Saturday, Aug. 13 at 11 a.m.—WILDER— The National Park Service turns 100 in 2016, and the national parks in New Hampshire and Vermont are celebrating by inviting the public to explore their public lands and waters through “The Boots to Boats Adventure,” an imagined route connecting Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park (the only national park in Vermont) with the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site (the only national park in New Hampshire), via the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and the Connecticut River National Blueway. That’s over 20 miles of hiking and 20 miles of paddling. Participants are invited to join rangers and partners on guided trips along the route, or to chart their own path using the Boots to Boats Activity Guide.
The hallmark “Boats” event of the Centennial summer, “Boots to Boats River Splash!” will take place Aug. 13 , 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Kilowatt Park South in Wilder, Vt. This free event offers participants the chance to try out a kayak or stand-up paddle board with certified instructors, learn fly-casting or spin-casting, and explore water safety principles and ecosystem health with our exhibitors. Children ages 8 and up can participate on the water with an accompanying adult, while ages 14 and up can paddle solo with a parental waiver form. There will be land-based games and crafts for toddlers through teens. Bring a picnic lunch and join us on the Connecticut River!
Some of the day’s exhibitors include the Connecticut River Watershed Council; Hartford, Vt., Fire Department’s Swift River Rescue Team; Trout Unlimited; the Upper Valley Sierra Club, the Upper Valley Trails Alliance; and the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Boat Decontamination Unit.
Other guided “Boots to Boats” experiences this summer include yoga hikes with Inner Lift Yoga, Appalachian Trail section hikes with the Green Mountain Club, and family kayaking with Bold Paths Adventures.
“Boots to Boats” is supported by an Active Trails grant from the National Park Foundation. For more information visit nps.gov/mabi/boots-to-boats-adventures or call the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park at 802-457-3368 x222.
