In 2021, the ENE TV crew spent two days in the Old Town area of Maine, where we filmed, among other things, an overnight paddling trip on the Penobscot River. Our guides were David Thanhauser and Cloe Chunn, founders of the Penobscot River Paddling Trail, which now extends from Medway, at the junction of the East and West branches of the river, all the way to Penobscot Bay, a distance of some 100 miles.
The trail currently comprises 13 free campsites located approximately every 10 miles along the river. The trail now extends to the northern portion of Penobscot Bay, where it links with the series of coastal campsites along the Maine Island Trail, which extends from Kittery to Canada.
On our trip, cameraman Camden Spear and I met David and Cloe at the Costigan boat launch in Milford, where we splashed our two canoes and a kayak and headed downstream. It should be noted that overnight parking is not allowed at this ramp, but David and Cloe had arranged for a special permit through the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department.
With the river running high and fast due to recent rains, we made excellent time, and quickly made it to the Ketawamkihtek Campsite just inside the entrance to the Stillwater River, which is technically a branch of the Penobscot. A large, yellow sign and uprooted tree near the Twin Islands indicated the landing spot.
The site itself is enormous, and can easily accommodate four or five tents. A long picnic table serves as the centerpiece, and a simple open-air latrine is available nearby (but not too nearby). Currently, no open fires are allowed at the PRPT sites, although propane stoves can be used for cooking.
Speaking of cooking, that evening Cloe prepared a delicious meal of Brunswick stew, pickled scapes, and homemade apple bread while I fished the river. The lower Penobscot is well known for its multitude of smallmouth bass, although I was unable to land a single one, despite numerous strikes. Naturally, I blamed it on the unusually high water level and turbid conditions.
The next morning we woke early and downed a hearty breakfast before packing up and heading back to the main branch of the Penobscot and continuing downstream to our takeout spot in Old Town, where we had left David and Cloe’s car. Cloe drove Camden and I back to the Costigan ramp to retrieve our vehicles—only to discover that our catalytic converters had been stolen overnight!
Despite the unfortunate ending, our adventures on the Penobscot were a lot of fun, thanks mainly to the generosity and fine company of David and Cloe—and their generous gift to the water-lovers of Maine and beyond!
Click here for an interactive map of the Penobscot River Paddling Trail.
