Bear Glacier Lagoon at Kenai Fjords National Park is a popular kayaking destination/NPS
I've long been a paddler, but primarily of canoes and occasionally rafts. While I have a few times gotten into a sea kayak and paddled away from shore, I never fully embraced the sport. Until now. Having placed an order for a sea kayak worthy of big lakes and ocean waters, while awaiting delivery I naturally have turned my attention to where in the National Park System this new hobby would fit. And the results were fairly breathtaking in the parkscapes they entailed.
Why sea kayaking? The boats ride closer to the waterline with less profile than a canoe and so aren't blown about as much by winds as canoes. As a result, they travel faster. You also stay drier than in a canoe (as long as you don't roll). You can't carry as much gear as in a canoe, which is why I'll hold onto our canoe.
Now, as to where in the park system you might cast your eyes with sea kayaking in mind, here are some, but certainly not all, of the possibilities. The list below is intended primarily with multi-day trips in mind. There are more day-tripping destinations if you have sit-on-top kayaks.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Having long dipped my canoe paddle in Yellowstone's big lakes -- Lewis, Shoshone, and Yellowstone -- this park is a natural for sea kayaks. Indeed, when the afternoon winds kick up, along with the waves, the enclosed nature of a sea kayak and its low profile makes it the perfect craft for these lakes. That's not to say I'm going to abandon my canoe. We've managed all these waters in the past with it, and it offers some benefits kayaks can't -- such as greater carrying capacity.
Head to Shoshone Lake and you have some beautiful campsites to start and end your days at, and the Shoshone Geyser Basin on the western end of the lake -- which happens to be the largest backcountry lake in the country that you can't access by road -- is amazing. Head to either arm of Yellowstone Lake and you'll find yourself deep in the park's interior in a landscape roamed by wildlife. My second trip there, by canoe with a third buddy in kayak, had us return home with memories of grizzly bears, howling wolves, and chortling sandhill cranes.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Jackson Lake is a great place for an overnight or two, with some islands you can camp on. But it's certainly not as big as Yellowstone Lake and won't take you long to circumnavigate. It might be better suited for a day trip. But whether you opt for a day or several, paddling beneath the Tetons on a blue bird day is not something you'll forget. Those jagged, battleship-gray peaks with their snowfields and glaciers hold your gaze and have you grabbing for your camera. Jenny and Leigh lakes also can be paddled, but just don't compare in size to Jackson Lake.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah
When the Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1966, it used a concrete wall in a pinch point to turn the Colorado River into a backwater of considerable size. The resulting Lake Powell is 254 square watery miles, and within those miles are plenty of side canyons to explore by sea kayak. Afternoon winds that can catch your choice of craft makes kayaks more functional than canoes on the lake. Whether you head down from Hite or up from Halls Crossing, there are numerous options for extended trips. Specific canyons you can head into without worrying about motorizing watercraft include Antelope, Labrynth, and Lost Eden. You do need to contain your solid human refuse on this lake/reservoir, and that might dissuade some folks from exploring this sandstone beauty.
Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
Like Glacier Bay National Park, Kenai Fjords is the place to paddle if you want to see tidewater glaciers up close. One popular destination for paddlers is Bear Glacier Lagoon, "a proglacier lagoon, a lake that forms between a glacier and its moraine," the park staff notes. "The lagoon is an incredible place to explore and see giant icebergs that have calved from the largest glacier in the park." Another good destination is Aialik Bay, where the park's largest tidewater glacier, Aialik Glacier, empties. Reaching Bear Glacier Lagoon could require a water taxi, something the park recommends. A number of guiding operations authorized by the Park Service can help you paddle these waters.
Kayakers on Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone/Kurt Repanshek file
Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
Located in northern Minnesota, with the Canadian border across the water, Voyageurs 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.
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. Back in 2014 Peter Wise and some friends kayaked Ross Lake for a string of days.
