The Forks is where the Dead River runs into the Kennebec, and that confluence has made it the whitewater capital of Maine. It is also, less famously, some of the best cold water we fish.
This guide covers The Forks and the upper Kennebec corridor either side of it — Bingham, Moscow and Wyman Lake to the south, Moose Alley heading north.
The Kennebec Gorge
The twelve-mile Kennebec run through the rock-walled upper gorge is the most popular whitewater trip in the state, and it is graded to suit both first-timers and people who know what they are doing. Dam-controlled releases mean class 2 to 4 water spring, summer and fall — unusually reliable for New England.
Several outfitters run it. Northern Outdoors, Crab Apple Whitewater and Three Rivers Whitewater all operate here and all have lodging attached.
Moxie Falls
A 92-foot drop, one of the highest waterfalls in Maine, reached by a short and genuinely easy walk. There are swimming and fishing holes below it. If you do one thing here that is not on the river, do this.
The Forks Area Scenic Trail along the Kennebec is the other easy win — good for running, biking or walking with children and dogs.
The Appalachian Trail crossing
Just south of The Forks at Caratunk, the Appalachian Trail meets the Kennebec — and this is the only ferry crossing on the entire 2,190-mile trail. It is the widest unbridged water crossing on the AT at about seventy yards, with a current strong enough that hikers have drowned trying to ford it.
The ferry is a large canoe paddled across by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, free to thru-hikers through the main season. It is worth going to watch even if you are not walking to Georgia.
The whole corridor sits on the Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway, which runs 78 miles from Solon to the Canadian border alongside the Kennebec, Wyman Lake and the Dead River.
Trips we run in this country
- Wyman Lake. We fish it twice over. The Wyman Lake ice fishing trip in winter, and the Wyman Lake Guided Canoe Expedition once the ice is out. Wyman is the impoundment on the Kennebec between Bingham and Moscow, and it is a serious piece of water.
- The Trout & Salmon Float. Our Kennebec float fishing is the trip for people who want the river rather than the rapids.
- Embden or Fahi Pond. Both are on our ice fishing list and both sit in this corridor, south of the gorge.
- Kennebec Valley rivers fly fishing. One of three options on our guided wade fishing page.
Moose
Route 201 north from The Forks toward Jackman is Moose Alley — forty miles of prime habitat, best worked at dawn and dusk. You do not need a guide to drive it, but you do need patience and an early alarm.
Hunting: WMD 14
The Forks, Bingham and Wyman Lake all sit in Wildlife Management District 14, one of the districts we guide. Confirm your zone on the MDIFW district descriptions, then look at:
- Guided moose hunts — WMD 14 is one of the districts we guide.
- Deer hunting — stand and blind, mobile tracking, or semi-guided stand placement.
- Bear and upland bird through the same country.
Where we put hunters here
North Country Rivers at Bingham is the property on our lodging page for this corridor, and it is a deliberate choice: it sits directly on the Kennebec, covers WMDs 8, 13 and 14, and has a full-service restaurant for the end of a long day. Cabins run from luxury down to RV sites and tent camping, so it works for a family as readily as a hunting party. It is also the obvious base for our river float trips.
Where to stay
- Northern Outdoors Adventure Resort — cabins, camping, a swimming pool, hot tub and its own brewpub. The default choice, and deservedly.
- Inn by the River — guest rooms and a carriage house, many with jacuzzi tubs and porches looking out over where the two rivers meet.
- Crab Apple — suites, lodge rooms, cabins and campsites with a pool and fire pit.
- Cabins and camps scattered along the corridor toward Bingham.
Where to eat
Dining here is largely attached to the lodges — the brewpub at Northern Outdoors is the social centre of the valley in season. Bingham, twenty minutes south, carries the nearest conventional groceries and diners. Out of rafting season, options thin out fast.
Practical notes
Rafting season is dictated by dam releases, so check schedules before you fix dates. The corridor is remote enough that fuel and cell coverage need thinking about, and the weather at the gorge can differ markedly from Central Maine an hour south.
Making a trip of it
Raft the gorge in the morning, walk in to Moxie Falls in the afternoon, and fish the flat water at either end of the day. In winter, swap all of that for a day on Wyman.
Have a look at our fishing trips, or get in touch and tell us what you want to fish.
Sources
- Kennebec River Rafting — Northern Outdoors, for the twelve-mile gorge run and the class 2 to 4 grading.
- The Forks — Maine Office of Tourism.
We are not affiliated with any of the businesses named above, and none of these are paid placements.