Crab Apple Whitewater

Gotta say going into my trip I was not looking forward to it, white water rafting in 45 degree weather… But it was awesome, the rapids were a blast as our guide was cool as hell. The meal afterwords was on point, choose from grilled steak, chicken, fish or a veggie burger. I recommend the steak it was not bad at all. I would def like to come back and check this place out in warmer weather. My group stayed at the «red» house, it’s a 2 floor shack, plenty of sleeping arrangements but zero amenities, kitchen with no stove and one bathroom were pretty much the only down falls to the place.

Crab Apple Whitewater offers some awesome rafting for both the novice and those with some experience under their belt. We chose to stay three nights and spend a long weekend here. We rafted both the Kennebec River and the Dead River on a damn release weekend. Talk about fun! We had different guides for each trip, and both (Jason and Wade), were knowledgable and skillful. We had a marvelous time, and I give this vacation two ginormous thumbs up. We stayed in the «lodge», the rooms were small– but the beds were comfortable and the rooms were clean– very rustic. They also have a pub onsite, and the food was good. I enjoyed the salad bar! The drinks were good, and the prices reasonable. There was a heated pool and a hot tub, and one evening we spent relaxing in the hot tub after a day of rafting. They offer a BBQ after the rafting trip. Try the salmon. (There was steak, chicken, and veggie burgers too). This was a nice retreat to get away from the bustle. Nearby is Moxie Falls, a short hike and well worth the small effort– a very pretty 90 foot waterfall. There are other rafting companies nearby. One is quite commercial, and seemed to be decent on the river. I want to tell you there are other smaller companies– and boy, was I glad we chose Crab Apple– you should have seen some of what happened on the river with some of the other places– believe me, Crab Apple knows their business, and you will be glad you made the choice with this family run business that is friendly, welcoming, and savvy on the rafting trips.

What can I say– the 5 star reviews are correct. We went Saturday and I could not say 1 bad thing. I was nervous as it was my first time and I was bringing my 10 year old daughter. We had Rob as our guide and he was so good at explaining everything and keeping me at ease. After rafting we were all starving and the staff did not wait– they started the grill right away and gave us a nice bbq dinner. What a blast we all had. The ages in our party range from 10 to 70! Everyone wants to go back next summer. We found our annual family getaway!

I went white water rafting on the Fife section of the Deerfield River with my parents and kids and had a great family time. The whole trip was very well organized, reminded me of summer camp! Our guide, Alex, was really friendly and a pro and knows the local area, the flora and fauna very well. It was beautiful and a perfect way to spend a summer day.

My Husband and I returned to this site after 19 yrs with our 2 kids to show them rafting, and boy were we not let down. As our son is younger we did the row frame option, but hanging on is just as much work as rowing we thought afterwards. We had no issues with booking the trip. The day was perfect weather, but boy was the water cold! Our guide Rob was great, he’s personable and friendly, made the day great. Our kids were in shock how much fun rafting was, they were thrown all over the place and had a great time. It’s great to end the day by just walking across the street, lounging in the pool til our lunch is ready. We will be returning in the years to come as our kids get bigger and hope to tackle the Dead River some day.

We went rafting with our family and some friends to Crab Apple in August and had an absolutely fantastic time. The orientation program was entertaining, educational, and very efficient (when the kids are chomping at the bit to get on the water this is an important point!).
After a bus ride up to the start point, we were lucky enough to have Jason Adickes as a guide. He was very knowledgeable about the river and did a wonderful job organizing the boat and making the trip fun and safe. If you are planning a trip, be sure to request Jason (the other guides were great, too)!

The staff at the front desk weren’t too friendly and not very helpful. They didn’t know where to send me for a decent pasta or seafood dish when there ended up being 2 down the street from them. I don’t know if they were lying because it was their (competition) or they don’t get out much. Their hot tub could’ve been hotter. The outdoor pool was clean. It felt refreshing to me, but some ques. whether it was really heated. The room was also clean. It had 2 double beds, fridge, small porch with 2 chairs, and a jacuzzi tub. The guides were the best as far as the White water trip. I liked how friendly and knowledgeable they were. We had Luke he was awesome! I think $ 125. for rafting is a lot of money, but it’s just my opinion. Would I do it again, U betcha. The rapids were a blast! This was my first time doing it. There are tons of companies around so explore your options.

I had a blast!
We arrived the afternoon before rafting and were welcomed warmly at check in. We were given a key and directions to Deer Run.
Our king jacuzzi suite was ready for us to unpack and relax after the 6 hour drive.
This place does have outdated style when it comes to furniture (typical for up North) but everything was intact and nice and clean.
Just a heads up — it’s got a king bed, love seat, chair, end tables on each side and of course a jacuzzi tub — but no tv!
Granted, you don’t drive 6 hours north to watch tv and stay in your room — but it was strange to me… this city girl is used to watching the news before bed! Oh well!
After unpacking we took the front desks advice and drove over to Moxie Falls — they only have a small wooden sign that simply says, «Moxie Falls scenic area». You follow a well worn path and before you know it — you can hear the roar of the falls through the trees. We took our time at each look out area and thought it was well worth the .6 mile hike each way. The falls were gorgeous.
We headed back to the room, rinsed our sweaty selves off and put our suits on to go check out the pool /​hot tub area.
The pool is beautiful and large. The hot tub was smaller than expected but looked clean and inviting. We were skimming countless flying ants out of the pool — but it was an uphill battle. While skimming we were getting dive bombed! Finally we decided to just use the hot tub since, it wasn’t attracting nearly as many flying ants. Once in, It was very relaxing.
After the hot tub we showered then changed to go find dinner. We decided to try a place outside the camp (since we were going to be here a 2^nd night) and did within a 20 minute drive. After eating we came back expecting to hang at the bar and mingle.
Oddly enough, we were met with grim looks and told the bar was closing for the night. We had our 1 beer and left wondering why, with a full house in the camp — would the bar close at 9:30!??
Oh well, back to the room. We ended up just hanging in the room until we fell asleep. The bed was very comfortable and the extra set of pillows they provided made it even better.
The anticipation woke me up the minute my alarm sounded. We were at breakfast by 7:30. I had pancakes, fruit salad, sausage, orange juice and water. But they did also have scrambled eggs, a few cereal choices and coffee. When breakfast was done we did any last minute sun screen applications and filed into the downstairs meeting area.
After being fitted for vests and going over safety tips — we grabbed our paddles and helmets and were on the bus to the put in.
20 minutes later we were in the river following the direction of our kick ass guide Luke. He grew up here and has been coming back to run trips for over 25+ years. That knowledge definitely made us newbies feel better.
After the first set of rapids we pulled off to see the other boats come through — re entry into the rapids proved to be too much for the girl who didn’t lean towards the middle as instructed — yep, I was the first person to fly out if the raft and into the freezing (although refreshing) water of the Kennebec River!
What a rush! The river flows a lot faster than it looks from shore! Within a minute or two I was back at the raft being dragged back in by Luke and friends and then lying disheveled in the raft laughing hysterically !
The life vest — really is a lifesaver in this river — I can see why it’s such an important aspect of rafting. The helmet, while comforting — came off after that first spill out — it kept slipping down making it impossible to see. They are optional so I think next time I would skip wearing it.
We hit more rapids and had a blast trying to power through them, paddles in hand. Finally we stopped at a water fall for some rest and photo ops before finishing up.
The end of the trip was a leisurely float along the river that allowed us to really enjoy our surroundings. We spotted 3 bald eagles on the trip and were wowed by all the natural beauty we were surrounded by.
The best part was getting out of the water and only having to cross the street and we were back at base camp. We had time to shower and change before heading back to the main lodge.
We had a great day on the river and really enjoyed the post rafting cookout and slideshow.
The cookout consisted of a steak, chicken or salmon filet and lots of side options including fried rice with veggies, corn bread, potato salad, green bean salad, nachos and salsa and some rich blueberry cake for desert — they had lemonade or water or you could buy your beverage of choice from the on site bar /​restaurant — not bad at all.
This trip was everything you could want and more. Pack the bug spray and some sunblock and get on out to Maine and the Kennebec!!!
The people at Crab Apple have been doing these trips since 1983 and they do it extremely well!
If Maine seems like a hike — you can always check out their Massachusetts runs!

I went last year with friends and had an absolute blast! We’re going again in a few weeks and are so excited because we’re doing a super trip where we go down twice in the same day!
I can’t say enough good things about them… even a little rain that fell during our ride didn’t dampen the spirits or fun of our trip! Breakfast was a delicious buffet with something for everyone. The cookout after the rafting was awesome and plentiful. We enjoyed the outdoor hot tub while the food was on the grill, and had time for a nap and walk in the area. I stayed in the cabin and the accommodations were excellent. It’s a cozy cabin in the woods as we expected, and we found it to be very clean, comfortable and quiet. At night, we watched the Bruins in the lounge area, played a little pool and made friends with others who were enjoying their adventure too.
I was really nervous about doing this, but the guides made us feel very safe, going over the rules and procedures in a fun, friendly and informative manner beforehand. I have recommended Crabapple to all my friends, telling them that this is the ONLY company I’d go down the river with again!

Loved every minute! Well run operation. we stayed over and rooms were clean, comfortable and breakfast was great!

