Machias (Washington County)

Four old friends in 2 canoes, camping on islands and giving each other tattoos in the process. We went from Fifth Machias Lake to the outlet of Second Machias Lake. An arguable moose sighting was included.

One of the many beautiful campsites. This one is on Fourth Machias Lake.

You get a lot of beautiful sections like this in the first few days of the trip.

Eight of Ran this 40 mile stretch in 4 days on May13-16, 2014. We put in on Fifth Machias Lake, and took out at Rt. 9.
The level was 1.5' at Stud Mill Rd when we paddled past the gauge on day 4.
I think it was close to that on day one as well.
This was pretty bony in parts of the river on day one, below Fifth Mchias Lake.
It was on the low side for the rest of the trip, but very runnable. Most of it is deep flat water, so you only have to deal with low water in a few spots.
This is a beautiful place.
Nothing more than class I or maybe II between 5th & 3rd lakes. There are a couple class II and III rapids below Third Michias Lake to Rt 9. If you are comfortable with the rapid at Rt 9, you should be OK upstream. Two rapids are about the same difficulty. One of those (Long Falls) is about 3 times longer. Long Falls is the longest rapid on the river, and is about 1 1/4 miles above 4th Lake. Scout on river left. We carried our gear and ran it with empty boats. Karrick Pitch is marked with a portage sign on river right even though it is shorter and easier than Long Falls. This one is about 4 miles below First Lake.
The putin that is marked on this map is for the lower section only, where the best rapids are. It could be don in a long day, or easily in two days. It is probably about 20 miles.

There are several nice little rapids like this on the narrow, scenic section between Fifth & Fourth Lake.

Tom & Patti Rutka

You get some very nice easy, scenic sections like this between the flat water and the bigger rapids.

This about 4 miles below First Machias Lake. There is a portage sign on river right, although this is an easier rapid than the longer unmarked Long Falls, which is about 1 1/4 miles above 2nd Lake.