument

Managed by Bureau of Land Management

Established 2001

377,346 acres

Website: https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/montana-dakotas/upper-missouri-river-breaks

Overview

In central Montana, 149 miles of the Upper Missouri River were designated as a National Wild and Scenic River in 1976, upstream from the reservoir in Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.  This stretch of the river still looks much the way it did when the Lewis and Clark expedition first explored it in 1805 and their former campsites are marked by posts.  The breaks are a topographic area where the Missouri River eroded sedimentary rock that formed as horizontal layers laid down at the bottom of an ancient sea.  The National Monument comprises public land in a matrix with private ranches, with cattle making the water unfit for filtering.  There are a couple places to drive to along the river, but the best way to experience it is by floating a canoe or kayak down the non-motorized sections

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments. It is now available for sale on Amazon.com.

Highlights

Fort Benton, Decision Point, Neat Coulee, Citadel Rock, Hole-in-the-Wall, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

Must-Do Activity

In Fort Benton, start your visit at the free interpretive center run by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), then head downtown to learn more history by walking the riverfront of Fort Benton National Historic Landmark, including its many museums (admission fees charged) and sculptures of Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea and her son Pompey, and Shep (a local dog famous for his faithfulness).  To find out more about the Corps of Discovery, check out the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center upstream in Great Falls.  The most scenic stretch to float lies in the 44 miles between Coal Banks Landing and Judith Landing where there are no rapids and the river current is so strong that paddling is mostly reserved for steering.  A permit (fee) is required from the BLM, and we recommend you purchase a Boaters’ Guide and W.A.G. bags.  Wildlife we spotted along the river included bighorn sheep, bald eagles, white pelicans, great blue herons, and beavers. 

Best Trail

Only accessible by boat, the hike up the slot canyon at Neat Coulee from the Eagle Creek Developed Boat Camp is worth a stop.  It is also possible to scramble up to the eight-foot-tall Hole-in-the-Wall arch that comes into view on the south side of the river just past Citadel Rock.

Photographic Opportunity

One of the few places with road access in Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, at Decision Point, Captains Lewis and Clark were not sure which was the main route: the Marias or Missouri River.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

There is a small fee charged per person per day to be on the river, which helps pay for the maintenance of vault toilets along the route (other waste must be packed out in W.A.G. bags).  An America the Beautiful pass covers the admission fee for the small museum at the BLM visitor center in Ft. Benton.

Road Conditions

Dirt roads doable by passenger vehicles lead to Coal Banks Landing and Judith Landing, while paved roads lead to put-ins at Chouteau County Fairgrounds in Ft. Benton and Kipp Recreation Area at the western edge of Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.

Camping

There are campgrounds at Chouteau County Fairgrounds, Coal Banks Landing, and Kipp Recreation Area.  Throughout the National Monument developed riverside campgrounds can be accessed by boat, with dispersed camping allowed anywhere on public land (a good map is essential to avoid private land). 

Related Sites

Custer National Forest (Montana)

Pompeys Pillar National Monument (Montana)

Lewis and Clark National Forest (Montana)

Nearest National Park

Glacier

White pelicans
Bald eagle
Bighorn sheep
Hole-in-the-Wall
Hole-in-the-Wall
Neat Coulee
Upper Missouri River Breaks Interpretive Center in Fort Benton

Explore More – Who was Charles M. Russell and why did he get a National Wildlife Refuge named after him?

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments

Montana

Lolo National Forest

Leave a comment

Lolo National Forest

Montana

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Northern Region

2,639,224 acres (2,197,966 federal/ 441,258 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/lolo

Overview

Located in western Montana, the elevation of Lolo National Forest ranges from less than 2,400 feet on the Clark Fork River below Thompson Falls to the top of 9,186-foot Scapegoat Mountain.  West of Missoula off Interstate 90, the Ninemile Historic Remount Depot preserves a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp and pack stock training facility.  Founded in 1907, the Savenac Historic Tree Nursery Area is also well developed for visitors, including an arboretum and cabin rentals in what were formerly the cookhouse and bunkhouse. 

Highlights

Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, Lolo Pass Visitor Center, Lolo National Historic Trail, Fort Fizzle, Blue Mountain Recreation Area, Cascade Falls, Savenac Nursery, Petty Creek Bighorn Sheep Viewing Site, Clearwater Canoe Trail, Stark Mountain Vista, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

Must-Do Activity

Lolo National Forest surrounds Missoula, where the Aerial Fire Depot and Smokejumper Center offers guided tours and exhibits.  Right outside of the city are numerous hiking trails in Blue Mountain Recreation Area and Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, which contains 73 miles of trails (and has its own blog entry on our website).  Following a path used by the Corps of Discovery in 1805, the Lolo National Historic Trail shadows Highway 12 west into Idaho (see Clearwater National Forest). Take time to stop at the Lolo Pass Visitor Center managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Best Trail

Morrell Falls National Recreation Trail leads to a 90-foot-tall waterfall on the western slope of the Swan Range.  The trail is 5.5 miles out-and-back, mostly flat with some short inclines as it cuts through a burned area now full of beargrass and fireweed.  The waterfall cascades down a rocky outcrop and is well lit in the afternoon.  The trailhead is located 7.5 miles from Highway 83 on a good gravel road that has well-signed intersections.  Also nearby, the Pyramid Pass Trailhead provides access to the Bob Marshall Wilderness in adjacent Flathead National Forest.

Watchable Wildlife

There are 60 species of mammals found in Lolo National Forest, including grizzly/brown bears, black bears, mountain lions, gray wolves, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, moose, and mule deer.  Among the largest of the more than 300 birds spotted are bald eagles, golden eagles, and trumpeter swans.  The five rivers and over 100 lakes are home to 30 varieties of ducks and 20 types of fish.

Photographic Opportunity

Located on the western slope of the Swan Range, 90-foot-tall Morrell Falls is accessed on a 5.5-mile out-and-back hike.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

None

Road Conditions

The unpaved roads we took were in good shape to Morrell Falls National Recreation Trail and Rattlesnake National Recreation Area.

Camping

The forest has 12 improved campgrounds and several historic fire lookout towers available for overnight rental through the website Recreation.gov. 

Wilderness Areas

Rattlesnake Wilderness

Scapegoat Wilderness (also in Helena and Lewis and Clark National Forests)

Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness (also in Bitterroot, Clearwater, and Nez Perce National Forests)

Welcome Creek Wilderness

Related Sites

Deerlodge National Forest (Montana)

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument (Montana)

Beaverhead National Forest (Montana)

Nearest National Park

Glacier

Douglas-fir cone setting on a larch branch
Fireweed
Beargrass
Fireweed
Lolo Pass Visitor Center

Conifer Tree Species

western redcedar, alpine larch, western larch, whitebark pine, ponderosa pine, grand fir, subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, mountain hemlock

Flowering Tree Species

quaking aspen, Rocky Mountain maple, western serviceberry

Explore More – What is the origin of the name Lolo?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

Louisiana

Kisatchie National Forest

Leave a comment

Kisatchie National Forest

Louisiana

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Southern Region

1,022,373 acres (603,360 federal/ 419,013 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/kisatchie

Overview

There are eight parcels that constitute Kisatchie National Forest, the only National Forest in Louisiana, which has over 40 developed recreation sites and 100 miles of trails.  It encompasses several lakes for boating and swimming, plus baldcypress-lined bayous for canoeing and fishing.  The National Forest protects some of the state’s last acreage of calcareous prairie and a diversity of plant species, including wild orchids and carnivorous plants. We saw a television news report that somewhere in Kisatchie National Forest they grew a loblolly pine tree from a seed that NASA took to the moon (which grew normally), then planted a comparison tree that was accidentally a different species.

Highlights

Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway, Saline Bayou, Fullerton Lake, Gum Springs Recreation Area, Kincaid Lake, Wolf Rock Cave, Castor Creek Scenic Area, Corney Lake, Camp Packard, Wild Azalea National Recreation Trail, Glenn Emery Trail, Stuart Nature Trail, Longleaf Vista Interpretive Trail, Sugar Cane National Recreation Trail

Must-Do Activity

Kisatchie National Forest is divided into five Ranger Districts: Caney, Calcasieu, Catahoula, Kisatchie, and Winn.  In Winn Ranger District, Saline Bayou is a National Wild and Scenic River featuring a 13-mile-long designated water trail.  Boating, fishing, and camping are also popular activities at the developed recreation areas at Caney Lake, Corney Lake, Kincaid Lake, Kisatchie Bayou, and Stuart Lake.  Calcasieu is the southernmost Ranger District and contains the state’s longest trail (31-mile Wild Azalea Trail) and the only known cave in Louisiana (Wolf Rock Cave) off Parish Road 455.

Best Trail

In Kisatchie Ranger District’s Longleaf Scenic Area, a 1.5-mile-long interpretive loop at Longleaf Vista is a good place to start, since it has signs that introduce plants that inhabit ecosystems from rocky buttes to bottomland hardwood forests.  Longer trails like the seven-mile Backbone Trail and 10.5-mile Caroline Dorman Trail enter the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness, an 8,700-acre area that is one of only three designated Wildernesses in Louisiana.

Watchable Wildlife

Old-growth longleaf pine forests provide habitat for endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers, areas that are easily identified by white paint markings on boundary trees.  We also saw an armadillo and wild turkey in the Longleaf Scenic Area.  Other rare species of management concern are the Louisiana pine snake, black bear, and Louisiana pearlshell mussel.  We saw signs warning of alligators, so if you do enter the water be aware of that, especially in the roadless Cunningham Brake and Saline Bayou.  Winn Ranger District and Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge are popular destinations for fishermen and hunters of white-tailed deer, turkeys, and waterfowl.  The Catahoula Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden is located near the Catahoula Ranger District Office in Bentley.  Iatt Lake Observation Pier in the Catahoula Ranger District is a good place to watch for migratory birds in the spring and fall.

Photographic Opportunity

Louisiana is not known for its vertical topography, so it is worth stopping at Longleaf Vista Overlook for the panorama, though hopefully without the thick smoke we saw from a controlled burn.

Peak Season

Spring and fall

Fees

None

Road Conditions

Longleaf Scenic Area is accessed by the paved 17-mile-long Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway, just off Interstate 49.  To the west of Longleaf Scenic Area, a plethora of roads run through the Red Dirt National Wildlife Management Preserve, accessing Kisatchie Bayou Recreation Area and numerous campgrounds and trails.  There are designated ATV trails in the Catahoula (at Stuart Lake) and Calcasieu Ranger Districts.

Camping

Official campgrounds are located throughout Kisatchie National Forest, including three at Kincaid Lake, two at Valentine Lake, three at Corney Lake, Stuart Lake Campground, Beaver Dam Campground on Upper Caney Lake, and Turtle Slide Campground on Lower Caney Lake.  Specific campgrounds for equestrian use include Amus Melder Camp in Calcasieu Ranger District and Gum Springs Recreation Area in Winn Ranger District.

Wilderness Areas

Kisatchie Hills Wilderness

Related Sites

Cane River Creole National Historical Park (Louisiana)

Poverty Point National Monument (Louisiana)

Jean Lafitte Historical Park and Preserve (Louisiana)

Nearest National Park

Hot Springs

Longleaf Vista Overlook
Smoke from controlled burn
Kincaid Lake
Kincaid Lake
Wild turkey
Campground closed for logging operation
Clear cut logging
Campground closed from hurricane damage

Conifer Tree Species

baldcypress, longleaf pine, shortleaf pine, loblolly pine

Flowering Tree Species

water tupelo, American beech, white oak, post oak, Shumard oak, white ash, mockernut hickory, nutmeg hickory, southern magnolia, flowering dogwood, redbud, red buckeye, red bay, fringe tree, chalk maple, wax myrtle, raisin tree, dahoon holly, yaupon holly, sweetbay magnolia, brookside alder

Explore More – How many acres of calcareous prairie remain in Louisiana, noting that Kisatchie National Forest’s historic Tancock Prairie (45 acres) and historic Bartram Prairie (1,190 acres) have been taken over by forests since the initial 1836 survey?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

We are a participan

Michigan

Huron National Forest

Leave a comment

Huron National Forest

Michigan

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Eastern Region

694,056 acres (438,584 federal/ 255,472 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/hmnf

Overview

Huron National Forest occupies a strip of land in eastern Michigan that follows the Au Sable National Wild and Scenic River to near its confluence with Lake Huron.  The National Forest was established in 1909 after logging in the area went into decline.  In 1945, it was administratively combined with the Manistee National Forest, which is on the western side of the state.  Two years later, the first Au Sable River Canoe Marathon was held when 46 teams entered, but only 15 teams finished the 120-mile-long race.  Held annually the last weekend of July, thousands of spectators watch the event, but if you are not there then at least stop by the Canoer’s Memorial.  In the winter, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are popular activities in Huron National Forest.

Highlights

River Road Scenic Byway, Lumberman’s Monument, Canoer’s Memorial, Iargo Springs Interpretive Site, Cooke Dam Pond, Tuttle Marsh, Bull Gap ORV Trail, Hoist Lakes Foot Travel Area, Highbanks Trail, Eagle Run Cross-Country Ski and Hiking Trail

Must-Do Activity

The 22-mile-long River Road Scenic Byway follows the Au Sable National Wild and Scenic River with 18 stops at memorials, overlooks, dams, ponds, trailheads, and campgrounds.  The National Forest’s most developed area surrounds the Lumberman’s Monument, a 14-foot bronze statue dedicated in 1932.  The site also has a museum, gift shop, interactive visitor activities, hiking trails, and a campground.  Three other popular stops along the River Road Scenic Byway are the Iargo Springs Interpretive Site, Kiwanis Monument, and Foote Pond Overlook where visitors might spot a bald eagle.

Best Trail

A day use fee is charged to park at the two entrances to Hoist Lakes Foot Travel Area in the northern part of Huron National Forest.  We started at the west entrance, just 1.8 sandy miles off paved Aspen Alley Road, and hiked a half-mile to Carp Lake, which had a large beaver hut in its center.  There are many loop options in this forest that is being managed for old-growth conditions, which makes it ideal for cross-country skiing. 

Watchable Wildlife

Huron National Forest manages its jack pine forests to provide summer nesting habitat for the formerly-endangered Kirtland’s warbler.  After being placed under protection of the Endangered Species Act when its population fell to 167 nesting pairs in 1974, it was delisted in 2019 after rebounding to 2,300 pairs.  Since dense, young stands of jack pine are unsuitable habitat, Kirtland’s warblers need old-growth forests, which are extremely susceptible to crown fires.  Other species prefer old-growth forests, too, like pileated woodpeckers, saw-whet owls, and pine martens.  We saw one of the rare Kirtland’s warblers at Au Sable Scenic River Highbanks Overlook, in addition to spotting a trumpeter swan, hairy woodpecker, raven, black squirrel, porcupine, and white-tailed deer.  The Au Sable River offers trout fishing for people and bald eagles.

Instagram-worthy Photo

We stopped at Au Sable Scenic River Highbanks Overlook and were able to photograph a Kirtland’s warbler.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

A day use fee is charged to park at the two entrances to Hoist Lakes Foot Travel Area, or you can use the America the Beautiful pass.  Access to the Lumberman’s Monument is free.

Road Conditions

The unpaved roads are very sandy, but they were mostly flat without deep sand and easily drivable with a passenger vehicle in the summer.

Camping

There were signs prohibiting camping at the Hoist Lakes Foot Travel Area trailhead and Au Sable Scenic River Highbanks Overlook, and the dense forest offered no dispersed camping options that we noticed.  A developed campground is available at the Lumberman’s Monument, as well as at Algona Dam Pond, Loud Dam Pond, Cooke Dam Pond, and Foote Dam Pond.

Wilderness Areas

None

Related Sites

Hiawatha National Forest (Michigan)

Manistee National Forest (Michigan)

River Raisin National Battlefield Park (Michigan)

Nearest National Park

Isle Royale

Carp Lake
Sandy roads
Carp Lake
Scott at the Lumberman’s Monument
Woodpecker
Raven about the forest

Conifer Tree Species

jack pine, red pine, eastern white pine, eastern hemlock, balsam fir, eastern redcedar, northern white-cedar, tamarack

Flowering Tree Species

red maple, sugar maple, American elm, black ash, quaking aspen, paper birch, northern red oak, pin cherry, shadbush

Explore More – When the first 120-mile-long Au Sable River Canoe Marathon was held in 1947, who were the two paddlers that won with a time of 21 hours and 40 minutes?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods