EMHR’s 25th Anniversary and PA River of the Year Sojourn
June 2 - June 10
Come celebrate the Endless Mountains Heritage Region’s 25th Anniversary by taking a weeklong journey with us down the 2023 Pennsylvania River of the Year: the Susquehanna River North Branch Water Trail! We will be paddling from Sayre in Bradford County to Shickshinny in Luzerne County over the course of seven days! The EMHR is proud to have nominated our North Branch Water Trail, co-managed with the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership, as the state’s River of the Year and we’d like you to join us and help commemorate this prestigious designation! Can’t join us for the entire week? No problem! Simply select the best days that work for you. Don’t have your own kayak or canoe? That’s no issue either, as we have plenty available to rent through our water trail partners: Endless Mountain Outfitters and Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe Rentals. We have a lot of fun entertainment, themes, and activities lined up for each day as well as some delicious meals provided by local restaurants and caterers. We will launch on the river every morning at 9 a.m. and have camping set up for each evening. There are also nearby lodging options for those who do not wish to camp. Participants will drive their vehicles to the next campsite each morning to ensure their vehicle is waiting for them when we get off the water at the end of each day’s river adventure.
Single-day, three-day, and full-week packages are the options. Please note the June 2 kick-off celebration at Larnard-Hornbrook Park is open to everyone:
- Single-day: $75 (plus $50 if renting a kayak)
- Three-day: $200 (plus $125 if renting a kayak)
- Full Week: $425 (plus $250 if renting a kayak)
Friday June 2nd – This is open to any participants who are traveling from afar and wish to camp the first night rather than making the trip to Hornbrook Park in the early morning hours.
- Meet at Larnard-Hornbrook Park and camp for the night.
- Registration and setting up campsites beginning at 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 3rd- Sayre Fish & Boat Launch (41.995932, -76.473493) to Larnard-Hornbrook Park (41.849146, -76.497242) – 15 miles
- Theme of the Day: Tacky Tourist
- 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Registration/check-in with a grab-and-go breakfast
- 8 a.m. – Depart for Sayre Fish and Boat Launch
- 9 a.m. – Welcome from EMHR and County Commissioners; safety talk and get on the water. Paddling from Sayre Fish and Boat Launch to Ulster
- 12 p.m. – Stop at Ulster for lunch; Guest speaker – PA Fish and Boat Commission’s Jeremy Yohe
- Lunch provided by Black Diamond Cafe
- 1 p.m. – Continue on to Larnard-Hornbrook Park
- Finish Setting up camp/shower/relax
- Dinner at Flying Taco in Towanda with music by Kevin Doupe
Sunday June 4th – Larnard-Hornbrook Park (41.995932, -76.473493) to French Azilum Historic Site (41.738127, -76.309481) – 15 miles
- Theme of the Day: Hawaiian Shirt
- 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Registration/check-in; Breakfast provided by the Community Cup
- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Drive participant vehicles to French Azilum and shuttle back to launch
- 9 a.m. – Safety talk, then launch from Larnard-Hornbrook Park and head for French Azilum
- 12:30 p.m. – Stop at Wysox Township Boat Launch for lunch provided by the Bradford County Outboard Motor Club; Talk with local fire department/rescue crews about cleaning up strainers
- 1:30 – Finish trip to French Azilum
- Finish Setting up camp
- BBQ dinner provided by Liberty Corners Church and tasting from Deep Roots Hard Cider
- Speaker/Entertainment – Historian Deborah Courville and music by The Sorters
Monday, June 5th – French Azilum Historic Site (41.738127, -76.309481) to Endless Mountains Campground (41.638234, -76.174758) – 19 miles
- Theme of the Day: Crazy Hat
- 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Registration/check-in; Grab and go breakfast
- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Drive participant vehicles to Endless Mountains Campground and shuttle back to launch
- 9 a.m. – Safety talk/start trip
- 12:30/1 p.m. – Lunch provided by the Robbie’s Pizza at Endless Mountain Outfitters with guest speaker Robyn Cummings, Bradford County Tourism Promotion Agency
- 1:30 p.m. – Back on the water headed to Endless Mountains Campground
- 4:30 p.m. – Finish Setting up camp/shower/relax
- 6 p.m. – Dinner at Grovedale Winery with Endless Mountain Catering
Tuesday June 6th- Endless Mountains Campground (41.638234, -76.174758) to Camp Lackawanna (41.533024, -76.033965) – 16 miles
- Theme of the Day: Tie-Dye
- 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Registration/check-in; Grab and go breakfast
- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Drive participant vehicles to Camp Lackawanna and shuttle back to launch
- 9 a.m. – Safety talk and get on the water
- 12 p.m. – Mehoopany for a lunch provided by the Pizza Barn of Mehoopany; Guest speaker Dan Rhodes of the Bradford County Conservation District; DCNR Secretary Cindy Dunn will join the trip.
