My family of four sons and a husband planned to vacation together when one son had to be on the east coast for lacrosse camps. I had my doubts as how to keep 5 boys happy, but then I stumbled upon Crab Apple Whitewater Rafting! Our family had only been rafting once in Northern California so we were inexperienced to say the least. Plus, a few of us jump out of ride lines at amusement parks soooo... Our paintball guide was Alex and he was perfect for my group of competitive one-uppers. He was patient, kind, and had a funny, commanding personality. My teenage sons needed a big, strong guy to lead them. It was so fun! even for a 46-year old mom. There were two locations to play on and they also had cold water for us and some bug spray to top off with. We enjoyed the ride out there with Chuck, the patriarch/owner. Restaurant food was great! No complaints from the kids-- burgers, pizza, nuggets, salad and specials. Next day was rafting. the head guide exuded confidence and therefore calmed us all. He had about 30 years experience. I felt very safe. Our guide was Alex again. He was fantastic! Calming the fears of my 11-year old and talking us through the class IVs. He also let each boy try their hand at steering, teaching them with encouragement. No egos here at Crab Apple. Just humble good people. After we had a fun and delicious bbq prepared by the guides. Just a real good vibe! I also want to mention Dawn, who packed an enormous to-go bag with breakfast items when she learned we were leaving at 5am to catch a plane in Boston. Talk about going above and beyond! I highly recommend Crab Apple for individuals and families alike. Five Stars to Chuck and his classy, hardworking family. read more

Crab Apple Whitewater - On the Kennebec! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - West Forks, Maine

My wife and I stayed one night and rafted with Crab Apple. It was an absolutely fantastic experience. The entire team was professional, kind and hospitable every step of the way. Safety was paramount. Loved the format as well - raft, eat, relax! Loved the photos and video! We are trying to figure out how and when to get back to take our kids along for the ride! Would highly recommend them to anyone wanting an exceptional experience on and off the river in Maine. read more

Where is the 10-star rating option? I love this place. The staff is always very friendly, helpful, informative, and super safety minded. I went rafting with them 4 years ago as a first time rafter and was not at all disappointed. They amazed me and I knew I had to come back to raft again and with their steller crew. They start with a welcome and safety briefing about how to paddle, what to do if the raft flips, what to do if you fall out, and what to do if the guide falls out. After everyone has signed releases, everyone gears up with helmets (optional but I always use it), life vests (mandatory), and paddle and boards the bus. After a 25 minute ride to the dam, everyone gets in their groups and the guides go through many of the same safety information parts again and point out things on the raft. Then everyone picks up the raft and brings it to the slide to carry/slide it down to the bottom of the gorge. You hop in, wait for all the other rafts to get into position, and off you go! Many rapids and a waterfall stop for snacks makes for a great trip. Afterward you finish the trip, the exit off the river is right across the road from the facility. Again everyone grabs and hoists the raft up and puts it on the trailer. A fantastic lunch will fill you up after a long morning of rafting 12 miles on the Kennebec River (I highly recommend this tour for people looking for adventure). Steak, chicken, salmon, or veggie burger is offered for the main dish, and chips and salsa, cornbread, beans, potato salad, and lemonade/water/ fruit punch and a blueberry bread for dessert. After the lunch is complete, a review of pictures and the videos from everyone's trips down some of the bigger rapids, the swimmer's rapids, and before and after trip shenanigans. Expect to see all kinds of wildlife - eagles, osprey, turtles, coons, deer, and lots of bugs (horseflies are bad and big, bring the bug spray and the sunscreen). Can't wait to do it again! read more

Our family of five recently returned from a New England summer vacation. Because our youngest child is too young to raft the Class III and IV rapids, we were looking for a company/rafting experience that could accommodate us. CrabApple exceeded our expectations 110%. We enjoyed the 1/2-day family rafting on the Kennebec River (Class 1 and II rapids). Our raft guide was Courtney. She was amazing! She was patient, knowledgeable and so kind. She swam in the river with my children, answered all their questions about the equipment, rafting, etc. and ensured that we were all well taken care of. She even gave them water guns to play with and happily allowed them to spray her with water throughout the trip. We also stayed at a CrabApple cottage for 1 night. While I was nervous and skeptical about staying in a cottage, again my expectations were far exceeded. The cabin was very, very clean and well-maintained. There were fresh linens, plenty of towels, toiletries, etc. The swimming pool in the main building (which my kids used when we returned) was well-maintained and very nice. The following morning we were treated to breakfast in the main building. The food was delicious and the staff was so pleasant. We had the opportunity to meet Chuck, Rob, Carrie and Conner as well. They are the nicest, most pleasant family. We look forward to returning to raft and stay at CrabApple again in the future. Highly recommend! read more

