Summary

Using the Landing campground as our base for car camping, we can use rented kayaks to paddle a section of the Saco River each day. RSVP on the website and with Saco Bound as soon as possible as this weekend will sell out. This weekend will be one of the highlights for your summer of 2016! 

The Saco River is one of the most popular destinations on the East Coast with as many as 7,000 people on a hot summer weekend! It's popular for the clean water, sandy beaches, easy current and fresh mountain air.

Saturday morning we'll carpool from the Landing Campground to pick up our rented kayaks for a 9:30am departure. It will be a 10.2 mile paddle to back to the Landing Campground. On the river we'll take swim breaks on sandy beaches, relax, take in the party atmosphere, and stop for a lunch break. Sunday we'll hop back into our kayaks and continue paddling downstream to Lovewell Pond where Saco Bound has a shuttle to bring us back to the Saco Bound Base. This will be a 12 mile paddle. For the river wear sandals on your feet. Bring a beach towel, lunch, snacks, water, suncreen, sunglasses and a small cooler if you want to keep your beer cold. If you don't have a dry bag, line a small daypack with a two garbage bags and that should keep your stuff mostly dry.    

We are using Saco Bound Landing Campground where we camp together in a wooded field with picnic tables, fire rings, and toilets for Friday and Saturday night.  You can setup anytime at the Landing Campground on Friday but you have to check-in at the Saco Bound Base by 6pm otherwise you cannot get in. We recommend you take Friday off from work.

At the campground we can pitch our tents near each other, share picnic tables for cooking and huddle together around a campfire each night [bring/buy firewood but you cannot transport it if living outside NH/ME]. To find us, we'll have a rainbow flag on our picnic table. For car camping bring the normal gear: tent, sleeping bag, pad, cooking stove, pots, pans, dishes, eating utensils, paper towels, garbage bags, chairs, cooler, etc.

The cost for the weekend that includes camping for two nights, kayak rental for two days, and shuttle is $135 per person. Call Saco Bound at 603-447-2177 and tell them you want the same arrangements as Mike Boisvert. They require a 50% deposit with the balance paid on arrival. You can cancel up to one week before the trip and get your deposit back. If we have to cancel due to bad weather we cannot get a refund but we can reschedule for another summer weekend.      

Directions To Trailhead Parking Lot

From Boston, MA to Center Conway: 
Take Rt. 95 North to Rt. 16 North, Spaulding Tpke.(exit 4 in Portsmouth, NH off 95) Follow Rt. 16 N for appx. 80 miles to the town of Conway, NH. From the lights in Conway, take Rt. 113 East for approximately 5 miles and Saco Bound will be on your right. Note: At the lights in Conway by the Irving gas station, Rt. 16 N. takes a sharp left. DO NOT FOLLOW THIS! Continue straight on Rt. 113 East which also becomes Rt. 302 East.

From Portland, ME to North Conway: Take route 302 West through Fryeburg. Go 2 miles west of the Maine/New Hampshire state line to Saco Bound, on your left.

To The Saco Bound Landing: 
From Saco Bound, continue east on 113/302 into the town of Fryeburg, ME. Bare left on route 5 north. Continue about 3 miles and you will go over the Saco River at Canal Bridge. The Saco Bound Landing will be the first left just north of the bridge. Look for Cornshop Road. The entrance to the Landing is a small dirt road on the left marked by a sign. A permit is needed prior to camping at the Landing that you pick up once you register at the Saco Bound Base. 

From New York City to North Conway:
Take I95 North to 91 North to 84 East to 90 east. Take Rt. 95 North to Rt. 16 North, Spaulding Tpke.(exit 4 in Portsmouth, NH off 95) Follow Rt. 16 N for appx. 80 miles to the town of Conway, NH. From the lights in Conway, take Rt. 113 East for approximately 5 miles and Saco Bound will be on your right. Note: At the lights in Conway by the Irving gas station, Rt. 16 N. takes a sharp left. DO NOT FOLLOW THIS! Continue straight on Rt. 113 East which also becomes Rt. 302 East.