A section of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail is being rerouted this summer.

The East Richford Border Crossing along the border of Vermont and Quebec will be closed from May 15 to October 15, 2018 due to a bridge replacement project along the Missisquoi River. Anyone planning to paddle that section of river will need to seek an alternative route.

One alternative is an 8-mile portage option. Paddlers can head north on Route 139 to the border station (1.5 miles). From there, they can carry on toward Abercorn, Quebec. After roughly two-thirds of a mile, they should turn right on Rue Thibault South. After walking .8 miles, paddlers should turn right onto Rue des Eglises and follow that two miles to Rue Scenic. They should then turn right, go 2.2 miles before coming to an intersection where they should turn left onto Chemin de la Valle Missisquoi. They should then follow that half a mile and then at a break in the guardrail, walk across a field to the river.

Paddlers also have a shuttle option. The Quebec-based company Canoe and Co. will pick up paddlers at the border and take them to the river or their campsite, at a special rate of $30 per boat. Or they can take paddlers all the way to Lake Memphramagog for $50 per boat. Advanced reservations are required.