Madawaska river, Lower

The lower Madawaska is deservedly popular, and marred only by the long flat paddle to get to the first rapid, and the state of the access roads at times. Nonetheless, if there is a good flow (100 cumecs is great), this is well worth the effort.

The river is initially flat, the first rapid being reached almost at the half way point. This is Hass hole, with a good playawave in the right hand channel at the right flows. The remaining rapids are evenly spaced through the rest of the section, and have flat or slow moving pools between to collect up any swimmers and reunite them with their boats.

To get to the take out; About 13 km east of the town of Palmer rapids on County road 515, is Quadeville. Take Addington road, leading south out of town, which soon becomes a dirt road. 6 km down Addington road, bear right onto Hyland Creek road. Pass a turning to Aumond bay in 1 km (this is the put-in), and after another 5.5 km, turn right, signposted Buck Bay. This leads to parking, and a gate barring further travel. The take out is a couple of hundred metres walk further on. The take-out is not obvious (there was a short length of rope ladder marking it from the river in spring 2015), so if it is your first time or you have a bad memory, go and check it out.

To get to the put in; Head back towards Quadeville, and turn left towards Aumond bay. Parking is within sight of the river. The roads to both put in and take out are sometimes not in the best shape in the springtime.