The 5 Best Kayaking Locations
The ideal way to explore a beautiful location is from the seat of a kayak. On a waterway, you have the pleasure of seeing the great variety of natural beauty in the US without the interference of roads and traffic. When planning your next kayaking trip, it’s a great idea to cross off one of a bucket list of the best kayak trip locations. But with literally a world of choices in front of you, how do you choose the best kayak trip for your next paddling adventure? Start with these five extraordinary choices in widely different locations in the US.
Accomplished Kayakers share some of their best kayak experiences in some of the most beautiful waterways in the US.
Kayaking the Colorado River
The Colorado River offers kayakers 1,450 miles of must-see sights through seven states in a kayaking journey that has something for everyone. Whether paddling through serene waters, finding the best fishing locations, or embarking on a white-water adventure is your thing, the Colorado River offers it all. Whether you are a crackerjack kayaker or a beginner, this river is the ideal location for your trip. Intermediate level kayakers will love the scenic river trail located in the miles between Glen Canyon and Lee’s Ferry, with waterfalls and petroglyph hikes offered along the way.
For an overnight trip with your best kayak, the Black Canyon water trail allows kayakers to visit hot springs and natural sauna caves. And of course, any trip along the Colorado river should include a visit to one of the wonders of the world—the Grand Canyon.
Down Upon the Suwannee River
Safely kayaking the iconic Suwannee River Trail is another trip that the best kayak experts recommend for anyone who wishes to see the beauty of the natural world in a location worthy of writing songs about.
The Suwannee trail begins at the head of Okefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia and winds its way south through north Florida to spill out into the Gulf of Mexico, with many natural springs along the way. Besides viewing the unique Florida wildlife, including eagles, water birds, white-tailed deer, gray foxes, and otters, the Suwannee River offers unbeatable fishing spots in cypress-stained water lined with live oaks dripping with Spanish moss. Some of the best fish of the south are available for those who bring a pole along with their best kayak to the Suwannee River Trail.
Lake Willoughby in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom
The Northeast Kingdom of Vermont is a leaf-peeper’s dream, making it a popular tourist destination in the fall. However, the icy-cold waterways and clear glacial lakes also make the Northeast Kingdom a bucket-list destination for kayakers in the summer.
One of Vermont’s best kayak rental and fishing destinations is Lake Willoughby in Westmore, Orleans County. The view of this lake will linger in your mind forever. A crisp, clear, extraordinarily deep lake winding its way through two glacier-carved mountains, Mount Pisgah, and Mount Hor.
According to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Vermont offers a free fishing day every year in June, the perfect time for spending a day kayaking on a lake like none other on earth. Lake Willoughby offers some of the largest lake fish in the US, as well as two beaches for swimming—if you can bear the icy chill. Even the drive to this lake is stunning, as you wind your way along the side of a mountain with a towering cliff on one side and a drop to the lake on the other. Signs warn of moose crossings and falling rocks along the way.
Romantic Wailua River, Kauai
While Hawaii offers many beautiful ocean kayaking locations, it’s also the home of one of the most romantic river waterways to kayak in the US. This water trail is 20 miles of gently flowing river unspooling through the lush Hawaiian scenery, including two beautiful waterfalls—Wailua, and Opaekaa. You can paddle your best kayak past a Hawaiian village, a bird refuge, a secret waterfall, and NouNou Mountain (Sleeping Giant) which also offers hiking trails with breathtaking views.
Bring Your Camera to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
One of the most beautiful sights to gaze upon while you paddle is Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior in Michigan. Blue and green water laps against chiseled rocky ledges, towering cliff sides, and beautifully colored sandstone rock formations. Over 42 miles of hidden coves and white birch forests line rocky shores in a combination that makes for stunning vistas to absorb, while you enjoy the best kayak tours in one of the most beautiful places in the US.
Resources— Guide of US, Florida Trail Association, Burke Vermont, Pictured Rocks Kayaking
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