View topic - Cranberry Brook - To Magadauvic Lake - McAdam area

Ok will post a little 3 hour one way trip that can only be done in spring no doubt and is best with a kayak.

Duck Lake Road is a about 2 miles east of McAdam - Took the road north about 6 miles -- you will see Duck Lake on left before you come to Bridge 1 - this bridge crosses Cranberry Brook --- hang right after Bridge 1 keep going until you come to Bridge 2.

Get on Cranberry Brook on the right side of Bridge 2. Travel the deadwater southerly (small portage to get over a lip half way up) until you come to the main brook -- You will hang left from here ----

Another lip after a few bends where you just get out and lift over a thin dam. You will only need to get out of your canoe twice after this before reaching Magadauvic Lake.

Traveling east through a wide calm brook with nice bog landscape until you come to a rip - About this time you are near big woods and an easy portage trail is on your left -- a little further you will come near a burnt bridge. I portaged here but it would be an experienced kayakers dream as it is extreme but it appears that passage could be made between rocks.

From the burnt bridge you are only an easy 1 hour from Magadauvic Lake. I had a friend pick me up at the burnt bridge on the way back. If you have a 2nd vehicle - travel on from where you stopped your first vehicle and you will see a poor road that goes straight and the main road hangs left -- go straight into a gravel pit. So my trip (including breaks) was about 5 hours.

From the burnt bridge to Magadauvic the scenery is big woods. The brook is slow in most spots and can be done by novice kayakers and canoers and can be adventurous for the more experienced. It was no doubt an old route that would take the natives from Magadauvic to St. Croix River.

It was really nice and worth the trip -- Going west from Duck Lake Road towards Cottrell is not very good -- I came across far too many rock gardens and turned back.

I want to try South Brook which runs south from Cranberry (you would pass along the route in question) down to the east line (active railway). I would put in for South Brook at a culvert crossing east of where you parked for route in question.

Great report. I hope to check out that stretch of water next year.

Do you think a canoe could make it from Mag. Lake all the way to Cottrell(ATV trail)?

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"When the green, dark forest was too silent to be real" - Gordon Lightfoot

Well for starters you would be better off starting at the ATV Trail (south line -- old railway) and going into Mag Lake as that is the way the brook runs ---

Like I stated in the report I started at Duck Lake Road and tried to go to that ATV Trail --there were some nice spots but after my 4th portage I gave up -- I have a portage rule that if I cannot see where I can get in again I turn around (ha) -- And Portage 4 was just that -- It is also a pain when you know you are returning --thus your portages double.

If you tried it -- do it on a day with a lot of patience and lots of water. It would be very challenging with a canoe -- my kayak is like scarface -- As stated the route is a lot better on the Mag Lake side of the brook --

I turned around in a spot where it was fast low water littered with boulders as far as I could see from my standpoint --

Saying all this the view and the sense of accomplishing that route would be worth talking about --

I know you mentioned Palffrey Stream once from Skiff to Palfrey Lake -- did you ever try this?? I have heard it is full of steep inclines and would be very difficult. I am also planning to do 5th to 6th Lake off Canterbury Road next month and taking a glimpse at North Brook that connects 5th Lake to McAdam Lake -- Have to hook up some time for a trip sometime --

These are some photos of the Cranberry Brook Route

Some how my pics went into a different topic -- Hope mods don't mind.

More Pics of Cranberry Brook

More Pics -- Hope this isn't too much -- Had better videos

We can move things around.



Barbara

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I'm out of bed and I made it to the keyboard....what more do you want?

Thanks Barb.

I will be in NB in early June and hope to try the Palfery then. It will be the first time I've tried it.
I'll post a trip report and some pictures.

Thanks for posting your pictures of the Cranberry Brook. It looks wider than I imagined it to be.

Your planned trips for North brook and the numbered lakes look interesting.

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"When the green, dark forest was too silent to be real" - Gordon Lightfoot

North Brook from the bridge that crosses the brook along the road does not look too good so the North Brook route is out of question for me -- going to do 5th and 6th Lake this weekend.