Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s
MontgomeryMarvels: Mountains& Missisquoi
Paddle & Hike Itinerary
(Two Days & Two Nights)
Guidebook authors Christina Tree & Diane E. Foulds describe the area around MontgomeryCenter in Vermont’s NortheastKingdom as “big sky farm and logging country with isolated mountains and unexpectedly high passes. It has a haunting quality.” They characterize local business owners and residents as “self-sufficient natives and the interesting kind of people who tend to gather in the world’s beautiful back-and-behind places.” (An Explorer’s Guide: Vermont, The Countryman Press, Woodstock, Vermont) What could be a bettersetting for a getaway marked by exploring majestic mountains and drifting down a calm, lazy river?
In MontgomeryCenteryou’ll find great dining and lodging establishments run by hearty souls who appreciate the area’s natural wonders. The *Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s Missisquoi River, running northwest of Montgomery Center, threads through rolling hills and pastoral farmland, offering a peaceful calm-water paddle. The mountainous Hazen’s NotchAssociationoffers trails through woods and meadows, providing stunning views of JayPeak. A ride on the Aerial Tramto JayPeak’s summit yields breathtaking vistas of thishauntingly beautifullandscape.
All this is outlined in the following two day / two night itinerary. To adapt the itinerary or create a custom trip, simply visit the Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s online Trip Planner.
Before You Go:
Purchase online the Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s Section 5 Map: Missisquoi River to Lake Memphremagog, which provides a visual guide for your paddling experience, as well as great background information on the area’s human and natural history.
Make lodging reservations for either Phineas Swann Bed and Breakfast Innor The Coach House.
Make reservations for your paddling tour, rental, or shuttle needs with either Montgomery Adventures, Vermont Tour and Charter or Bert’s Boats. (Read on for information about their services.)
ContactJay Peak Resort to confirm operations of the Aerial Tram on your trip dates.
Make necessary gear and safety arrangements in conjunction with your chosen outdoor activities.
Optional activity: Click hereto view and print information on the locations of the Six Covered Bridges of Montgomery.
Afternoon Arrival
Arrive in MontgomeryCenter in the afternoon. Begin by strolling past the Victorian homes on Main Street, or even taking a driving tour of the Six Covered Bridgesif you have time. If you need to purchase gear for your activities, consider shopping atFirst Trax.
Have dinner at The Belfry, a classic New England dining establishment with a lodge-like atmosphere, or the chef-ownedBernie’s, with its mix of Italian and Mexican homemade specialties. If you prefer a pub experience, stop for dinner and a beer at the Snowshoe Lodge and Pub on Main Street.
If luxury accommodations are your preference, spend the night atPhineas Swann Bed and Breakfast Inn, and be awed by an extensive collection of antique canine memorabilia; and then delighted by a scrumptious homemade breakfast featuring specialties such as banana walnut pancakes and raspberry stuffed French toast made with homemade potato bread.
As an alternative from the affordable accommodations category, consider vacation rental apartments in The Coach House, where you’ll have the opportunity to prepare your own meals if you prefer.
Both lodging options offer amenities such as high-speed internet.
Day One: MissisquoiRiver Paddling
Begin your day on Main Streetwith a classic hot breakfast and homemade baked goods at either Bernie’s (mentioned above) orTrout River Traders, with its Vermont country store atmosphere.
Next you’ll head out for a half or full day on the MissisquoiRiver. If you’ve got your own boat(s) and simply need a shuttle, consider hiring Vermont Tour and Charter. To rent a boat(s) and shuttle yourself, contact Montgomery Adventures or Bert’s Boats.
For a guided paddle (boats and shuttling included), you’ll want to hire Montgomery Adventures, Bert’s Boatsor Brooks to Bays Nature Tours. For a long day on the river (16 miles; approximately 6-7 hours), you’ll begin in Richford and paddle to EnosburgFalls. For a half day, split the journey by going from Richford to East Berkshire (6.5 miles of calm water);or East Berkshire to EnosburgFalls(a longer option - 9.5 miles of calm water with one portage). Bert’s Boatscan provide more detailed information on your tour options for both trips. Refer to the NFCT’sSection 5 Map: Missisquoi River to Lake Memphremagog for plotting your route, as well to NFCT’s online Plan a Tripfor route overviews.
