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Introduction to Canoe Trips

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Posted by Your Guide on March 1, 2006 7:47 PM

Can you canoe a canoe? It’s a popular tongue twister, but it’s also a good question. A canoe trip, whether a trip of a few hours or a few weeks, can be a great experience both of spending time in the outdoors and of building relationships with your friends and family.

Canoeing is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the great outdoors. Instead of driving up to a campsite, consider taking a canoe trip that takes you miles away from the nearest highway or Internet connection. In addition, canoe trips are a great opportunity to experience the outdoors with your friends and family. Children (and adults) love floating down the river, fishing from a canoe, and swimming in a river rather than a pool.

Canoe outfitters dot the landscape of many rivers, but they can be hard to find because they are often small operations. Ask canoeing friends or contact your state’s tourism office for suggestions on where to canoe and what outfitter to use. Pick a canoe outfitter that provides clear directions, all your equipment, and lots of experience, and don’t avoid asking questions.

The alternatives to canoes (other than swimming) are kayaks or rafts. A kayak is easier to transport than is a canoe and it does not fill up with water, but canoes hold more people and gear and are easier to enter and exit. Rafts are popular on whitewater rivers because they float well and can hold large groups, but most outfitters don’t carry them and they are hard to maneuver, so they are impractical for small groups.

Canoeing is one of those skills that takes a few minutes to learn but a lifetime to master. Within a few minutes you should get the hang of paddling, but changing water currents, weather, and co-paddlers ensure that no two trips are identical. Keep at it; the less you have to think about the details, the more you can enjoy the scenery and the people.



Next Page: Planning a Canoe Trip: Introduction

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