Dead

Location: Western Maine (about 120 miles north of Portland; about 200 miles north of Boston).

Length of trip: 16 miles in four hours.

Season: About 20 dam releases a year between May and October (high-volume releases in spring and fall; low-volume recreational releases in July and August).

Weather: Daytime temperatures in spring climb into the 60s and 70s (F). You’ll find warmer days in summer (mid-80s), cooler in autumn (50s and 60s). Be prepared for blackflies in May and June. After Labor Day the water remains warm and the crowds thin.

Lodging: Cabins, cottages, B&Bs, and motels in Bingham, Caratunk, and Jackman.

Boats: Kayaks, paddle rafts.

Rapids: Class III and IV in spring and fall, Class II and III in summer. The temperature of the clear water ranges from 65¡ to 70¡ in summer.

Special features:

  • Longest stretch of continuous white water in the East.
  • Runs through remote, serene woodlands.
  • Starts relatively slowly, then builds to heart-stopping Poplar Hill Falls.
  • Wildflowers in spring, fiddlehead ferns in May.
  • Glorious autumn colors blazing against a backdrop of green pines.
  • White-tailed deer, moose, black bears, ospreys, bald eagles.
  • Good trout fishing at confluence of Dead and Kennebec Rivers.
  • During high-volume releases, suitable for experienced paddlers. During low-volume recreational releases, suitable for river runners of all levels, seniors in good physical condition, families, and the physically challenged who are comfortable in and around the water.

Nearby excursions:

  • Appalachian Trail.
  • 90-foot Moxie Falls, New England’s highest waterfall.
  • Moosehead Lake.

For a list of outfitters:

  • Maine Publicity Bureau, Post Office Box 2300, Hallowell, Maine 04347-2300; +1 207 623 0363 or 800 533 9595, fax +1 207 623 0388. Ask for the guidebook “Maine Invites You,” which includes a list of outfitters. Try to book at least eight weeks in advance.

For more information:

  • Raft Maine Association, P.O. Box 3, Bethel, Maine 04217; 800 723 8633.

 
 
River Finder - Eastern U.S.

 
 
 
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