Before leaving town, make sure to take a moment to pick up packed lunches from Montgomery Pizza and Subs, which features great sandwiches, wraps, and baked goods made with local and organic ingredients.
On the MissiquoiRiver: Richford to East Berkshire
If you’re beginning your MissisquoiRiver paddle in Richford, put in at DavisPark. Primitive camping is permitted here (for future reference); restrooms are at gas station or Town Hall on Main Street. The large island across the channel from DavisPark once hosted a car racetrack and the ball field of a farm-league team during Richford’s boom days of the 1920s.
After a mile and a half, you’ll approach Magoon Ledge on river left. At some water levels, a class two rapid forms here. Stay right.
After four and a half miles, you’ll approach where the Twin bridges of Route 105 and the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail cross overhead. The multi-use rail trail extends 26 miles from St Albans, on Lake Champlain, to Richford. You’re likely to see anglers on the shoreline ledges at the bridge, as the deep pools that form beneath them provide good brown trout habitat.
At about six miles, you’ll approach Doe Campsite on river left, on top of a tall bluff that shows varved clay: annual sediment layers creating visible stripes, like tree rings, reflecting larger particles laid down during spring flooding, and finer particles settling out during the winter. These varves formed when the last ice age receded and this area was under water. Long- and short-tailed weasels are often seen swimming and diving for crayfish here.
Just a half mile past Doe Campsite, the TroutRiver enters from the southeast through a channel it gouged in the 1990s, leaving its old meandering course to dry up. If you need a break to stretch your legs, or if you’re ending your paddle in East Berkshire, take out at the Route 118 bridge. Visit the general store and enjoy views of JayPeak (elevation 3,861 feet), recognizable by its height and large summit building. The 300-mile Long Trail, which follows the spine of the Green Mountains through the center of Vermont, crosses this rocky summit.
On the River: East Berkshire to EnosburgFalls
If you’re beginning your paddle in East Berkshire, see the paragraph above for information on the TroutRiver and route 118 bridge.
At nine milesfrom Richford (or three miles from East Berkshire), you’ll approach the Samsonville Dam. Line (lining means to pull your boat using a rope; click hyperlink for more information), or portage around, the old dam on the left, watching for iron rods and other dam remains. The Samsonville Butterchurn Factory operated here, and part of the old powerhouse can still be seen on river right. Paddle through islands below the dam, then scout the next quarter mile of Class II-III ledges from a portage trail on river left.
At fifteen miles from Richford (or eight miles from East Berkshire), you’ll approach large Ice Deflectors. These structures on river right, made from salvaged cement railroad ties and steel pipe, are an innovative attempt to protect saplings from destruction by the massive chunks of ice which scrape across this floodplain each spring. Over 8,000 trees have been planted on 30 acres of former farmland as part of the Brownway River Walk Trail and Floodplain Restoration. Floodplain forests like the one being recreated here help to regulate floods, to maintain water quality by minimizing soil erosion, and to provide wildlife habitat.
At sixteen miles (or ten miles from East Berkshire), you’ll arrive at EnosburgFalls. Take out left at Lawyer’s Landing, upstream from the Route 108 bridge and the dam. Camping is permitted at this privately-owned access, which was built for paddlers in 2004. Just beyond the Route 108 bridge, the pedestrian Bridge of Flowers and Light is one of the few remaining sand-filled bridges in the Northeast. Built in 1915 in 100 days, it was a vital transportation link for milk from the area’s farms to creameries along the river. In 1969, the new Route 108 Bridge was built. The old bridge was abandoned and fell into decay. In 1996, a group of citizens saved it from collapse.
Day One Evening
For the evening, return to MontgomeryCenter for a second night at either Phineas Swann Bed and Breakfast Innor The Coach House. Have dinner at The Belfry, Bernie’s, or Trout River Traders. If you prefer a pub experience, enjoy dinner and a beer at the Snowshoe Lodge and Pub on Main Street. If you have an apartment at the The Coach Houseor a Riverside Suite at Phineas Swann Bed and Breakfast Inn, consider “dinner in” take and bake items from Montgomery Pizza and Subs.
Day Two: Mountain Moments – Hazen’s Notch & JayPeakSummit
Begin your day with breakfast at Bernie’s or Trout River Traders. Or, grab breakfast baked goods, plus a packed lunch, at Montgomery Pizza and Subs. Next head out for a half-day (2-4 hour) hike at Hazen’s Notch Association.
Hazen’s Notch Hiking
The non-profitHazen's Notch Association maintains a network of 15 miles of trails and woods roads for hiking in summer and fall. There is no fee for hiking at Hazen’s Notch, although donations are appreciated. Dogs must be kept on a leash; and groups larger than 10 people are asked to prior reservations and pay a group use fee.
The trails pass through a variety of interesting habitats that include meadows, forests, orchards, and beaver ponds. Trails range from restored woods roads that have gentle to moderate grades to narrow footpaths with steep climbs. There are numerous splendid views of the JayMountains in addition to the incredible beauty of the wildflowers and wildlife that one sees along the trails.
Enjoy your packed lunch at picnic tables available at Moosewood Ponds or the High Meadow.
As an alternative to picnicking, return to MontgomeryCenter and lunch at Bernie’s or Trout River Traders.
JayPeakSummit
After lunch, ride Vermont’s only Aerial Tram at Jay Peak Resort.The Tram runs daily through the summer and fall, but call ahead to confirm operations. Your ride will reward you with breathtaking views of the unique landscape through which you’ve just paddled and hiked!
Completing Your Getaway
Before you leave MontgomeryCenter, make a last stop at Montgomery Pizza and Subsor Trout River Traders to pick up snacks for your drive.
Optional Extension
If you have a little extra time – when you first arrive in town, or at the end of your Missisquoi or mountain days, consider a driving tour of the Six Covered Bridgesof Montgomery and MontgomeryCenter.
Driving Times to Montgomery Center, Vermont from Major Cities
Boston4.5 hours
Burlington, Vermont1.5 hours
Montréal, Quebec2.5 hours
Manchester, New Hampshire3.5 hours
New York City7 hours
Portland, Maine4 hours
Recommended Reading
Maps and Guides
Canoe Camping Vermont and New HampshireRivers, Roioli Schweiker,Backcountry Publications, 1999.
AMCRiver Guide: New Hampshire/Vermont,Appalachian Mountain Club, 2002.
Vermont Atlas and Gazetteer, DeLorme, 2003.
USGS Topographical Map: Mount Mansfield(VT). (888) ask-usgs or
Canadian Topographic Maps: 31 h/1 Lac Memphrémagog,31 h/2 Cowansville. 1-800-214-8524.
Fact and Fiction
Hands on the Land, Jan Albers, MIT Press, 2002.
Rumrunners and Revenuers: Prohibition in Vermont,Scott Wheeler, The New England Press, Inc., 2002.
Yesterdays of BromeCounty, Marion L. Phelps and Leon J. Darrah, eds., Brome County Historical Society, 1980.
The Nature of Vermont, Charles W. Johnson, University Press of New England, 1998.
Aunt Sarah, Trudy A. Parker, Dawnland Publications, 1998.
*About the Northern Forest Canoe Trail:The Northern Forest Canoe Trail links the watersheds of northern New York, Vermont, Québec, New Hampshire and Maine, and is a unique thread tying together the Northern Forest Region. The 740-mile water trail traces historic Native American travel routes through the rivers of this region, and is a living reminder our history, where rivers are both highways and routes of communication. Flowing with the stories of Native Americans, European settlers, and the development of mill towns and the timber industry, the Trail's rich heritage serves as a basis for widely accessible, environmentally friendly tourism in many of the small communities along the route.
If you enjoyed this adventure, consider exploring other portions of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.
Map 1 – Fulton Chain of Lakes to Long Lake
Map 2 – Long Lake to Saranac River
Map 3 – Saranac River to Lake Champlain
Map 4 – Lake Champlain to Missisquoi River
Map 5- Missisquoi River to Lake Memphremagog
Map 6 – Lake Memphremagog to Connecticut River
Map 7 – Connecticut River to Umbagog Lake
Map 8 – Umbagog Lake to Rangeley Lake
Map 9 – Rangeley Lake to Spencer Stream
Map 10 – Spencer Stream to Moosehead Lake
Map 11 – Moosehead Lake to Umbazooksus Stream
Map 12 – Umbazooksus Stream to Umsaskis Lake
Map 13 – Umsaskis Lake to St. John River
This publication is the result of tax-supported funding from USDA, Rural Development, and as such is not copyrightable. It may be reprinted with the customary crediting of the source.
1