Saco River

Sandy beaches and easy current below the White Mountains.

Below North Conway the Saco is a gentle, sandy river with plenty of beaches for swimming and lunch stops, which makes the run toward Fryeburg, Maine, one of New England’s favorite family paddles. Outfitters in Center Conway and Fryeburg shuttle you upstream and let you float back, from a three-mile hour to a full day or an overnight with riverside camping. Summer weekends are busy; midweek is calmer and cheaper.

At a glance

Water

Calm, easy current; good for first-timers

Short trip

3 miles, 1–2 hr (Saco Bound to Weston’s Bridge)

Classic day

7 miles, 2–4 hr (to Swans Falls)

Long day

10.2 miles, 5–6 hr (to The Landing campground)

Gauge

USGS Saco River near Conway

Good for

Beginner, Intermediate

What’s here

• Flatwater
• Multi-day trips
• Paddle-in camping
• Boat rentals
• Paddleboarding
• Swimming

Rentals, guides and shops

• Saco Bound

  Riverside base in Center Conway since 1972, with canoe, kayak, SUP and tube rentals, shuttles, multi-day camping rentals and private put-ins for your own boat.

• Saco River Canoe & Kayak

  Fryeburg, Maine, outfitter beside the Swans Falls access with canoe, kayak and tube rentals and shuttles.

Where to stay

• cabinSaco River Family Camping

  Riverfront campground in North Conway with tent and RV sites, cedar cabins and glamping wagons.

  5 min drive
• hotelBirchmont Resort

  North Conway rooms and townhouses attached to the Kahuna Laguna indoor water park.

  10 min drive

Nearby

• Echo Lake State Park · 5 min drive

  Swimming lake below White Horse Ledge, plus the road up Cathedral Ledge for the view.

• Conway Scenic Railroad · 5 min drive

  Vintage train rides from the historic North Conway station.

• Moat Mountain Smokehouse & Brewing Co. · 5 min drive

  North Conway brewpub known for house beers and smokehouse food.

Getting there

• Portland International Jetport (PWM) · about 1 hr 15 min drive
• Portland, ME · about 1.25 hr
• Boston · about 2.75 hr

Directions in Google Maps