Heritage Itinerary



 

Northern Forest Canoe Trail

Upper Ammonoosuc

Cultural Heritage Itinerary

**Map 7**

The area surrounding the town of Groveton, NH abounds with opportunities for outdoor recreation, cultural heritage exploration and wildlife viewing. The Kilkenney Range and Percy Peaks provide challenging and fun hikes to great views, and the Upper Ammonoosuc River carries paddlers through both wilderness and picturesque New England villages. Historical societies, museums and interactive heritage exhibits dot the landscape from Berlin to Colebrook and offer visitors in-depth insight into the characters and events that shaped the landscape. The following is a sample itinerary which is designed to reveal some of the many resources available to you when you journey through this part of Coos County. To tailor your own trip to this area, simply visit the Trip Planner and create your own itinerary.

Day 1

Begin your exploration of Coos County history by learning stories of New Hampshire’s great log drives. Peruse exhibits in the re-created circa-1900 logging camp at the Northern Forest Heritage Park in Berlin. The Heritage Park also offers 90-minute boat tours along the Androscoggin River narrated by knowledgeable local historians. These tours pass the historic boom piers (man-made islands) used to sort the thousands of logs floating downstream en route to the pulp and lumber mills.

To investigate another slice of North Country cultural heritage, you can travel further north along Route 16 to view the 170-foot Nansen Ski Jump built in the mid-1930’s. Berlin was once home to a large community of Norwegian immigrants whose skill and enthusiasm for winter sports led to the creation of the ski jump and the oldest continually operating ski club in the United States. Although unused since 1982, the jump was once the tallest steel tower jump east of the Mississippi and hosted the Olympic Ski jump trials and Eastern State Championships.

Enjoy a sandwich and ice cream cone at the Northland Dairy Bar and Restaurant in Berlin or drive north to the town of Milan for a sandwich at the Milan Luncheonette and Variety or Ursula’s Snack Shack.

Spend the rest of your day preparing for your canoe trip on the Upper Ammonoosuc and exploring the towns of Berlin, Milan and Errol. Canoe and kayak rentals and camping supplies are available in Errol at L.L. Cote and Northern Waters Outfitters.

While you prepare for your paddling adventure, consider the benefits of hiring a local guide to join you. The Kingdom Guide Service can assist with logistical preparations and shuttle services. Along the river, guides

also reveal the subtleties of the river’s natural ecosystems and tell stories of both the Native and non-Native people who have inhabited the landscape through history.

Enjoy a juicy steak, seafood special or sandwich topped off with an ice cream sundae for dinner at the Northland Dairy Bar. Stay the night in Milan at the Dubee Our Guest Bed and Breakfast or in the spacious and well equipped Linger Longer Vacation Cabin in West Milan. You can also choose to camp or stay in a yurt at the Milan State Park looking out on exquisite views of the Presidential Mountains.

Day 2

Your paddling voyage will begin at Yesterday’s Country Store along Route 110 in West Milan. If you need a few basic supplies for your journey on the Upper Ammonoosuc, you can purchase snacks, sandwiches and fishing licenses and gear here. Breakfast supplies are also available.

Just down the road, at the intersection with Route 110A, you will find an access point where you can wet your paddle in the waters of the Upper Ammonoosuc River. The river twists and curves past the Percy Peaks and Kilkenney Mountains and into the town of Stark, NH.

Abenaki Indians, “The People of the Dawn”, relied a great deal on waterways of this area for easy and swift transport. The rivers acted as trade routes and also helped the Abenaki to make seasonal migrations from south to north to help ensure greater success with hunting and gathering. Their history in Northern New England dates back 10-12,000 years when the landscape was dominated by open grasslands and inhabited by caribou and mastodon. As the

planet warmed and the species of plants and animals evolved, the Abenaki were forced to transform from a

purely hunter and gatherer society and began supplement

their food sources by cultivating beans, squash and corn. The Indians of this area are considered part of the Western Abenaki whose population reaches westward into Vermont. The Eastern Abenaki are located in Maine.

European settlers arriving in New Hampshire in the early 1600’s also used the rivers and streams of the region for transportation and trade routes. Many of the towns that now dot the rivers date back hundreds of years. The town of Stark, established in 1788, is named after the Revolutionary War General and hero of the battles of Bunker Hill and Bennington, John Stark. His famous words “Live free or die!” remain New Hampshire’s official state motto and a statue of the General stands proudly in Stark’s town center.

Stark is a charming town tucked below the Devil’s Slide cliff band. Look for nesting Peregrine Falcons on the cliff face. Opportunities for the amateur and professional photographers abound in this small town which is home to a beautifully maintained covered bridge, church, Heritage Center and Inn.

You can disembark from the river at the doorstep of the Stark Village Inn and stay here for the night. You will need to provide your own dinner as there are no restaurants in town. The inn keeper will send you on your way the following morning after a full breakfast.

If you prefer to camp, you can travel further

downstream and stay at the Northern Forest

Canoe Trail’s Frizzell Campsite. Camping is

also available east of Stark at the Northern

Forest Canoe Trail’s Cordwell Campsite.

Before arriving in Stark, you will pass through

the area that was once home to Camp Stark, a

POW camp where 250 German and Austrian

soldiers were imprisoned during World War II. The prisoners, the majority of which were captured in Northern Africa and Normandy, worked in the woods cutting pulpwood during their stay. Despite the difficult conditions in the camp, stories mutual kindness are told by town’s people, guards and prisoners alike. Some of the friendships that formed during this period endured long after the war and continue to flourish today. In 1984 former prisoners returned to Stark to visit the site of the dismantled camp and to see their old friends still living in the town. Allen V. Koop writes about the POW camp and the relationships between the prisoners and locals in his book, Stark Decency.

