When Kay Henry and Rob Center learned in the late 1990s of an idea to breathe life into a historic 740-mile paddling route through New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire and Maine, they saw the perfect project to keep busy after retiring from executive positions at Mad River Canoe Company.

In 2000, Henry and Center began the nonprofit Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Inc. named after the four-state water route researched and mapped by Ron Canter and Mike Krepner. The mission of NFCT, Inc. was to turn the stretch of linked lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and portage trails, used by Native Americans and early settlers for travel and trade, into an accessible, marked recreational trail.

Henry quickly secured a three-year $500,000 federal grant through the National Park Service to fund the start-up of the organization, and Center began the grassroots town-by-town outreach and planning for the physical trail.

Locals and owners of large forest tracts allowed their private property to be used for campsites, portage access and water access. Others with knowledge of local waterways stepped forward to give guidance on the direction of the trail and provide essential information for the trail's first set of 13 section maps.

"Only in our wildest dreams could we have imagined how many people and organizations would have an affinity for this project and help us achieve our goal of making the trail a nationally significant recreation resource in such a short period of time," said Henry.

Simultaneous ribbon cuttings in 2004 at the western and eastern trailheads in Old Forge, N.Y., and Fort Kent, Maine, marked the start of the organization's new vision to see the water trail become a real source of economic impact for each of the 44 communities it touches, and for the people of those communities to develop a sense of ownership for their local waterways.

Kate Williams became executive director of NFCT, Inc. in 2004. Under her leadership, NFCT has thoughtfully grown its capacity and turns 10-years-old this year in a strong organizational position, with a full slate of achievements:

13 sectional maps provide navigational information for the entire route

 14 primitive waterside and island campsites have been built.

 14 post information kiosks have been installed in villages, towns and cities.

 23 miles of portage trails have been constructed.

 More than 250 trees have been planted along lake and river shores to prevent erosion

 A 302-page "Official Guidebook to the Northern Forest Canoe Trail."

A 10th Anniversary celebration will take place July 23-25 in Rangeley, Maine, with paddling-related presentations, guided canoe and kayak outings, an anniversary party with food, a bonfire and live music, and a trail-wide paddling event called "740 Miles in One Day."  

"We are truly grateful for the support that has allowed the NFCT to come so far and look forward to the organization's long term contributions to the region," says Henry.

For more information about the Northern Forest Canoe Trail go to www.northernforestcanoetrail.org or call 802-496-2285.

About the Northern Forest Canoe Trail:
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a 740-mile inland paddling trail tracing historic travel routes across New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine. NFCT, Inc. is internationally regarded as the preeminent water trail organization in North America, and connects people to the Trail's natural environment, human heritage, and contemporary communities by stewarding, promoting, and providing access to canoe and kayak experiences along this route.

photo credit: Lisa Dyslin