"Ross Lake was calm once again the next morning, and the shimmering waters reflected the various mountains surrounding the lake," Wise wrote in a piece for the Traveler. "There was still snow on the tops of some of the peaks, even in mid-September. We had plenty of room to ourselves on the 23-mile-long lake that stretches north into Canada, one reason we'd scheduled our trip after Labor Day. While we did see a couple of other kayaking groups, and a fair number of small motorboats bringing tourists north from Ross Lake Resort, we were on our own."
Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina
For those looking for a "wild" national seashore, Cape Lookout fits the bill. It's not built out like Cape Cod or Cape Hatteras national seashores. In other words, no pampering, paddlers. You need to know your skills and be self sufficient. If that's you, you can have an incredible time at Cape Lookout. This seashore with its 112 miles of what the Park Service describes as "uninhabited shoreline' offers paddlers a raw and challenging backcountry experience. "Nowhere else on the Southeast coast will you encounter an uninterrupted barrier island chain in such pristine condition on the magnitude of Cape Lookout National Seashore," notes the seashore staff. Novice paddlers can work on their skills in the calm waters of Core Sound and Back Sound, while those with many watery miles under their paddles can head out the inlets into the Atlantic. With luck, your dinners will include fresh fish pulled from the ocean, sunrises will glow red, glistening off the waves, and sea oats will festoon your campsite. You're more than welcome to plan a multi-day trip and camp on the seashore's beaches. Just be sure to file a float plan with the park staff so they have an idea where you're heading and when you plan to return.
Everglades National Park, Florida
If heat and bugs don't bother you, by all means consider paddling this subtropical national park. It's Ten Thousand Islands section is renowned for paddling. But you should study up on how tides can affect paddling and know when the tide will turn during your paddle. This area offers campsites to create a multi-day exploration of this wondrous area. Wildlife you might encounter ranges from pink roseate spoonbills to dolphins. Michael Lanza took his wife, Penny, and their two children on a canoe trip into this area and wrote about it for the Traveler in2014.
Indian Key Pass channel, ranging roughly 200 yards to a half-mile wide, meanders among tiny, flat islands covered in forests of dense mangroves. My nautical map shows hundreds of isles, or 'keys,' knitted together by a maze of channels. Looking out on this ubiquitous land- and seascape, Penny and I agree we're happy to have chosen one of the most beginner-friendly, multiday canoeing trips in the Everglades. It would be easy to get lost out here.
In the main channel, the air erupts with movement and noise. Songbirds chatter and flit among the trees along the shores. Cormorants and brown pelicans skim the water's surface. Great blue herons lurk motionlessly at the water's edge, ready to stab at fish.
Point Reyes National Seashore, California
Sea kayaks are the vessel of choice for this West Coast national seashore. Fifteen-mile-long Tomales Bay is a great setting for paddling, and you'll likely encounter seals there. Drakes Estero and Limantour Estero also are good choices, although kayaking is only allowed from July 1 through February 28 to provide some solitude for harbor seal pupping season from March 1 to June 30. Experienced paddlers find challenges along the seashore's Pacific coastline. According to park staff, "The most frequently used section of the coast by kayakers is in Drakes Bay from Chimney Rock to Limantour Beach. Other sections of the coast are kayaked, but they are not as sheltered from the prevailing wind and ocean swell, and are therefore much more dangerous."
The weather might not always be dry and sunny at Glacier Bay National Park, but kayakers can get an incredible view of the Margerie Glacier/Kurt Repanshek file
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Glacier Bay is for wilderness travelers. While the bay is 65 miles long, too long for all but the hardiest and experienced paddlers, you can hitch a ride (for a fee) on the Baranof Wind passenger ferry up bay to a drop off point. It also will pick you up at a predetermined time. To give you an idea of the beauty, and the challenges, check out this New York Times story.
Some years ago my wife and I sampled the sea kayaking in the park on a weeklong cruise on a small ship. Days were spent either kayaking or hiking, nights were back on the ship. One day we shared a finger of the main bay with a humpback whale and its calf. An unforgettable experience!
