Over the years The Forks area has grown in reputation for outdoor recreation. It proudly sports its role as the undisputed home of white water rafting in New England. But it is way more than that. With the popularity of adventure sports growing by leaps and bounds each year, The Forks has kept pace with demand, adding services and trails at every step of the way.
Located at the confluence (or fork) of the Dead and Kennebec Rivers, the area offers visitors of all kinds the opportunity for outdoor recreation. Try rafting, fishing, hunting, ATV and snowmobile riding, hiking, biking, trail running, even long-distance backpacking. For the soft-adventurer, we have an easy half-mile trek to Maine’s highest waterfall, Moxie Falls. In addition, our legion of local Registered Maine Guides provides gear, meals, and lodging for more adventurous visitors in all four seasons.
Caratunk
Located on the Kennebec River 40 miles north of Skowhegan, Caratunk village is just off U.S. Route 201. Pleasant Pond and Moxie Mountain are popular recreation destinations here. The Appalachian Trail passes through Caratunk following Pleasant Pond Stream and the northwest shore of Pleasant Pond before climbing Pleasant Pond Mountain. The Kennebec River Crossing is a welcome landmark for northbound AT hikers as they near the end of their 2,000+ mile journey.
Moxie Falls
When you visit The Forks, one absolute “Don’t Miss” on your checklist should be Moxie Falls. It is Maine’s highest and—many would say—most beautiful waterfall. Follow Lake Moxie Road out of The Forks and look for signs about two miles out. The wide path meanders through the forest for about half a mile to the falls. If you visit during the summer, bring your towel so you can revel in the old-fashioned swimming hole just a bit down from the main falls. If you aren’t up for rafting, this is a great place to cool down on a hot summer’s day.
Bingham and Moscow
The small towns of Bingham and Moscow sit at the junction of U.S. Route 201—Old Canada Road Scenic Byway—and Route 16. Together these two towns makeup one population center and are home to just over 1,500 people.
Located on the 45th parallel, Bingham sits exactly halfway between the North Pole and the Equator. Bingham is more readily known as the gateway to Maine’s outdoor sporting paradise. Local anglers are especially fond of the Kennebec River here. Sections of this wonderful stretch of river are affectionately called Rainbow Alley. Bingham has a lesser-known waterfall, Houston Brook Falls, where Houston Brook empties into Wyman Lake. Bingham is also the northern end of the multi-use Kennebec Valley Trail.
The small residential town of Moscow is situated just north of Bingham. The friendly town’s outstanding feature is the Wyman Hydroelectric Dam. The dam slows the Kennebec River and creates a widening in the river known as Wyman Lake. Along the lake on the eastern side of the Old Canada Road, visitors can spot dozens of delightfully colored birdhouses fastened to the retaining wall for several hundred yards.
Both towns offer a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of larger cities and enjoy a wide variety of outdoor recreation in all four seasons; from snowmobiling in the winter to ATV riding and whitewater rafting in the summer, or the quiet pursuit of fly fishing in spring or fall.
Destinations: About Maine’s Kennebec Valley | Riverside Towns | Lakes Area | Cities: Augusta, Waterville, and Skowhegan | Small Town Charm | Jackman and Moose River Valley
Visitor Resources: The Forks Area | Bingham