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 2nd 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! read more

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The Crabapple experience is well done start to finish! This year was the second year we took our scout troop. No regrets whatsoever! Frank and his guides did a great job keeping us safe and entertained while we cruised down the West River in VT. The "ground" crew are also great! Super nice and fed us an awesome (and healthy) lunch! We plan to return next spring. I might look into a fall trip it was so much fun! Scoutmaster Swayze read more

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 15000 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! :) read more

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)! read more

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! read more

Crab Apple Whitewater - The after raft swim :) - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - West Forks, Maine

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! read more

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! read more

Came here to go white water rafting for the first time and I couldn't have chose a better place! This place is great. The whole staff is friendly from the front desk to bar service to the river guides. The food was tasty for pub food. Knowledgable guides in the rafts was very reassuring. The rooms weren't anything special but they were clean, comfortable with a rustic cabin feel so maybe they were special. The only draw back on the rooms was lack of outlets, 3 total including the bathrooms one. The water pressure was very good as well. I will be returning and I will be staying here. Plus PLUS it's family run!! That in itself is great!' read more

Crab Apple Whitewater - View from room - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - West Forks, Maine

We just completed a weekend-long bachelor party, hosted by Crab Apple. By the end of the weekend, we couldn't have been happier with the way things worked out. We had booked the entire "Shanty" house for our crew. The Shanty house isn't much to look at, but it perfectly suited our needs. Bunk beds in each room, sleeping for 6. The furniture was dated, the kitchen meagerly appointed - but we didn't plan on spending much more time there than late nights drinking and carousing. The house was spaced away from the main complex so we could be a little rowdy. One bathroom only was a bit problematic, but we made it work. After a late arrival on Friday, we woke early for a hot breakfast Saturday morning. The breakfast was good enough - scrambled eggs, continental, sausage, pancakes, etc. It gave us more than enough "go" for a morning of rafting. We ran the Kennebec portion of the river. I'ts of moderate difficulty and the safety briefing really was comprehensive. We had an absolute blast. In both boats, we had fantastic guides who worked hard to make sure we hit every rapid right. The guides really knew the river and were a key to the outfit's success (the guides also cook, clean, host, bartend, etc.). The post-rafting lunch was good (steak and carbs). After lunch, the customers all joined the lead guides in the original meeting room and looked through the photos and videos taken by the outfitter. This was perhaps my one complaint in the cycle : the photos were VERY expensive, as was the video (25 bucks for a digital copy of ONE photo, 75 bucks for all digitals for ONE boat). I highly recommend a GoPro or other camera to take your own photos as you go along if you really want the memorabilia. In the afternoon, we ran the paintball course. The course both provided good cover, were pretty tightly spaced, and were close to the "resort". We had a total blast and the owner actually drove the bus and refereed the event. He generously shared extra paint with the teams and chauffered us back and forth. After fun in the pool and jacuzzi, we had dinner in the bar that night - which was more than acceptable. The drinks were pretty cheap and strong and all the guides hung out in the afternoon. It was fun to socialize. The bar up the street (Marshalls) was perfect for later night antics. Overall, we loved our trip and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a similar weekend. read more

Incredible, amazing, fantastic - Crab Apple Whitewater went far beyond my expectations. The highlights were the rapids, of course, exactly what we hoped for when going on our first rafting trip - I never thought I'd have so much fun getting drenched in blast after blast of waves. The river was made better, so much better, by the AWESOME guides - WOW. I've been on tons of different trips all over the world and our guide was really just the best combination of funny, helpful, interesting, and skillful. I can't express how much difference that makes. All in all, this is the only outfit I would recommend to anyone interested in Whitewater rafting. read more

