For “
Adventure” (episode 1, season 3),
Weekends with Yankee cohost Richard Wiese experiences the thrill of Maine’s Kennebec River, New England’s top white-water rafting destination. Here’s a longer list of places where you can enjoy a Maine white-water rafting adventure.
Where to Go White-Water Rafting in Maine
Some of the most exciting outdoor adventures New England has to offer can be found on the raging rapids of Maine’s mighty rivers. At the center of the white-water fun are the Penobscot, the Kennebec, and the Dead River, each with its own array of gorges, waterfalls, and rapids to navigate. Here, in no particular order, are some of our favorite guided white-water rafting Maine adventures, most offering a range of options to make rafting accessible to all ages and experience levels.
This granddaddy of Maine adventuring has been thrilling visitors since 1976. They do much more than river excursions, but their two base camp locations (one in the Forks and one near Baxter State Park) situate them perfectly for rafting on the big three: the Penobscot, Kennebec, and Dead rivers. The Kennebec rafting trips include passage through the rock-walled upper gorge, an experience you won’t forget. You may want to schedule some extra time to tack on some fly-fishing or moose-watching, or an ATV excursion, too.
The New England Outdoor Center has been voted a top adventure resort by
Yankee editors for good reason. From the Penobscot Outdoor Center campground to the lakeside cabins at Twin Pines to the River Driver’s Restaurant, this is your one-stop destination for a fantastic Maine vacation. The white-water rafting offerings include trips down the Penobscot from April through October. They also run fishing trips and leisurely river floats, so members of the whole family will find something to their liking. Bonus: Most trips include a riverside barbecue lunch, too.
No surprise that Penobscot Adventures focuses its activities around its namesake river, offering rafting trips ranging from beginner runs to Class 5 challenges (on a scale of 1 to 6). Part of the New England Outdoor Center family of companies, Penobscot Adventures has been introducing visitors to the Penobscot since 2003, and its employees pride themselves on their ability to cater to any skill level. Lodging is on offer at the Penobscot Outdoor Center and Twin Pines at NEOC.
With two locations (Bingham and Millinocket), North Country Rivers specializes in outdoor adventure trips on both land and water. In addition to white-water rafting, they offer ATV tours, kayaking, wildlife-watching tours, and hiking. Pair these activities with accommodations in one of their tents, RVs, or cabins and a range of dining packages, and your vacation planning will be done almost before you start. North Country Rivers specializes in rafting adventures for a range of skill levels on the Kennebec, Penobscot, and Dead rivers.
Considered a leader in whitewater training and swiftwater rescue training, this family-owned rafting company offers trips on the Kennebec, Penobscot, and Dead rivers that range in difficulty from beginner to expert. With a lodge and campground just south of Moosehead Lake, Northeast Whitewater also leads moose-watching trips (by van or canoe), waterfall hikes, bird-watching tours, and more.
Magic Falls has customized packages aimed at seemingly every situation and skill level — whether you are looking for a bachelor party getaway, a family vacation, or a challenge for your outing club. Thanks to small groups and experienced guides, your experience on the Kennebec and Dead rivers can be individualized to meet your wishes. Discount rates are available for Maine residents or vacationers staying with Magic Falls’ lodging partners.
Among the slew of outdoor adventure trips offered by Northwoods Outfitters are classic white-water rafting experiences on the Kennebec, Penobscot, and Allagash rivers that can be customized to most skill levels. Other offerings include fishing, moose-watching, kayaking, canoeing, and ATV rentals.
Whether you are a longtime thrill-seeker or a novice, Moxie Outdoor Adventures has the ideal river-riding experience for you. It runs single- and multiday rafting trips on the Kennebec and Dead rivers; somewhat tamer canoe and kayak outings are also available. Extend your stay at Lake Moxie Camps, where options include lakefront cabins, platform tents, or camping.
Helping its clients tackle the rapids since 1983, this family business has locations in both West Forks, Maine, and Charlemont, Massachusetts. Its Maine trips, on the Class 3 and Class 4 Kennebec and Dead rivers, run from mid-April through mid-October. The most popular Kennebec trips float right to the Crab Apple base camp, which has riverside lodging, a pub and restaurant, and an outdoor pool.
Based in West Forks, Maine, this outfitter started small but has continued to grow. Its creative packages combine rafting with ATV adventuring, hiking, and even skydiving, but full or half-day raft trips on the Penobscot, Kennebec, and Dead rivers are its specialty.
This post was first published in 2019 and has been updated.