Day 3

You may decide to leave the river behind and explore the hiking trails leaving from the South Pond Recreation Area in Stark. The short trail to the Devil’s Hopyard, a rocky gorge, is a fun adventure for both adults and kids. South Pond is also a great place for relaxing on the beach, swimming and fishing. The 160-mile Cohos Trail passes through this area as well.

If you want to continue your journey on the river, paddle downstream to the town of Groveton, New Hampshire. Quiet paddlers often spot osprey, Canadian geese and moose along this section of the Upper Ammonoosuc. You will also pass the striking twin Percy Peaks. Hearty adventurers can follow the Percy Peaks Trail to the top of these mountains. The northern peak has great views of the valley below.

As you paddle, make sure that you keep your eyes peeled for the two dams along this stretch of river. Short portage trails carry you safely around these structures. One of these dams, known previously as the Red Dam, is breeched. It is safer to portage around the dam, but if you choose to paddle through, be sure to scout it first.

A lovely park in Groveton with a covered bridge, historic train engine and caboose and Northern Forest Canoe Trail Kiosk offers a nice spot for a picnic. The park looks out at the Wausau Mill which, until 2008, was one of the last operating mills in the region. You find lunch in Groveton at Stone’s Pizza or in Northumberland at Everybody’s Place.

To learn more about Groveton’s history, visit the old Meeting House now known as the Northumberland Historical Society Museum, built in 1799. The museum’s collection includes an original meeting table and wood stove as well as photographs and other historic artifacts. Best of all, the couple that runs the museum is full of stories of the people and events that shaped Groveton and Northumberland. Not far from the meeting house is the site of the old Fort Wentworth which was erected in 1755 “to protect settlers against hostile Indians.” It was also intended to challenge Fort Ticonderoga and the French presence on Lake Champlain. A plaque marking the actual site of Fort Wentworth stands on private property and is accessible with permission. 

You can find lodging for the night at The Village Motel in Northumberland or at one of many inns, motels and campgrounds in Lancaster.

If you are in Lancaster on Saturday morning, you can buy delicious breads, local produce and products at the Lancaster Farmer’s Market from 9-12. There are several fun shops where you can purchase gifts, clothes and high quality footwear in Lancaster.

Lancaster is also home to the John Wingate Weeks Estate Park, the historic hunting lodge of the famous Senator, Congressman and Secretary of War who worked tirelessly to create the White Mountains National Forest. The park offers sensational 360 degree views of the White Mountains from a stone fire tower. On Thursday evenings you can also enjoy a free program on local history, ecology, or current issues.

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.

Looking for vacation packages in this area? Check the NFCT Packages.

Get Involved with the Northern Forest Canoe Trail and find a service project in your area. Help us to preserve the natural and cultural history of this great natural resource.

Recommended Reading

Maps and Guides

• Northern Forest Canoe Trail Map 7: Great North Woods, The Mountaineers Books, 2005.

• Boating on the Connecticut River in Vermont and New Hampshire, Connecticut River Joint Commissions, , 1999.

• AMC River Guide: New Hampshire/Vermont, Appalachian Mountain Club, 2002.

• New Hampshire Atlas and Gazetteer, Delorme, 2005

• USGS Topographical Map: Groveton (NH-VT-ME). (888) ASK-USGS or

• The Cohos Trail, Kim Nilsen. Nicolin Fields Publishing, 2000.

Fact and Fiction

• Northwoods Echoes: A Collection of True Short Stories and Accounts of the North Country, Richard E. Pinette. Self-published, 1986.

• Northwoods Heritage: Authentic Short Accounts of the Northland in Another Era, Richard E. Pinette. Liebel Printing, 1992.

• Northeast Passage: A Photographers Journey Along the Historic Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Clyde Smith. Thistle Hill Publications, 2005.

• Paddling Through Time, Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Northern Forest Canoe Trail, 2006.

• Smoke from a Thousand Campfires, Paul Doherty. Smith and Town Printers, 1993.

• Stark Decency: German Prisoners of War in a New England Village, Allen V. Koop and Hartmut Lang. University Press of New England, 1998.

• Tall Trees, Tough Men, Robert E. Pike. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1999.

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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

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Activities

• visiting heritage sites

• shopping

• preparing for your paddling adventure

Lodging

• Dubee Our Guest Bed and Breakfast Milan, NH

• Linger Longer Vacation Cabin West Milan, NH

Camping

• Milan State Park Milan, NH

• Cedar Pond Campground Milan, NH

Day 2

Dining

Breakfast

• Yesterday’s Country Store

Lunch

• riverside picnic

Dinner

• riverside picnic

Activities

• paddling 12 miles on the Upper Ammonoosuc

Day 1

Dining

Lunch

• Milan Luncheonette and Variety Milan, NH

• Ursula’s Snack Shack Milan, NH

Dinner

• Northland Dairy Bar and Restaurant Berlin, NH

Day 3

Dining

Breakfast

• Stark Village Inn Stark, NH

Lunch

• riverside picnic

• Stone’s Pizza Groveton, NH

• Everybody’s Place, Northumberland, NH

Activity

• paddling 7 miles to the town of Groveton

Lodging

• The Village Motel Northumberland, NH

• Lancaster lodging

Full area listings

Lodging

Dining

Internet Access

Outdoor Recreation

Supplies

Guides

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Lodging

• Stark Village Inn Stark, NH

• Camping at the Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s Frizzell or Cordwell Campsites

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