Had never been white water rafting and have to say I cannot wait to go again. Stayed in one of the suites in ledges. Good size room arrived very late so literally just slept. Very comfortable and clean room. A little outdated in décor but seriously who cares about that. The staff was so nice from beginning to end.
We had Joel as our river guide. All I can say is he was awesome!!! Great personality great stories knew the river and felt safe and had a blast! We went on a dam release day which was making me nervous and again just an all in all GREAT experience! BBQ after the ride was very good. I also love the fact that you literally finish your ride and walk across the street and your back at location. If I had to get on a bus to go back when done rafting might have been a little uncomfortable, but not at crabapple you finish right at property. A major plus. I would recommend crabapple and recommend rafting if you have never done it. After go to moxie falls for another beautiful scene which was recommended by another guide Rob and his father when we were heading to the river. So glad they recommended and enjoyed all the info and knowledge of area they pointed out.
Crabapple rocks

From the moment we got there, the staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. There were 10 people in our group and we were a handful. We cooked just outside of the river view cottage on some grills, had dinner out there both evenings we were on property. The breakfast they include is pretty complete and freshly made. the lunch provided on rafting day was a nice end to a very exciting morning. The Guides/​bartenders/​cooks were awesome Thanks to Moe, Holly, Chip, Jason and the rest of the gang that made this trip a memorable one

The chill water did not affect the fun at all! Great family fun.

Great outfitter to go with when white water rafting!
My husband, friend, and I went out rafting one weekend and stayed 2 nights at their lodging on site. Lodging was nice considering we were in the middle of no-​where … population 30 (!!!). We had a hot tub in the bedroom, which is super nice after a long day of fun rafting!
There is a heated swimming pool and hot tub outside, but watch out for the bugs!!! Black flies!!! It was the attack of the black flies on my head! … never had an encounter with them, and I highly recommend using some serious bug spray to avoid any massive feeding on you!
Morning breakfast is great … included in the lodging fee and it was a nice hot breakfast (eggs, sausage, fresh fruit, pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, etc).
They have a small restaurant bar as well, and we watched the Bruins the night we checked in :) even though we lost that game!
Our friend asked for where the nightlife is in the area … *major eyebrow lifting* by all of us … I mean, really??? population 30 and looking for nightlife? hahhaha … although we did go down the street to Marshalls where we saw a 1 toothless waitress, and a husky mix dog running around in and out of the bar … which I didn’t mind, but interesting! We had the rib dinner that night.
Anyways, The Forks is the sticks, where there is no cell reception … wirless available in the lobby area only, and I connected via my phone. Not bad! They have a bunch of board games and lounging area to hang out late night and during the day.
… And the main thing … the white water rafting trip! Amazing, but I want to go back for more action packed rapids! We went when they had a 3500 cfs release … I want to go when it’s 15 000 cfs! :) The raft trip was even better with our great and fearless raft «leader» WADE (water boy!). He is amazing … worked at the outfitter for 10 – 12 years and knows the ins and outs of the rivers around (Kennebec, Dead) … grew up in the area … very professional … and great to converse with!
Small tidbit … cancellation here is like 60 days (?) about. I booked the trip last minute, and one guy backed out since it was «not [his] cup of tea» and since it was going to be «crappy» out. HA! really?! I had to eat the fee … but I tried to get creative with them by asking if I can use it towards merchandise or tips, and no! boooo, but I wish and hope that the 122 extra paid for just the rafting trip alone went towards Wade as a bonus tip!
Otherwise, we drove up towards Jackman to go moose searching, and we had 2 sightings! That made my trip complete!
Thanks Crab Apple! and we are sure to come back with some more of the wild rapids!!! And special thanks to Wade for making the trip very enjoyable! :)

I am a firm believer in customer service and that working with the customer is going to bring you loyalty. I thought the rafting with Crab Apple was really good BUT I found them to be very inflexible. If you were happy to do things 100% their way, everything is great. If you have any special needs, you’re probably going to set yourself up for some disappointment.
My son is a very picky eater. I expressed that concern when I was booking the reservations. There was a single item on the menu that we thought my son would eat, he tried it the first night and didn’t like it. The second night I asked if they could do me a favor because of this problem and make a breakfast item for him that he had eaten for breakfast both days, the answer was a simple NO and my son was left to survive solely on his breakfast from 10 hours earlier. No attempt to assist me, especially since there is nothing around.
On our last day there, I was unfortunately asked by my boss to join two very important conference calls with a major client. These would run from 8:30 until 10:00 AM. The second one would end at checkout time. I asked for a little lattitude on checkout time so I could wake my son up and get him out of the room. Again a resounding NO. They claimed that they send a crew of cleaning people out to clean all of their units at exactly 10AM and I would cause them a major problem if they allowed me an extra 15 to 20 minutes. Fortunately my call ended early, I was out by 10 and got to watch what happened. They had a single cleaning person who had our unit and 2 others to do within that section at 10AM. By 10:30 he still had not gotten near ours. Did I mention it was both the owner and her daughter in law that refused my request?
Good rafting, yes! Good customer service, well let me just say it certainly wasn’t what I expect when I’m in New England, or anywhere else for that fact!

This was my first rafting experience and I had an absolute blast! The crew is really great and friendly… especially Matt our wonderful guide on the Kennebec river! I didn’t fall out at all! :) It’s a beautiful area in ME. Check it out yo!