Paddling

Paddling is my favorite activity – whether in a canoe, kayak, whitewater raft, or otherwise. Here are the memorable places that I’ve paddled, starting in my home state of Michigan, then farther out:

McLaren Lake, Manistee National Forest
Loons on McLaren Lake, Manistee National Forest
McLaren Lake, Manistee National Forest
Swans on McLaren Lake, Manistee National Forest

1. Canoed and kayaked McLaren Lake and the White River in Manistee National Forest, Michigan


Grand River, Ingham County, Michigan
Great Blue Heron, Grand River, Ingham County, Michigan

2. Canoed the Grand River along Riverbend and Burchfield Ingham County Parks, Michigan


Platte River opening to Loon Lake, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Platte River opening to Loon Lake, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

3. Canoed Platte River and Loon Lake at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan


4. Canoed the Looking Glass River north of Lansing, Michigan


New Buffalo City Beach
Galien River and Lake Michigan in New Buffalo

5. Kayaked the Galien River and Lake Michigan in New Buffalo, Michigan Riviera, Michigan


Manistee River
Manistee River, near CCC Bridge State Forest Campground, Kalkaska County

6. Canoed the Manistee River near CCC Bridge State Forest Campground in Kalkaska County, Michigan


Miners Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Miners Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

7. Kayaked along Miners Castle at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan


8. Canoed the Shiawassee River from Walnut Hills Campground to Geeck Road Shiawassee County Park, Michigan


Red Mountain Mining District, San Juan Mountains, Ouray County, along U.S. Route 550 (the Million Dollar Highway)
Red Mountain Mining District, San Juan Mountains, Ouray County, along U.S. Route 550 (the Million Dollar Highway)

9. Whitewater rafted the Animas River, Durango, San Juan National Forest, Colorado


Fundy National Park
Fundy National Park

10. Kayaked the Bay of Fundy, Fundy National Park, New Brunswick, Canada


Cumberland Falls, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Kentucky

11. Whitewater rafted on the Big South Fork Cumberland River, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Tennessee into Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky


Katahdin Lake, Baxter State Park
Katahdin Lake, Baxter State Park

12. Canoed Katahdin Lake, Baxter State Park, Maine


Southwest Harbor, Maine
Acadia National Park, Southwest Harbor, Maine

13. Rowed Southwest Harbor, Acadia National Park, Maine

Porcupine Islands, Mount Desert Narrows, Acadia National Park
Porcupine Islands, Mount Desert Narrows, Acadia National Park

14. Kayaked Mount Desert Narrows, Acadia National Park, Maine


Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park
Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park

15. Canoed Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park, South Dakota


Green River, Dinosaur National Monument
Green River, Dinosaur National Monument

16. Whitewater rafted Green River, Dinosaur National Monument, Utah


Yellowstone Lake and the West Thumb Geyser Basin
Yellowstone Lake and the West Thumb Geyser Basin

17. Kayaked from Grant to West Thumb Geyser Basin on Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming


Devil's Lake State Park
Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin

18. Canoed Devil’s Lake, Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin