Canoes are the ideal family paddle craft. Open enough that the little ones can move around and relax, capable of carrying the stuff you need to make it enjoyable for them and simple enough they can quickly start helping with the paddling. Karrie Thomas, Executive Director of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, will talk about paddling with kids on the Trail, and elsewhere. She'll talk about how to get started, share tips on how to keep them engaged, and, perhaps most importantly, how to relax and enjoy the paddle while staying safe and comfortable. The context will be the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, but the information will apply anywhere you paddle.
Canoeing with kids is both a great experience, and a great way to start a family tradition that will span generations!
Karrie joined the Northern Forest Canoe Trail team in 2014. She is continually inspired by the vision of connecting people to the Northern Forest through outdoor recreation. Before NFCT she spend 15 years fostering strong economic, social and ecological communities through sustainable agriculture, community food systems, land conservation and recreation in Colorado, Washington, Oregon and California. Her passion for the outdoors and its capacity for recreation of the mind, body, and spirit was formed from childhood in the mountains of New Hampshire. In college, she fell in love with kayaking and multi‐day trips on remote waterways and has remained dedicated to river travel ever since. She enjoys combining work and pleasure exploring the northeast in a canoe with her husband and two young children.
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a 740-mile water trail from Old Forge, New York to Fort Kent, Maine, that follows traditional travel routes used by Native American, settlers and guides. It is the longest inland water trail in the nation. The trail includes 23 rivers and streams, 59 lakes and ponds, 45 communities, and 65 portages (70+ miles - but don't get discouraged). To make your planning as easy as possible, NFCT offers maps, books, and an online Trip Planner to help you pick your paddling route and connect you to local services. Explore the trail in google earth by downloading this file.
This event is free.