TrailBlazer....

GRAB A PADDLE

Quite simply RVing and paddling provide the perfect mix to us and many other adventurers. An RV can take happy campers to lots of natural places where water is prevalent and just waiting for a kayak or canoe--and a paddle or two.

“The beauty of canoeing is its simplicity and portability. A canoe can turn just about any body of water into a source of adventure and exploration,” says Buff Grub at Mad River Canoe. “A canoe, paddles, and life jackets are all that is necessary to get off the beaten path and away from the crowds, whether for a moment of solitude, sight-seeing, picnicking, or wetting a line in pursuit of a fish or two.” Of course, the same could be said of kayaking (and a sister company of Mad River, Perception, just happens to make great ones).

Canoes and kayaks are the most versatile watercraft afloat. Easily paddled solo or tandem, with room for a passenger or two and quickly and easily stowed and retrieved by RVers. “[They are] the perfect complement to your RV,” continues Buff.

It’s really easy to add paddling to RV adventures and there are a number of possibilities to explore, based on budget, planned usage, type and size of RV (for stowing the boat), and personal preferences (like inflatable or foldable options versus hard-sided boats and canoes versus kayaks).

Pick a Paddle--and a Boat (or two)

When we first decided to add paddling to our RV trips, it happened at the huge L.L. Bean store in Freeport, Maine. We looked at a variety of Old Town canoes, Perception kayaks, and more, but couldn’t quite make up our minds. In a funny example of being up a creek with a paddle (but no boat, yet), we did leave with two classic L.L. Bean canoe paddles that marked our start of mixing RVing with paddling.

We eventually settled on a mid-size Old Town canoe for our first boat, which could be paddled tandem (or even with a third person or a dog) as well as solo (with a bit of practice). Since then, we’ve added several hard-sided kayaks (we still love the options from Perception) and inflatables (Advanced Elements and Sea Eagle make great choices) to our RV armada--we choose what we take based on where we plan to paddle. Along with LL Bean, we’ve researched and shopped paddling hotspots (stores and online) like West Marine (a boating superstore and superb online “West Advisor” shopping service), Bass Pro Shops (check out their new Ascend kayak offerings), and REI (great gear, trip offerings through REI Adventures, and instruction through REI Outdoor School).

We’re also currently looking at the foldable kayak options from South Carolina-based Folbot and adding motorized exploration with foldable boats from Porta-Bote (motor manufacturers like Honda make some incredibly lightweight boat motors ideal for RVers). Our dream boat list also includes building a wooden kayak with Chesapeake Light Craft.

Inflatables are obviously an interesting option for RVers looking to pack as much as possible into limited space. “Nearly every inflatable craft that’s on the market can be deflated and rolled up ton one-fourth it’s inflated size,” says Dennis Hill, owner and operator of PortableKayaks.com. For us, that’s meant more space (and time) to for RVing memories on and off the water.

Memorable paddling destinations have included: Alaska (we loved a recent paddle just outside Seward); the Okefenokee Swamp; the Great Dismal Swamp; the Florida Keys; the coast of Maine; treehouse camping on South Carolina’s Edisto River; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina’s U.S. National Whitewater Center (varied paddling and many other adventures); coastal North Carolina (our home base); and mountain lakes near Wintergreen, Virginia.

In addition, we’ve paddled classic mild to wild rivers like the Rio Grande (Texas), the Buffalo (Arkansas), the Chattooga (South Carolina); the Nantahala (North Carolina), the New and Gauley (West Virginia), the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (more than 740-miles of canoeing and kayaking between New York and Maine), the Penobscot and Kennebec (Maine), the Arkansas (Colorado), the Rogue (Oregon), and many more. That’s meant lots of waterlogged miles for our PFDs (personal flotation devices, which are commonly called life jackets). Bass Pro’s Larry Whiteley (who is also host of award-winning Outdoor World Radio) says, “The very first thing on your list should be life jackets and they should be worn, not stored.” Our brand of choice for PFDs and other paddling gear is Kokatat.

No matter what boat (and paddle) you choose, it’s sure to lead to your own adventures on the road--and on the water. From rivers and lakes right at the campground to some great state and national parks and wildlife refuges across North America, it’s as easy as picking a paddle--and a boat.

National Parks Provide Peaceful Paddling

RVers are naturally attracted to national parks and many of them offer peaceful paddling possibilities:

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska--Due to rapid glacial retreat, it is possible to paddle 65 miles up the fjord, complete with gorgeous scenery and likely sightings of whales, porpoise, bears, and seals.