You can, of course, head out from Bartlett Cove on day trips, or head from there a bit deeper into the bay towards the Beardslee Islands. You'll be wowed by the birdlife. Check out the park website for areas where motorized craft are prohibited.
Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
Surrounded by the waters of Lake Superior, and dotted with bays, coves, harbors, and islands, as well as inland lakes, Isle Royale is a great paddling destination. But you have to be prepared for fog banks, cold waters, and rough waters, for this is no place to be learning how to paddle. "Canoeists and kayakers should be familiar with weather patterns and consult the Marine Forecast at ranger stations and visitor centers before embarking," the park recommends. "Be prepared to adjust your schedule to the weather. A portable marine radio is recommended."
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin
Apostle Islands is a kayaker's paradise. Of the 21 islands (presumably named by early Jesuits who, on early maps, referred to the scattering of islands as ('Isle de 12 Apostles') you may camp on 19 of them. Got two weeks available for paddle-driven exploration? Apostle Islands can accommodate you. If you have a computer you can quickly check on the wave heights at Apostle Islands if you're planning a paddling trip there. Using a smart phone or the Web, you can check the live conditions report at SeaCavesWatch.org. The website lists the wave height for the previous six hours, in 30-minute increments. The site also displays water temperature and photos of the waves at the sea caves, and it relays wind speed and direction recorded at Devil’s Island.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
Back in 2014 Greg Breining wrote an article for the Traveler about kayaking at Pictured Rocks. As he put it, the national lakeshore "where Lake Superior's stupendous power pounds Michigan's craggy shore, is a tremendous place to kayak. But plan for a few extra days unless you have a really favorable weather report." Greg added that, "Pictured Rocks runs along 40 miles of shoreline northeast of Munising. Cliffs of Cambrian sandstone rise from the lake's clear, cold waters -- some more than 200 feet above lake level. There are rocks on one side and one-hundred miles of open lake on the other. That makes for some dicey paddling when the wind whips out of the north or northwest, but, thankfully, there's plenty to do in the meantime" on shore.
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, New York
You can take day trips paddling the various tributaries of Chesapeake Bay with kayaks designed for day use, or load up your sea kayak and get a bit more adventurous by venturing into the bay itself. Captain Smith covered nearly 3,000 miles of the bay back in the early 1600s, so you aren't without optons. Download a copy of A Boater's Guide To the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and you can peruse the many options available to you.
My only experience here was a day spent with a ranger and some local paddlers exploring Cat Point Creek and the Rappahannock River below Fones Cliffs. It was a wonderful sample that has kept this watery trail on my to-do list for further exploration.
Other park destinations for paddling you might consider include:
* Acadia National Park
* Channel Islands National Park
* Lake Mead National Recreation Area
* Biscayne National Park
* Cumberland Island National Seashore
* Cape Cod National Seashore
* Lake Clark National Park
* Olympic National Park
* Padre Island National Seashore
* Indiana Dunes National Park
Safety and other tidbits
If you're heading out with paddle in hand, be sure to go safely.
* Leave plans of your trip with friends or family.
* Check with the park you're heading for concerning permits and regulations (See the "If You Go" links above for those parks)
* Carry an extra paddle, throw rope, and bilge pump on your boat.
* Don't forget your spray skirt and PFD.
* If you're heading into unfamiliar waters, bring along charts. You can't always relay on electronic devices in the backcountry.
* Wet suit or dry suit depending on the season as well as the water temperatures.
* Self-rescue paddle float. The foam kind are bulky, but don't require you to inflate them. The inflatable floats are easier to pack on your boat.
* First-aid kit.
* Signaling device, whether it's a whistle, mirror, or flashlight with a strobe function.
* Practice boat reentry in your home waters before heading out to the parks.
As the spread of invasive mussels moves across the country, most, if not all, parks require that your boat be inspected before you enter the water.
Comments
I can't help but point out a couple glaring omissions in this otherwise well written article. Biscayne National Park and The Dry Tortugas National Park are two of the best places for sea kayaking destinations in the National Park system. Their both nearly all water. Bring along a snorkel mask and fins and you have a full day of adventure!