Paddling the DownEast Wilderness

The campgrounds of Downeast Wilderness Experience are uniquely located to offer a wide variety of paddling options.

Paddling for All Levels of Experience

For children and beginners, Sabao, Deer and Cranberry lakes have sand beaches for easy launches. Coves, meadows, and gentle inlets offer protection from the waves and winds that larger lakes can experience. Many remote beaches can be landed on for picnics and swimming. There are many small ponds, streams, and rivers to explore and fish, and wildlife is abundant along these waterways.

For more experienced paddlers, numerous opportunities are available. Put-ins for the Narraguagus river trip, and the Machias River trip are short rides from the campgrounds. Using our campgrounds as a base, Nicataous Lake, Mopang, the entire Machias Lake system, the West Grand Lake, Pocumpus, Sysladobsis system and many more can be accessed.

Several of these lakes offer remote, first-come, first-served campsites, accessible only by water. Rides to and from these lakes can be arranged, as well as pick-ups down river.

Fishing the Waters Along the Way

For those who wish to include fishing with their paddling, trout, salmon, smallmouth bass, splake, brown trout, pickerel and perch for the kids, all can be found within a reasonable ride from the Downeast Wilderness Experience campgrounds.

More information about fishing opportunities can be found on our Hunting and Fishing page.

Kayakers enjoy paddling on Sabao Lake

An abundant variety of fish await you on your paddling journey.

Downeast Wilderness Experience - Maine Campground Office & Reservations: 207-223-4270