bethel outdoor adventure

Family fun ALL NATURAL. Maine is about the outdoors..Maine is also about the finest gem and mineral hunting..introduce your family to an hour of unplugged real gem hunting at the SLUICE.. its just fun and rewarding looking through local mining tailing and coming out with a cup of real gems.They also can get you on a great section of the Androscrogin River ..float or paddle. Scenic views of Mt.Washington and great fly fishing for rainbows and browns.

kids loved this, call to check hours, get a large bucket, staff are very knowledgeable. We found some great gems and learned a great deal about geology.

We are a family of 11 - Dad, Mom and 9 children ages 15, 14, 14, 12, 12, 9, 9, 7 and 4...Finding outdoor adventures that appeal equally to all family members is not always an easy task...This past week we spent a fantastic afternoon on the Androscoggin River courtesy of the great service, top notch equipment and gracious hospitality of the good folks at Bethel Outdoor Adventure...A 10 mile trip from Gilead to Bethel complete with island stops, stunning scenery and photo worthy interaction with wildlife on the river made this an afternoon to long remember...We highly recommend this activity as a first class way to spend a day (or part of one) when spending time in or around Oxford County, Maine...This is also well worth the trip to Bethel for visitors to the nearby White Mountain region of NH...We will definitely be back in the future for an even longer trek down this beautiful river and look forward to seeing our wonderful hosts, Jeff and Patty Parsons at Bethel Outdoor Adventures when we return...Next time we will bring our fishing poles... :)

We visited without a reservation to go kayaking. There were not four slots of the ride in the van to go up-river and paddle down but the great staff offered another option. We were able to take two kayaks and launch them from the site and take a trip downriver. The staff provided a map and gave us options to pull out and scheduled transportation back to the launch site. The kayaks are very basic so you do need a bit of skill or experience as there are no rudders or pedals. There also are no bungee straps to put water bottles, shoes or a hatch for belongings. We really enjoyed our time on the river and the very hospitable staff.

This was the first place I ever kayaked, and it was a blast. You can stop on one of the many islands along the way, take a break and have lunch. Excellent views of surrounding mountains. Great for beginners!

We just got back from another week in Bethel, ME and decided to drop by the Bethel Outdoor Adventure to see what was happening. We were greeted by the owners and they remembered us from 2 years ago! We caught up on our lives real quick and they proceeded to tell us about the adventures we can go on. At their suggestion, we chose to kayak the 10 miles on the river. We got a great river briefing by Noel (who is also an amazing painter) and he drove us up river and helped us launch our kayaks. We chose individual kayaks and our boys (12 and 10) loved paddling at their pace. We saw 3 bald eagles, osprey on a fish near the bank, kingfishers, and ducks. Upon our return, Patty and Jeff, the owners, were really keen to find out how our trip went and what we saw. This family-run business is a must-stop when in Bethel. They are wonderful people with all sorts of helpful tips and recommendations. A trip to Sunday River/Bethel would not be complete without going into Bethel Outdoor Adventure.

4 years ago we kayaked with our kids, then aged 7 and 9. River was easy to negotiate and scenery beautiful! This time around went tubing with them (now 11 and 14) and took the grandparents in their 70s. Stopped off twice on little islands. Had floating cooler too for drinks. Really pleasant afternoon.Staff are very friendly and accommodating. Can buy snacks and drinks etc on site. Showers available if needed.Will always visit in summer as you know you will have a great time!!

I went with my family; two of us are in our 20s and my parents are in their 50s. It's been pouring for the past few days, so the river was faster than usual and we barely had to paddle. Our 2 hr tour finished early but we were on our own so you can stop and swim or land and take a break. The river is pretty lazy so you have tons of opportunity to take pictures if you wish. The staff is friendly and was very flexible on scheduling.

I have used Bethel Outdoor Adventure numerous times for kayak and tubing trips on the Androsscoggin River with my kids, with friends and with my girlfriend. The owners, Jeff and Patty, are very nice and accommodating. I plan to use them for my future river trips when I am in the Bethel area.

While my daughter and I are rockhounds and love to visit mines for gems and rocks, while driving through Bethel we didn't have the time or clothes/equipment to do it on this trip. The next best thing was stopping here to sluice a bucket of tailings from a local mine. Ron (I hope I have his name right) was a great host showing us the sluicing ropes as well as interacting with us the entire time. He really knew his local mines and rocks and could tell us what mine he thought every rock we found was from. We found a lot of stuff including tourmaline in 3 colors, amethyst and quartz crystal ranging from small rocks to one the size of the palm of your hand.

The owners are terrific. The briefing was short and simple. Made you feel like they were being helpful and not giving a lecture. All in all a great day on the river. Saw an Eagle, an Osprey and several ducks.

We rented a 2 person kayak form this company and could not have had a more pleasurable experience. From the moment we arrived until we drove off their property they made everything easy and enjoyable. The equipment was top notch as well as the way they treat their guests. We had a wonderful talk with patty Patterson who is one of the owners. They drop you off up river and you kayak back down to them. The Androscoggin river was beautiful!! Clear water and beautiful scenery for the entire ride. Stay to the left of the little islands as you go down the river to avoid highway noise. In fact once we figured that out, we heard nothing much but beautiful silence. Had a nice lunch on a sandy beach.... A perfect afternoon.

We rented kayaks for an 18 mile trip down the Androscoggin River (there are shorter trips)and we had a blast! Upon arrival we were greeted by very friendly and helpful staff. On the river you will have the ability to see many great views and wildlife. There are river otter, moose, bear, Bald Eagles, Gold Eagles, and snapping turtles to be seen. We only saw sign if the moose and river otter but saw many eagle and snapping turtles. Be prepared to spend the day out there. It is definitely well worth the cost. The other awesome thing is that there is no time limit!! I highly recommend this!!

I've booked two kayak trips with these folks and have had a great time. Both times we used a kayak. The trip down the river is wonderful and changes with the seasons. We are lucky enough to live on the river so we are able to paddle from the house but when we want the full adventure or have a group of friends with us we have Bethel Outdoor Adventure host the trip.Depending on the time of year and the river flow the trip can be exciting or leisurely. I don't think there has been a trip where we didn't see at least one bald eagle, usually several. Moose sightings are a little more rare on mid-day trips but frequent on early morning or late afternoon paddles. The 8 mile stretch can be covered in two hours by experienced paddlers maintaining a steady pace. Take your time, stop for a picnic on the many islands and you can spend 4 to 6 hours or more. With all the islands and side currents you can paddle the river several times and not see the same scenery. There are very few times when you will see evidence of human activity. Just a few houses and the occasional glimpse of a hillside road.I'd describe this section of the river as a series of ponds connected by sections of faster water. There are a few sections that might challenge a novice paddler at high water but for most of the year it is a family friendly trip.

We booked ahead and went on the Bumpus mine tour. Our guide (Seabury) was so knowledgeable and made the tour fantastic. Our boys (13 and 11) also loved going back to the Outdoor Adventure sluice to sift through the buckets of materials. They would have been happy to spend the whole day there! Thanks for making the last stop on our trip a fantastic one.