The Appalachians continue on their long march to Canada, providing some superlative whitewater. Maine is the place to go for grand river trips: the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, the St. John, the Pennebscot. The other states of the region are smaller and more settled. The rivers can be glorious, but shorter and closer to civilization. Like the Mid-Atlantic, this is a region where thousands are in search of weekend rapture. Rest assured, it can be found, though.

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The Allagash River is the star of Maine's great canoe rivers. At over ten million acres, the Maine North Woods encompass a region some five times the size of Yellowstone National Park. And in all that area there isn't a single paved road. Largely owned by private timber companies, these woods and waters are the largest uninhabited region in the lower 48. You'll find nearly 100 miles of lakes and rivers here. The most common trip is from Telos Lake to the confluence with the St. John River.

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Winooski, Vermont
Difficulty: Class II
Season: May through September
Trip Length: One day

Camels Hump and Mount Mansfield are perhaps the two most well-known peaks in Vermont's Green Mountains. This trip entertains views of both for a significant portion. Plus you travel through amazing deep gorges. There is something fitting about the fact that this run starts out in Montpelier, Vermont's state capital. From there it's 58 miles to Lake Champlain. This river is celebrated for its deep-walled gorges. A trip down this river can be kind of jumpy, with several portages around dams, waterfalls, and the Winooski Gorge. But what you get for your efforts is a river with a lot of personality, with stunning views of both the bucolic and wild side of Vermont.

Deerfield River, Massachusetts
Difficulty: Class II to IV
Season: April to October
Trip Length: One day

Perhaps the last wild river in southern New England, this river flows through the New England of your fondest imagination. Rapids get as intense as Class IV. The river passes through some real wildlands as well as some classic New England small towns, including Shelburne Falls, site of the famous Bridge of Flowers. We recommend the stretch between the Bardwell Ferry Road Bridge and the US Highway 5—MA 10 bridge. This 10.25-mile stretch is a calming stretch of riffles and smooth water, with no portages. If you want something more rollicking, the upper Deerfield has some rough-and-tumble rapids. Zoar Gap is a well-known rock em', sock 'em run.

Most exciting whitewater in the East? You decide. A 12-mile run begins with Class V rapids in the Ripogenus Gorge. Then you flow through Baxter State Park, with views of Mount Katahdin. Classic Maine.

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The Kennebec is one of the last Maine rivers to be tamed, and with the dismantling of Edwards Dam, one of the first to be freed. The run from Carry Brook to the Forks combines steep gorges and galloping whitewater. Long considered unrunnable, commercial outfitters with modern equipment have turned this run from lethal to playful.

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