Glacier National Park, Montana--Escape into the wilderness to discover the park is filled with emerald lakes that are perfect to paddle, along with the major bonus of few fellow paddlers.

Everglades, Florida--Paddle the 99-mile Wilderness Waterway, where you will meander through a variety of bays, sandy beaches and geographic wonders.

Isle Royale, Minnesota/Michigan--Surrounded by the world’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Superior, there are more than 30 interior lakes open to paddle exploration.

Grand Teton, Wyoming--The headwaters for the Snake River flow from 12,000-foot peaks and offer paddlers an assortment of paddling challenges and rewards such as natural hot springs and extremely beautiful scenery.

Yukon-Charley River National Park, Alaska--For those seeking a pure wilderness paddling experience, the Yukon is 1,800 miles long and the park protects more than 100 miles of it. The river is the only way to access the spectacular views.

Big Bend National Park, Texas--Land of the Rio Grande, it carves through towering limestone canyon walls and meanders through the territory of more than 1,200 plant species, making the paddling experience a desert adventure.

Nahanni National Park, Canada--Distinct beauty with high cliffs and mellow waters on the Nahanni River make canoeing a pleasant mode of transportation through the park.

Acadia, National Park, Maine--Formed from tectonic fractures, glacial movement and unpredictable New England weather, the scenery makes for extreme jagged cliffs with crashing waves, yet ironically smooth and serene waters to paddle with the protecting harbors and sandy beaches.

Buffalo National River, Arkansas--The river is an easy float for nearly 135 miles. There are also more than 100 maintained hiking trails that are ideal in the cooler months from November to March.

A Gateway to Mild to Wild Paddling Adventures

RVers love meeting like-minded adventurers on the road and there may be no better place to do it than on the water. From floating a calm river to mild to wild whitewater adventures, a paddling consortium of companies called Adventure Gateway provides one-stop shopping for paddling adventures.

Made up of high-quality outfitters across the country, Adventure Gateway members offer paddling options on fabled rivers and other bodies of wonderful water in Maine, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Texas, Minnesota, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, California, and Oregon.

National Wildlife Refuges: Paddling Havens

Exploring a national wildlife refuge by canoe or kayak combines adventure with physical activity and an intimacy with nature that’s hard to beat. Whether you navigate on your own or take a guided trip and bring your own boat or rent one, many refuges make wonderful paddling destinations. Besides providing a close-up glimpse of shorebirds, mammals, and other wildlife, refuges offer serenity, mapped water trails, and, sometimes, the option of multi-day camping excursions. The refuge system boasts some 1,000 miles of marked water trails.

“When you’re in a canoe, you’re not as intimidating to wildlife,” said Nancy Brown, a public outreach specialist at the South Texas Refuge Complex, at the state’s southernmost tip, where guided canoe and kayak outings on the Rio Grande and the Laguna Madre are frequent sellouts. A former Alaska kayak guide, Brown helped secure National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grants for the half-day interpreted paddle trips at the complex’s three national wildlife refuges: Santa Ana, Lower Rio Grande Valley and, as of last summer, Laguna Atascosa. “We’ve paddled right beneath hawks and past white-tailed deer. When you’re in a canoe, animals don’t appear to see you as a predator,” said Brown.

A boat is a must for those who wish to explore the Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon where a marked canoe trail is open all year-round, as well as at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, which crosses southern Georgia and northern Florida. “The vast majority of the refuge you can see only by water,” said Blaine Eckberg, park ranger at Okefenokee Refuge. “Paddling lets you enter one of the largest wilderness areas east of the Mississippi River, full of egrets, cranes and of course alligators. Mild temperatures and the lack of biting insects make spring the most popular paddling season.”

Here are just a few of the national wildlife refuges that are popular for outdoor water activities:

Northeast
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Pennsylvania
The refuge’s 4.5 mile segment of Darby Creek winds through the largest freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania before flowing into the Delaware River. See migratory birds including warblers, herons, egrets and sandpipers, as well as bald eagles, kingfishers and waterfowl. Enjoy great fishing along the way.

Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, Vermont
Paddle past one of the most impressive great blue heron rookeries in the Northeast. Look for bald eagles, ospreys, waterfowl, and neotropical migratory birds of the silver maple floodplain forest.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Massachusetts
Part of the Great Marsh, the largest continuous salt marsh north of Long Island Sound, the Parker River Refuge attracts hundreds of songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl.

Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, New Hampshire/Maine
Paddlers can ogle moose, bald eagles, loons, and other wildlife from along more than 10 miles of the Magalloway and Androscoggin Rivers, their backwaters and much of Umbagog Lake.

