Fishermen know the upper Androscoggin River for its salmon and trophy trout, and the lower for its northern pike and feisty smallmouth bass. But rest assured, you need not be an angler to enjoy this river that has transformed from one of the most successful river clean-ups in the nation to a truly stunning four-season recreational destination. Flowing south from New Hampshire, the river empties in the Gulf of Maine, close to where you’ll start your journey in Brunswick. Then you’ll follow the river inland for 65 miles over three days to Bethel, nestled in the Androscoggin River valley amongst some of the highest mountains in Maine.

The Androscoggin River is in the southern part of Maine. It flows south from Umbabog Lake to Gorham, N.H., east to Jay, Maine, and then south again to the Atlantic Ocean. In its 175-mile (280-kilometre) course, the river descends more than 1,245 feet (379 m), the two steepest drops occur at Berlin, N.H., and at Rumford, Maine. The major products of the communities in its drainage basin are pulp and paper (because of the abundance of waterpower, process water, and spruce-fir forests), textiles and shoes in Lewiston and Auburn. The Androscoggin (an Algonquian Indian word for “fish-curing place”) is known for its fishing, hunting, and boating facilities.

The name “Androscoggin” comes from the Eastern Abenaki term /aləssíkɑntəkw/ or /alsíkɑntəkw/, meaning “river of cliff rock shelters” (literally “thus-deep-dwelling-river”); or perhaps from Penobscot /aləsstkɑtəkʷ/, meaning “river of rock shelters”.

Learn more about the history of the Androscoggin River.