You want to get out on the water, preferably for a few days at least. Scenery, wildlife, and solitude are on your checklist. Here, in no specific order, is where to go in the National Park System.
Exploring Yellowstone by canoe or kayak opens up a whole 'nother side to the park/Kurt Repanshek
1. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Yellowstone Lake, covering 136 square miles, has three arms'Flat Mountain, South, and Southeast. All get you far from the front country and the bison jams on the Grand Loop Road. All offer wilderness settings roamed by bears, moose and, occasionally, wolves. From the put-in at Grant Village, you can reach Flat Mountain Arm in about a half-day and spend the rest of your trip exploring that arm. Or you can overnight at Flat Mountain, and the next morning head deeper into the South Arm. While Peale Island looks like an inviting destination, it's the base for a ranger cabin and not open to camping. There are some nice sites on either side of the arm, though, one near Chipmunk Creek on the eastern shore, and another on the western shore at Southwest Bay. Camp near Chipmunk Creek and you can hike across The Promontory for a view of the Southeast Arm.
Option: Explore Shoshone Lake.
The choices for paddling in Voyageurs National Park are many, with campsites such as this one at Namakan Island/NPS
2. Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
Located in northern Minnesota, with the Canadian border across the water, this park can take an effort to reach, particularly if you want to paddle your own boat. But once here, you've got a nice collection of lakes to paddle: Kabetogama, Namakan, Sand Point, and the big one, Rainy. There are many smaller lakes, too, some that you can piece together with some portaging to really get away from others and experience the wilderness as the couriers de bois did 300 years ago.
The watery side of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area/NPS-E. Upchurch
3. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah
Sure, the desert setting in southern Utah doesn't immediately conjure visions of watery adventures. But head out onto Lake Powell from either Hite or Hole in the Rock and you'll be able to leave the main reservoir behind and work your way up into one of the tributaries for a nice mix of paddling and red-rock. From Hole-in-the-Rock you can head up the Escalante River and explore some of its side canyons, while from Hite you can dart into the Dirty Devil River or head into White Canyon to set up camp.
Ross Lake is a prime destination for paddlers at North Cascades National Park/NPS
4. North Cascades National Park, Washington
Most travelers to North Cascades National Park are captivated by the snowy crags of the high country. But embraced by those mountains are a number of lakes perfect for paddlers. Ross Lake lets you string together a number of days on the water, with overnights in designated campsites.
With 21 islands, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore doesn't lack for destinations/NPS
5. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin
Twenty-one islands in 21 days? Not likely. But that doesn't mean you can't plan a kayaking outing for two or three of the lakeshore's islands. There are two launch points within the lakeshore, Meyers Beach and Little Sand Bay. Or, for $20, the folks at Apostle Islands Cruises will transport a canoe or kayak to the island of your choice. To help plan your trip, download the lakeshore's paddling guide. On it you'll find a mileage chart to help with your planning. Park officials don't suggest trips for open cockpit boats or canoes.
Soft sunsets and rythmic surf make Cape Lookout National Seashore idyllic for paddlers/NPS
6. Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina
Slip through New Drum Inlet between North Core and South Core Banks and you have miles to explore in your kayak. Head south, and cruise South Core Banks, looking for appealing campsites behind the dunes as you work towards the Cape Lookout Light and Cape Point. Round the point, pass through Lookout Bight and Barden Inlet and you can work back to your starting point. Go north from New Drum Inlet and slip into Ocracoke Inlet to Portsmouth Village and then work your way south back to your vehicle via Core Sound. Just be sure to check the weather and grab a tide chart before heading out.
Everglades' crowds can be left behind if you paddle/NPS
7. Everglades National Park, Florida
Most people look at Everglades and see colorfully hued birds, toothy alligators and crocs, and tropical vegetation. Paddlers can see all that, too, while enjoying the wet side of this park. From designated canoe trails to the isle-dotted waters of the Gulf Coast that make up the Ten Thousand Islands area to the maze of mangroves in Hell's Bay, Everglades offers weeks of paddling canoers and sea kayakers.
The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail is a great place for paddlers, young and old/NPS
8. Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, Virginia/ Maryland/Delaware
With some 2,000 water miles to choose from, deciding where to paddle is your first dilemma. Visit the National Parks Conservation Association's Freedom to Float program and with their partners you can quickly figure out a great trip for a day or longer. Check out the 'Paddling Pirates' of the Chesapeake Paddlers Association and you'll be able to join a group for an evening paddle. Or, check out this story.
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is the ultimate destination for veteran paddlers/NPS
9. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
You can lose yourself'literally, if you're not careful'in the upper bay with its numerous fingers.You could paddle out directly from Bartett Cove, or make it a bit easier on yourself by hitching a ride on the Baranof Wind for an up-bay taxi. Just remember, exploring Glacier Bay by sea kayak is definitely not a trip for novices. There are strong tides to be dealt with, self-contained camping, and wildlife issues, such as the coastal brown bears. But if you can handle all that, this is a trip of a lifetime. A few years back I ran into a couple that had spent 17 days up bay. My envy was palpable.
Yes, there is flatwater to be paddled in Canyonlands National Park/NPS-Kirsten Kearse
10. Canyonlands National Parks, Utah
Though most paddlers might associate Canyonlands with the rolling wave trains to be found on the Colorado River through Cataract Canyon, there are still waters to be found here for canoers. The Green River, upstream of its confluence with the Colorado, offers great flat water paddling filled with rich history. A popular put-in is at Mineral Bottom about 5 miles north of the park boundary. Another option is to put in at Green River State Park, which gives you an extra three days of paddling before you reach Mineral Bottom. Then it's on into Labyrinth and Stillwater canyons and down to the confluence with the Colorado River. There you can either paddle upstream to Moab, or have a jet boat meet you to make that last leg much easier. Be sure to carry a map that notes where you'll find cliff dwellings and carved signatures from early 19th century explorers.
Coming soon: 10 Great Whitewater Paddles in the Parks and 10 Great Family Paddles in the Parks
Comments
If there was an "honorable mention", i'd also put Cedar Creek in Congaree. I've also heard Isle Royale is great for canoeing. But, I have yet to enter Isle Royale, as it's been sitting on my "target list" for many years now...
I'd second that, Gary. Floating down Cedar Creek under that canopy has been one of my favorite park experiences. (To think that Congaree NP made that other list Kurt alluded to the other day seems pretty odd.)
Congaree actually made our list of 10 Great Family Paddles....;-)