Going to Jackmandu

The conjoined towns of Jackman and Moose River, Maine are about as close to paradise as anyone who loves outdoor recreation can get.

"Jackmandu," as I call them are just just 16 miles from Canada and about 16 light-years from the stresses of civilization. This is especially true in the fall. Somerset Country is one of the largest maple syrup producing areas in New England and the fall foliage is spectacular.

It was the foliage and the last big-water release of the season on the Kennebec River which drew me up to Jackman recently for a whitewater rafting adventure with Windfall Outdoor Center. We floated the river in a small raft, and had a ball in the big, big waves. 

This was the last trip of the season for Windfall and most of the major rafting companies, so you'll have to wait for next spring if you want to try it. To guide you in your planning, we've compiled a list of rafting companies and outfitters in the northeast.

Rafting was fun, but the hiking, the canoeing and the mountain biking were each worth the drive. Combining them all made for a memorable adventure.

By all means take your mountain bike if you go to Jackmandu. Some of the local lodges, like Moose River Lodge and Motel, rent bikes. They also rent and shuttle canoes. Ask around if you don't bring your own.

This isn't a famous mountain biking destination, but it should be, especially for riders who enjoy the scenery without a lot of technically difficult riding. There are hundreds of miles of forest roads and snowmobile trails around this area, most of them suitable for biking. Stay off the roads where logging operations are running and you'll rarely see a vehicle.

I got lucky and found a local to go riding with. Carolann Ouelette, who owns the outstanding Moose Point Tavern in Jackman, left her kitchen long enough to show me the hidden roads at Arnold Farms, a big local syrup producer. The sugar maples were at peak color on a sunny, crisp fall day. If there's a finer way to spend a fall day than riding a fat-tire bike on gravel roads among hills aflame with autumn, I'm not sure I know what it is.

If you don't ride a mountain bike, just hike instead. I spent a wonderful afternoon hiking alone up the Sally Mountain trail. The views of Attean Lake from the ledges on top were simply spectacular. There are a dozen similar hikes in the area. All you need it a good pair of boots.

This is also a paradise for canoeing and kayaking. Another local, Brent Dubois, the head guide at Windfall, and I borrowed a canoe from his folks. His father, Frank, shuttled us to Spencer Rips where we put into the Moose River and paddled seven flatwater river miles to Attean Lake. The river paddling was pure bliss with the fall colors surrounding us. The lake was a bit more challenging with a strong northwest wind blowing, but we finished with a sense of accomplishment.

Hiking, biking, canoeing, rafting...See what I mean about Jackmandu being a paradise for anyone who likes to be active outdoors?

Canoe Trails

When Brent Dubois and I put the canoe in at Spencer Rips, we were paddling a portion of one of the most famous canoe routes in New England.

The Moose River Bow trip, as it is called, is a 34-mile paddle, usually done as a three or four-day adventure that starts and ends at the same spot. With only one long portage (1.4 miles) and a couple of short carries, you can paddle on lakes and a gently flowing river without having to negotiate any serious whitewater and without retracing any of your route.

It's often crowded in the summer and on weekends, but you can have the water to yourself mid-week, especially in the fall. We didn't see another canoe in the section we paddled.

The Bow trip starts with a 4+ mile paddle across Attean Lake. Then you portage between Attean Lake and Holeb Pond. The paddle along Holeb Pond is just over 3 miles, before you do a mile of Holeb Stream (which can flow in either direction depending on water levels). After that, it's 20 miles and two short carries back to Attean Lake and two more miles to your car.

For more details, see the AMC River Guide for Maine.

The many lovely tent sites along the route make for wonderful overnights. Put this on your "to do" list for the next time you want to spend three or four days away from civilization.

The Moose River is also part of the newly-opened 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail which stretches from the Adirondacks in New York to Fort Kent in Maine. This trail is a dream-come-true for many paddlers. While it would be possible to paddle it all at once, most people will do it in sections. I've done my first nine miles. Only 731 to go...

Resources

The Jackman/Moose River Chamber of Commerce prints a good recreation map which includes canoe and mountain bike routes as well as hiking trails.

For a small town in the middle of nowhere, Jackman has wonderful lodging options and several outstanding restaurants. Don't miss breakfast (or lunch) at Mama Bears on Main Street, and make sure you find the Big Woods Steakhouse (a local secret) and Moose Point Tavern for dinner.