Went rafting and paint-balling on a bachelor party and an awesome time. Rapids on the river were such a blast and our guide Mo was super fun and professional. We all had a great time! Paint balling was also a blast, courses were well laid out, especially the town like capture the flag. Staff was all very friendly and warm. read more

Saturday 27 August 2011 - I had been looking forward to a white water adventure in MA. However, Hurricane Irene had other plans for my family, and others in my seaside community. Amongst our group: a minister, who rearranged a funeral due to the hurricane; a police chief and his family - the chief, as you can imagine, has a community to serve as the hurricane bears down, and could not leave his post; family business owners, whose entire family and some neighbors pitched in to protect the business assets from potential destruction. Despite all of this, Crab Apple Whitewater has been inflexible in either rescheduling, or refunding the prepaid trip. I find this offensive. "Buyer Be Ware!" read more

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! read more

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. read more

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 read more

My family has been here 2 or 3 times before so we knew what to expect but we brought a gringo with us this time. He had a blast especially since we made him sit in front for the first part of the trip. Our guide Dave managed to get us through some pretty rough water without losing anyone. Due to his quick reflexes I was saved from swimming the rapids. He always let us know what to expect so we could be a little prepared (as much as you can be in Class IV rapids). The guide who gave us our bus instruction was hilarious. He could very easily get a job as a stand up comedian. He set the tone for the experience perfectly. read more

Amazing.. been rafting with crabapple with my children and now my grandchildren. The team and owners at crabapple are amazing. Friendly knowledgeable and fun! This is now an annual trip for our group. Several choices of rafting trips so we can accommodate and grow with the skill level of our family thanks for helping 4 generations share some pretty awesome memories. Highly recommended by all our family read more

My friends and I were on vacation when we made a reservation here. They told us they were about an hour and a half away - not a big deal. When we then mapped the route to get there - turns out they were 5 hours away! Now people make mistakes, sure, but when we called for a refund, they denied it. Additionally when we contested the charge with our bank, this place lied to the bank that we had cancelled because it was raining. Summary: Lying, stealing, unfriendly. Beware!! read more

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 decor 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 read more

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

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. read more

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. read more

Crab Apple Whitewater - Moxie Falls above the Waterfall - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - West Forks, Maine

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Hopefully the staff had a chance to relax over the winter so they will be a little friendlier and accommodating to their customers this spring. Heads up to potential rafters...cancelation policy is very strict. Do not expect any understanding of life's unexpected events like a death in the family. read more

I've been whitewater rafting with Crab Apple twice. I absolutely love them! The second time I went we got caught in construction and were late. We held up the whole group 20 mins. I am always early for everything so I was freaking out a bit upon arrive. The guide took me by the arm and said "Relax you are here now, breathe". They could have very easily left without me but they didnt nor were they upset with me. The lunch on the river was delicious. I also had a cake for my daughter as it was her 16th B-Day they brought it out to her and sang Happy Birthday. I dont think I'll ever try another rafting company I love this one soo much :) A+ read more

This is a great outfit and it's run by friendly and helpful staff. And the facilities are great, unless you're camping. The site is an open space with a couple porto potties at the end of a _very_ bumpy, rock strewn road. It gave me a flat in fact, which is how I know the staff is friendly and helpful. After much screwing around with AAA and whatnot, they came to the rescue with a compressor. And as the other reviewers noted, this place is _desolate_. The local gas station doesn't have a compressor, and they were out of gas as well, and the nearest gas station was 30 miles away. If you think you can just buy what you've forgotten you could be in for some serious dissapointment. I did not actually get on the raft. Being Maine and all I had to fix the tire on Saturday figuring the state shuts down on Sunday. (It doesn't, but I wasn't going to risk it sitting in a town with no gas or air.) And they are pretty firm about no refunds, once the check is cashed, the money belongs to them. Just accept it. My son did ride the raft and had a blast, and he's done this a few times so he's got some prespective. If you're worried about the water being cold, they have wetsuits for rent, $20 including booties. If not for the flat tire and the lack of services, this place would get 5 stars. The staff is great and the river is fun. read more

