Canoe-Camping on the Nepisiguit

[gallagherkris]

Greetings from a newcomer!

I'm looking at paddling the Nepisiguit for the first time with a group of relatively experienced paddlers. In planning our trip, I scrutinized Ken's trip blog and was able to locate his first 3 camping locales on a map (one in the protected area where the Little South Branch meets the NW Branch, the next near Indian Falls, and the third neear the Gorge avobe the road to the Heath Steele plant) I am not sure, though, of the availability/locale of other good camping spots between that gorge and Middle Landing (above Pabineau falls).

Can anyone help shed some light on this for me?

Thanks!

[tickles]

I hope to run it next week , I let you know how it turns out.

[loves2canoe]

Myself and two friends (currently awaiting a fourth to fill the second canoe) plan to run it the Weekend of June 25th. We will be driving up from Fredericton Thursday afternoon/ evening the 24th. One of our paddlers has family there (In Bathurst) and they are driving us to our put in right across from a ranger station. They will take our vehicles back to our take out which is the dam. We wil paddle Friday, Saturday and come out Sunday.

I can keep you posted if you are interested!

This will be our second time paddling this river. We tried to do it all in two days last year and ended up hitchiking out Sunday knowing we wouldnt be able to finsih the run. Luckily there are cars all the time on the side road that runs almost parrallel with the river. We have planned a 2 night 3 days this time.

[gallagherkris]

It would be great to hear how your group makes out. Our group went up on the long weekend in May and had a blast. We decided to base camp at 42 (or 44??)-mile and do day trips. We ended up day tripping from Moose Lake to Popple Depot, from the TV Tower Road to the campsite, and from the dam to Pabineau Falls. We were impressed with the river and the number of quality campsites along its banks. I'm not sure what the water levels will be like for your group, but they were perfect for running Indian Falls and the Chain of Rocks at that time.

Enjoy!

[Ken Corbett]

I was up fishing at Indian Falls on the weekend and the water was at a perfect height. I was surprised no paddlers came down from the falls all weekend.

Oh, I only got one trout, and I wished I was paddling. Next time for sure. But the companionship and the cold beer were lots of fun. It is so beautiful and quiet up there.

Ken

[loves2canoe]

Anyone living up, near or around the Nepisiguit in Bathurst that can confirm rough estimate water level. Is it run-able in canoe right now? I would have assumed it would still be fine being dam controlled and massive amounts of water coming from Mount Carleton but one of my friends said they heard if there isnt any rain that we may not be able to run it next weekend?

Any info would be great

Thanks

[ryanward10]

I don't live near the river, but when tickles ran it back on the May long weekend we noted the Middle River gauge was .9, and the NW Chi gauge was at .6. Ken described his visit to Indian Falls on June 12-13 as having perfect water height, the gauges were reading 1.0 and .7 that weekend. Right now Middle River is reading .8, and NW Chi is .5. That's not down significantly, but we weren't certain that these gauges were reflective of the Nepisiguit watershed. Tickles noted that the early stretch may have been too low for canoes when they were on it. Maybe we'll get a handle on a water level reference for this river yet.

[Ken Corbett]

It's only dam-controlled for the last 25km or so. That's the stretch with the fast water, btw.