Ever since John Ledyard dropped out of Dartmouth College in 1772 and paddled the Connecticut River with a dugout canoe of his own making, paddlers have been taking what is one of New England’s iconic journeys. Yet, despite being one of New England’s epic trips, the paddler's trail is not fully developed. You can help!

The Connecticut River Paddlers' Trail is managed by a variety of small nonprofits and town conservation commissions. A shared stewardship fund helps cover the costs associated with campsite maintenance, trail coordination, the development of new sites, the maintenance of this website, and the creation of maps and guides.

Each year, funds donated by river enthusiasts like you are redistributed by our fiscal agent (the Connecticut River Conservancy) to trail partners helping to expand the trail and take care of existing campsites, portage trails, and access points along the river. In this approach, we use the power of networks to avoid the need to create a new nonprofit. This minimizes overhead, fosters resiliency, and allows us to keep the campsites free and available for all.

Through your donation, you become part of our community. You will be helping supporting non-motorized recreation in the Connecticut River watershed, enabling a remarkable paddling route, with ample camping opportunities, well-maintained portages, and safe river access.