Our paddling tours on the Winooski River start in June and run through the summer.

We start our tours with a paddling and safety lesson, before launching our boats.

In the middle of the day we will stop for a picnic lunch (not provided, bring your favorite lunch).

The Winooski River is the second longest river in the state. A watershed of over a thousand square miles. It flows through the state capital (Montpelier, Vermont) and the largest city in the state (Burlington, Vermont). The Winooski cuts through the heart of the Green Mountains with Mount Mansfield to the north and Camels Hump to the south. Once out of the Green Mountains it then flows through the farmland of the Champlain Valley before reaching the lake named for Samuel de Champlain.

Long before Champlain visited the lake in 1609 claming the area for France, the Abenaki lived along the lower river. They grew corn, beans and squash here. They also used the river for hunting and fishing.
The Abenaki call it Winoskitegok (Onion River) because of the wild leaks or onions that grow there. Europeans call it Winooski River.
The winooski was always used for travel through the mountains to the Connecticut River ((Kwinitegok, Long River), and during the war between the French and English it saw a lot of use.

The river is home to many birds and wildlife.
With the diverse habitat along the river we see quite a variety of birds. Waterfowl, shore birds, Hawks and Vultures, crows, Ospreys, Kingfishers and song birds of every description.

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Our Tours Includes:

Paddling/Safety Lesson
Canoe or Kayak, paddle, personal flotation device.

Each participant under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

No experience is necessary. Anyone with average upper-body strength can paddle a canoe or kayak.

What you need to bring

Appropriate outdoor clothing for paddling:

We suggest that you dress in layers. By dressing in layers you can adjust your clothing to stay comfortable throughout the tour.
Extra layers are stored in the boat until you need them.
Light quick-drying trousers or shorts (like a swim suit).
Blue jeans are not recommended because the heavy cotton absorbs a lot of water and they take forever to dry out.
A quick drying shirt.
Fleece or vest for warmth.
Jacket, or windbreaker for your top layer.
A pair of sneakers you don't mind getting wet. Or water shoes.

Sun protection

Hat,
sun glasses,
sun screen.

Other useful items

2 Bottles of water
and or juice to drink
Snacks
Binoculars
Water-proof camera
Insect Repellant

Cost of the tour is $70 per person

$10 Discount per person, for groups of more than six people booked in advance.
(Half day or longer tours only.)

Private tours are also available.

For Reservations
Call 802-897-7500

We recommend that you call well in advance to reserve your tour.
We usually are all out on tours during the day.
Please leave a message and we will call you back as soon as we return.

We will accept you for a tour in the morning if there is room available.
Group size is limited to insure the quality of our trips.
Once the tour is full, you will have to join the next available tour.

We accept personal checks or cash for payment.
At this time we are not set up to take credit cards.

Cancellations

Please call us for cancellations and refunds.

Contact Us

By phone 802-897-7500
Please leave a message. We are usually out guiding a trip.

By E-mail

By Mail

Abenaki Outfitters & Guide Service
P.O. Box 283
Shoreham, VT. 05770-0283

For safety we may limit, postpone or cancel a trip due to severe weather conditions.
All customers must sign a waiver of liability before participating in our outdoor activities.
At some times of the year (usually in the Fall) we are guiding extended trips, in Maine or the Adirondacks.
These paddling, hiking, hunting or fishing trips frequently are in areas where even cell phones will not work.
Therefore we may not be able to reply until we return.

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