Hello everyone. Just thought I would revive this and post some info.
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Yes it is crowded on weekends in the summer (Memeorial Day to Labor Day) but weekdays are tolerable.  The week before labor day is a good time to go (just get the hell out on the Friday before Labor Day!).  After Labor  Day is a great time and you can still go swimming during the day.  I still need to make it up to Canada!

"if you are in the Old Forge area and are interested in a day trip, Mountain Man outfitter/store can shuttle you up to the Rondaxe road for a day trip down North Branch Moose River - flatwater with one portage at the RR bridge (1/4 mile or so).  that is a nice stretch of river, with no camps and no motor boats at all - end the trip back at Mtn Man's store in Thendara."

Well, since Mad Mat's advice is always good, I took it and that is just what I did a few days ago (7/10/15) - Mountainman's rental fleet was about 50 kayaks, 4 or 5 tandems, and one lonely solo.  An Old Town  "Next" solo - kind of a hybrid, sit on the floor - or rather on a lawn chair like seat I didn't like, but I'd brought a seat cushion to raise up a bit higher, and it paddled well enough. portaging it would have been painful with that seat arrangement, but I used the Type IV cushion as padding, and it carried ok, if a bit heavy at 60 lbs or so.

But for $46 plus tax ($48.50 or so) that included the shuttle to Rondaxe Rd., it was a nice deal.  Took me 3 hours, including the 1/4 mile portage - apparently that was a "record", as all 3 of the guys from the rental shop were amazed I was back so early - they say allow 5 to 6 hours. Something between 10 and 15 miles - would have to look it up.

I hadn't done that stretch of the Moose river in maybe 15 years, and it was nice to get back on it - good current helped (from a lot of rain several weeks in a row earlier on).

So if you are up in that neck of the woods, it is definitely worth doing.  Mtn man will shuttle your own canoes if you have them.   I had a 15' Grumman I could have used, but the $46 rate was a lot easier than cobbling together a boat rack to carry the Grumman, and the Next did paddle easier than the tandem would have, and portaged a bit lighter as well.

Bill,

We went through there last December and skirted the Allegany State Forest (spelling is correct) on the NY side which connects to the Allegheny National Forest on PA side. After living in PA for about 18 years way back when (down near Philly) I would say that part of the state (northwest) would be the most enticing to me. There are some other great mountainous river systems near Williamstown but I don't know how navigable. Whitewater can be had down by Pittsburgh towards the Ohio...but then...that's whitewater Check out (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)...they are out of Warren. Might be a place to start for planning...let me know what you find out too!

Portage dog - I apologize for the very late response. Anyway, council had two camps in Adirondacks - Sabattus and Woodlands. After that, our troop several times climbed Mt Marcy.

After 50 years, I don't recall many details.

Thanks for reviving. I missed some,now am considering an eastern venue for a trip with my son next June.  He's in new PA and canoe country is a long haul. Any other suggestions between Chicago and north of Scranton for flat water or easy river welcomed. Keep thinking there must be something in western PA.

I'm reviving this thread only because there are some great links and recommendations from others and I've been put in charge of planning next year's trip for a group of 8 into......drum roll...the Adirondacks. Going to be researching guide books, maps and outfitters to find a little bit of something for everyone this time around including cabin stays for the home-bound and a bit more "adventure" for those of us with "restless-paddle-syndrome" (RPS)...As always, advice is most welcome

p dog - (a bit late on the reply - missed your question)

no, I have not used any of the outfitters up there.

if you are in the Old Forge area and are interested in a day trip, Mountain Man outfitter/store can shuttle you up to the Rondaxe road for a day trip down North Branch Moose River - flatwater with one portage at the RR bridge (1/4 mile or so).  that is a nice stretch of river, with no camps and no motor boats at all - end the trip back at Mtn Man's store in Thendara.

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Thanks for the leads MM!  I actually found the same canoe outfitter on line yesterday - good info.  Have you used them?  Another leader of ours has a connection to MACS Canoe Livery in Lake Clear, I just found out.  Gonna check into that.  The St. Regis Canoe Area seems pretty nice too.  It's been suggested to look at a Long Lake, Raquette River, Upper Saranac Lake, Floodwood area for a 50 miler. Thanks for suggesting the Old Forge route.  BTW...what a nice pic on paddling.net on the Cedar.

pd

p-dog

here's a couple of links with info on the Adirondacks

the first, I'm not sure what you get, but you can get a PDF of canoe info and another for hiking

the second is good - scroll down for longer trips

starting in Old Forge and going to Saranac Lake is probably your best bet - lots of boats on the first 8 miles, but not so many after that - it ain't wilderness though

if you just want to put in on a relatively quiet lake and hang out and hike nearby consider Stillwater Res.

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paddling.net has a lot of resources you might want to look at also - top line menu - "Go Paddling"  lots of river trials - Susquehana River might work for you - this weeks picture of the week is pretty - Cedar River Flow

Prouboy,

Thanks for the recommend, but we're looking for a trip withing a day's travel of northern Virginia. BSA rule is no more than 8 hours drvining in one day, so Maine would be two days travel on either end. 

I did a trip on the Allagash in 2002.  It was a nice area and as I recall, Allagash Falls was about the halfway point in a 7 day trip and our only portage.  We got windbound one day and the fishing was pretty poor to me, by BW/Q standards, but maybe I just didn't know the area.  Nice scenery, though and fairly remote.

pd