- 2 p.m. – Continue to Camp Lackawanna
- 4 p.m. – Arrive at Camp Lackawanna; finish setting up camp/shower/relax
- 6:30 p.m. – DCNR Secretary Cindy Dunn and esteemed guests will help us unveil the 2023 PA River of the Year Poster for our Susquehanna River North Branch Water Trail at the Vosburg Neck State Park, located next to Camp Lackawanna.
- 7:30 p.m. – Dinner: hot dogs/hamburgers and sides
- 8 p.m. – History talk by the campfire with Joe Fisher about Sullivan’s March
Wednesday, June 7th – Camp Lackawanna (41.533024, -76.033965) to Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe Rentals (119 Krafty Road, Falls, PA 18615) – 18 miles
- Theme of the Day: Red, White, & Blue
- 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Registration/check-in; Grab and go breakfast
- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Drive participant vehicles to Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe Rentals and shuttle back to launch
- 9 a.m. – Safety briefing and begin our paddle
- 12 p.m. – Lunch provided by Shadowbrook Inn & Resort at Riverside Park in Tunkhannock; Wyoming County Commissioner Rick Wilbur will give a historical presentation about the local area.
- 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Finish trip to Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe Rentals
- 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Set up camp
- 6 p.m. – Dinner catered by Art Coolbaugh
- 7 p.m. – Bonfire at the campground – Falls area history talk from Rich Fitzsimmons
Thursday, June 8th- Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe Rentals (119 Krafty Road, Falls, PA 18615) to Nesbitt Park (41.250975, -75.884735) – 19 miles
- Theme of the Day: Wacky Sunglasses
- 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Registration/check-in; Breakfast catered by Art Coolbaugh
- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Drive participant vehicles to Nesbitt Park and shuttle back to launch
- 9 a.m. – Safety briefing and begin paddle
- 12:30 p.m. – Lunch at Appletree boat launch catered by Appletree restaurant.
- 1:30 p.m. – Paddle to Nesbitt
- 5:30 p.m. – Arrive at Nesbitt and set up camp.
- 6:30 p.m. – Dinner provided by Pierce Street Deli at Nesbitt Park
- 7 p.m. – Dinner Presentation by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority’s Owen Worozbyt on the history of the Lackawanna Heritage Trail and the importance of connecting water trails and foot trails.
Friday, June 9th – Nesbitt Park (41.250975, -75.884735) to Hunlock Township Boat Launch (41.212057, -76.042414) – 10 miles
- Theme of the Day: Superhero
- 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Registration/check-in; Breakfast sandwiches from Kristi’s Country Kitchen
- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Drive participant vehicles to Hunlock Twp Launch (park behind drive-in movie theater) and shuttle back to launch
- 9 a.m. – Safety talk and get on the water
- 12:30 p.m. – Lunch provided by Shultz’s Delicatessen Deli at the Hanover PFBC Launch
- 6 p.m. – Dinner by Boob’s BBQ of Bloomsburg
- 8 p.m. – Evening movie at the drive-in
Saturday, June 10th- Hunlock Township Boat Launch (41.212057, -76.042414) to Five Mountain Outfitters (95 Main Street, Shickshinny, PA 18655) – 7 miles
- Theme of the Day: Sports Shirt
- 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Registration/check-in; Breakfast sandwiches from His & Her Coffee Shop
- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Drive participant vehicles to Five Mountain Outfitters and shuttle back to launch
- 9 a.m. – Safety talk and get on the water
- 12 p.m. – Lunch on a river island (brown bagged from His & Her Coffee Shop); Guest speaker Emily Baldauff of Trout Unlimited will talk about the Unassessed Waters Program in conjunction with the PA Fish & Boat Commission
- 1:30 p.m. – End the trip at Five Mountain Outfitters with an ice cream party and farewell