Androscoggin River

The Androscoggin River runs through New Hampshire and Maine. It begins in Errol, New Hampshire, where the Magalloway River joins the outlet of Umbagog Lake. From there it flows generally south, with many bends, past Errol, Milan and the city of Berlin. At Gorham it turns east, cuts across the northern end of the White Mountains and enters Maine. It joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay after a course of about 178 miles. About 50 miles of the river lie in New Hampshire. The river drops an average of eight feet per mile, and that water power helped Berlin grow. Paper mills and other industry once polluted it heavily. A USGS stream gauge sits below the dam at Errol, where the river drains 1,046 square miles.

The Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge lists two Androscoggin launches near Errol: the Steamer Diamond launch, north of the Errol Dam on Route 16, and a state boat launch reached from North Mountain Pond Road. Mollidgewock State Park lies on the river within the Thirteen Mile Woods Scenic Area, three miles south of Errol. It rents canoes and kayaks and has canoe-to campsites along the river. Other access points include Nansen Wayside, Lead Mine State Forest, Horne Field, Rotary Park and the Shelburne Canoe Launch. In summer, the Androscoggin River Committee runs a River Runner Steward who does outreach at popular access points between Errol and Milan.

Only fly fishing is allowed from the Errol dam to the markers at the Bragg Bay dead water. Near Errol, the upper river holds brook, rainbow and brown trout and landlocked salmon.