Mid-Atlantic
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland
Paddlers armed with a water trail map can explore tidal marshes and brackish ponds for a closer look at bald eagles, ospreys, herons, and muskrats.

Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia
Self-guided paddling along Mt. Landing Creek quickly leaves houses and other human structures behind. A map available at the launch site shows how to follow the creek to the Rappahannock River and onto the extensive Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, commemorating the voyages of the famed 17th-century explorer.

South
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina
Paddling is perhaps the best way to see the refuge. You can explore 15 miles of color-coded water trails on your own or take a guided canoe trip on Pea Island.

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
At the northernmost part of the Everglades, Loxahatchee Refuge offers paddlers a close-up view of an endangered ecosystem and its resident alligators and other wetland species.

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Texas
Bring your binoculars and snorkel gear on this guided kayak trip of the lower Laguna Madre.

Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Texas
Guided half-day tours take paddlers over fossilized oyster reefs and under Altamira oriole nests.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, southern Georgia and northern Florida
This vast swamp, one of the country’s best-preserved freshwater systems, is home to alligators, sandhill cranes, red-cockaded woodpeckers, carnivorous plants, and many other species.

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
Paddling the birthplace of the National Wildlife Refuge System offers visitors a chance to see manatees, herons, egrets, and roseate spoonbills up close.

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Texas
Guided half-day tours on the last stretch of the Rio Grande before it empties into the Gulf of Mexico offer views of tropical birds found nowhere else in the continental United States.

Midwest
J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota
Paddlers can choose between a 5 ½-mile route and a 13-mile route along the Souris River, which winds 75 miles through the refuge.

Seney National Wildlife Refuge Michigan
The scenic Manistique River, which once carried thousands of logs to nearby sawmills, meanders through hardwoods, swamps, and mixed pine forests in the southern portion of the refuge.

West
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada
From June 15 to December 31, paddlers can explore a large freshwater emergent marsh and waterfowl nesting haven along a six-mile marked trail in Nevada's high desert.

Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon
The refuge, boasting some of the most scenic estuarine habitat along the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, offers guided summer interpretive trips for paddlers with their own canoes or kayaks.

Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, California
The Sacramento-area refuge offers free guided summer interpretive paddles along a secluded and normally closed slough lined with oaks and cottonwoods.

Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon
A boat is a must for exploring this refuge, whose freshwater marsh and open water harbor waterfowl, eagles, osprey, and colonial nesting birds such as white pelicans and herons.

Far North
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
Two extensive paddling routes offer day trips to week-long or even longer trips.

More than 42 million people visit refuges each year. In addition to wildlife observation, refuges provide rich opportunities for wildlife photography, hunting, fishing, environmental education and nature interpretation. For more information about all 551 National Wildlife Refuges, visit www.fws.gov/refuges.

RV veterans Lynn and Cele Seldon are avid paddlers who love sharing their passion on and off the water.

Resources

Those referenced in this feature include:

*L.L. Bean: www.llbean.com; one-stop paddling shopping.

*Old Town: www.oldtowncanoes.com; classic canoes and more.

*West Marine: www.westmarine.com; everything you need to get out of your RV and on the water.

*Bass Pro Shops: www.basspro.com; a great paddling resource in stores and online.

*REI: www.rei.com; a world-class resource for gear--and paddling trips and instruction.

*Mad River Canoe: www.madrivercanoe.com; quality canoes and accessories.

*Perception: www.perceptionkayaks.com; a wide range of kayaks and more.

*Portable Kayaks: www.portablekayaks.com; inflatables, plus more.

*Advanced Elements: www.advancedelements.com; value-priced inflatable kayaks.

*Sea Eagle: www.seaeagle.com; long-time inflatable manufacturers.

*Folbot: www.folbot.com; unique folding kayaks that seem made for RVs.

*Porta-Bote: www.porta-bote.com; unique foldable boats that are outboard-ready.

*Honda: www.marine.honda.com; lightweight outboards ideal for RVers with boating on their brains.

*Chesapeake Light Craft: www.clcboats.com; build-your-own kayak kits and classes.

*Kokatat: www.kokotat.com; PFDs and lots of other paddling accessories.

*National Park System: www.nps.gov; don’t miss the Ken Burns series and book highlighting lots of great national parks paddling.

*U.S. National Whitewater Center: www.usnwc.org; mild to wild paddling possibilities and many other adventures.

*Northern Forest Canoe Trail: www.northernforestcanoetrail.org; more than 740-miles of canoeing and kayaking between New York and Maine.

*Adventure Gateway: www.adventuregateway.com; paddling adventures with top-notch outfitters across the country.