NORTHERN OUTDOORS
ADVENTURE RESORT | THE FORKS
ME
Northern Outdoors is the top outfitter and resort in
Maine to book if you’re searching for the ultimate
whitewater rafting adventure. When they opened in
1976, the sport of whitewater rafting was figuratively
“just learning to walk.” The infancy of the of the activity
allowed the guides of Northern Outdoors to pioneer
the rivers in the area, making each trip eventful and
more popular by the season. In 1983, they built the
main lodge and officially named themselves Northern
Outdoors. Around this time, they also opened the re-
sort for year-round fun, by adding snowmobiling, fish-
ing, and other activities.
Today, you can raft through the Kennebec River, the
Dead River, or the Penobscot River with confidence,
as each guide is an expert on the water. The scenery
is unmatchable and the safety is a given, so whitewater
rafting can be enjoyed by the whole family during your
trip. The main lodge is where most of the goodies are,
but there is another camping location, the Katahdin Ad-
venture Base Camp, that is three hours away.
For the best combination of luxury and immersion in
the outdoors, rent one of the Northern Outdoors Club
Cabins. The Club Cabins are extremely luxurious, with
floor-to-ceiling wood paneling and hand carved furni-
ture throughout. Giant windows that open up to the
pristine woods that surround the cabin make for a
beautiful view. Each Club Cabin is a short distance
away from the main lodge, so the community ameni-
ties are never too far away.
At the cabins, you’ll find a fully-equipped kitchen,
jacuzzi tubs, gas fireplaces, satellite television, a private
deck with charcoal grills, and plenty of seating for your
entire group. The cabins can accommodate up to 7
people, and range from $350-$550 a night, depend-
ing on the season. The winter season is peak season,
so it is more costly than the summer season is, but the
“best value” week for the winter time is from Decem-
ber 30 th to January 28 th , and from February 26 th to
March 31 st .
The main lodge provides a variety of luxury amenities
to make sure that your rustic retreat is exactly how you
imagined it would be. Northern Outdoors has all of the
regular perks, like a swimming pool, an oversized out-
door hot tub, a full-service restaurant, WiFi, and a game
room, but they also have one thing that most resorts
don’t: their own brewery!
“WHEN NORTHERN OUTDOORS
OPENED IN 1976, THE SPORT
OF WHITEWATER RAFTING
WAS FIGURATIVELY JUST
LEARNING TO WALK.”