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

My family had a wonderful experience at Crab Apple. The rafting is so much fun. The river is beautiful and the rapids were exciting but not terrifying. The guides were super confident and knowledgeable and we felt very safe. Three generations of this family operation were involved with our experience and you can tell they love what they do. The accommodations are simple, clean, and comfortable. At Crab Apple "cozy" and "rustic" are descriptive compliments, not euphemisms. There is Wi-Fi in the main building, but no cell service or tv in the cabins, so be prepared to unplug. (I count that as a positive feature.) We enjoyed the breakfast and lunch provided as part of the rafting experience. We also ate dinner in the restaurant. All the food was simple and good. We especially enjoyed the cheesy bread sticks and nachos. The river guides double as cooks, servers, etc., and it was fun to see them throughout the day. That can also mean that service at the restaurant is a bit relaxed and unconventional. That didn't bother me, but I could see reviewers complaining. But just ask yourself if you'd rather have a really competent river guide who is a less than enthusiastic waitress or a really great waitress who doesn't know about water safety? I would recommend the experience to anyone. read more

Came here for the first time service was excellent. They were all so nice and friendly. Our guide Steve could not do enough for us. The food the room were excellent Can not wait to come back. Great family run business. read more

I have done a couple of trips with this outfitter for rafting and the guides they have are heads and shoulders above the other outfitters. They are all seasoned guides, very professional and a lot of fun. Many of the other outfitters have better lodging, facilities, etc-but in the end-we all go for the rafting and Crab Apple Guides are the best. I just wish they would invest in their facilities to have a better restaurant, bar and other things to do-save us the drive down the road to eat and drink. Regardless, I would actually rafting with this group-you will have fun and be safe! read more

Don't bother rafting with any other companies on the Kennebec and Dead Rivers. Crabapple is above the rest. They are beyond professional, safe, committed, and courteous. The entire staff at Crabapple is dedicated and serious about providing the best experience for their clients. We've rafted with Crabapple for over 15 years and consider Chuck, Sharyn and everyone one at the lodge our family. I couldn't be more emphatic and enthusiastic about my praise for Crabapple Whitewater!!! Do yourselves a favor and look no further than 3 Lake Moxie Road in The Forks, Maine! read more

This was a great adventure. The staff is top notch (you rock Holly!), safe, professional, and knowledgable. They know how to make this a memorable trip. I highly recommend Crab Apple to anyone looking to whitewater raft in Maine. read more

The place was very nice but Mrs. Crabapple got on my nerves when she said we couldn't play paintball in a very rude, disrespectful way and made me very sad!!! #firemrs.crabapple then the place will be 100% percent. And take a hint all the busses had keys in them u dumbo I could have taken a midnight whip to get some ice cold ice cream but i think Mrs. Crabapple would have gotten a little upset and called the popo and I would have had to explain to my mommy what happen and it would have been all ur fault for intimidating me! Peace out yo! read more

Went whitewater rafting on July 23, 2012 with Crab Apple on the Kennebec river. The river was fantastic. The weather was perfect along with our guide Jason. The Crab Apple experience was tremendous and I will be surely coming back to Crab Apple to do it again. Thanks for a perfect day. read more

My best friend and I took our boys rafting in Deerfield, MA this past Saturday and had the time of our lives!! From initial check in to the final viewing of the photos we laughed and enjoyed every minute. The staff at Crabapple was extremely friendly, funny, knowledgeable and accommodating! The initial safety instruction was very thorough and informative, yet relaxed and humorous! Our guide, "Money", was top notch! His skill and confidence on the river was comforting, yet his great personality and sense of humor added to our fun experience. I must also compliment Crabapple for being environmentally friendly, no disposable plates or cups, they wash and reuse! I found the base to be very clean and was thrilled to see that the helmets and water shoes were properly cleaned as they are turned in. The lunch was yummy and the slide show was a great way to end such a splendid day! Thank you Crabapple, can't wait to see you again next year!! read more

Terrible rescheduling policy. Called to ask to reschedule a trip 1+ month ahead. The owner said that this is like buying a red sox ticket, once sold: no refund, and no rescheduling. I asked if it is possible to be used by a different person in the group for the next day if there is empty space. The answer is NO, even if there is empty space available. Buyer's be aware! read more

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. read more