Planning for Spring Camping - Connecticut River – McIndoe Falls to Bedell Bridge State Park or Bugbee Landing

Its time to start thinking about our spring camping trip. If we continue down the Connecticut River, the next section is Wilder Dam to Bellows Falls  - looks like a 3-night trip with one portage. We talked about doing it last spring, and then COVID hit.
 
We could also go back and do the section that we missed from McIndoe Falls to the Woodville. We section paddled Gilman Dam to McIndoe Falls. Then we started up again at Woodsville paddling down to Orford, skipping the section from McIndoe Falls to Woodville. We could paddle the section from McIndoe Falls to the Woodville staying at Stephen's Island or Fiddlehead Island. After portaging the Ryegate Dam, we would paddle past Woodville and stay the second night at Howard Island or Horse Meadow. If we did two nights we could take out at Bedell Bridge State Park, or continue downstream staying a third night at Vaughan Meadow and taking out at Bugbee Landing. 

Put-in - McIndoe Falls Access – mile 276 - small park on river left doubles as a hand carry access point.

First Night - Stephan's Island – mile 273 - peaceful island with sandy beach, towering pines, and rocky knoll.

Optional First Night - Fiddlehead Island – mile 273 - a large but often overgrown campsite located on the third wooded island in reach between McIndoe Falls and Dodge Falls. Rope swing!

Portage - Ryegate Dam – mile 272 - take out river left after sharp bend. Follow trail pass campsite, along edge of field, down an access road, and along a rough path to the river. Warning - put-in is rocky with difficult footing. (Length 0.3. Percentage wheelable: 0 .8)

Second Night - Howard Island – mile 265 - about 2 miles below the Woodsville Bridge. The northern campsite is located at the northeast end of this island with access on a moderately-sloped cobblestone bank. The southern campsite is at the southwestern corner of the island.

Optional Second Night - Horse Meadow – mile 262 - one of the first campsites established on the Upper Connecticut River, and recently re-established with the help of the Thetford Academy. Access is via a set of removable stairs situated just past the southern tip of the adjacent island.

Optional Second Night - Harkdale Farm – mile 259 - access on Vermont side at second large oxbow downstream of Howard Island, across from high eroding sand bank that meets small brook with fallen trees. (We stayed here last time.)

2-day Take-out - Bedell Bridge State Park – mile 255 - Boat ramp and picnic area at premier birding site.

Third Night - Vaughan Meadow - mile 253 - located on the Vermont side one mile below the old Bedell Bridge abutment. Located on a wooded bank after the river turns from SE to S, a few hundred yards north of the Bradford line. (we paddled by and missed this site last time.)

3-day Take-out - Bugbee Landing – mile  249 - the school allows camping in a mowed area adjacent to the boat launch. Paddlers planning to use the site are encouraged to contact the Bradford Conservation Commission in advance. Contact info: parks-recreation@bradford-vt.us 802-222-4727 ext. 210.

Three night trip is 28-miles with one portage at the Rygate Dam. Even below Woodville we would be able to stay at campsites that we haven't used before.

Link:
Connecticut River Paddlers Trail