Does anybody break up hiking w/ canoe camping??

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Sara

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As I sit at my computer on my last required day of school I find myself day-dreaming of this weekends upcoming canoe trip to Little Tupper... Do any of you hikers break up the summer hiking trips with some relaxing canoe camping?? Where are your favorite destinations?

Often ADacKr and I will try to throw in a hike if it is convenient...but this weekend is all about relaxation and indulgence....
 
Sara said:
As I sit at my computer on my last required day of school I find myself day-dreaming of this weekends upcoming canoe trip to Little Tupper... Do any of you hikers break up the summer hiking trips with some relaxing canoe camping?? Where are your favorite destinations?

Often ADacKr and I will try to throw in a hike if it is convenient...but this weekend is all about relaxation and indulgence....

I've broken up hiking trips with Kayaking, is that close enough? Not trying to start a kayak/canoe war here! :D

It's a nice way to get an upper body work out after giving the legs a work out the day before.
 
He doesn't post very often but MarshallM does a lot of this sort of thing. Maybe he'll see this thread. He's got some fantastic pictures too!

-Dr. Wu
 
We frequently break up kayak camping trips with hiking! Last weekend we were bushwacking on Beal Island during a kayak camping weekend.
 
Living in Maine, many weekend excursions include both boating (of all types) and hiking.

Some hikes are best reached by boat; some paddles (creeks) are best reached on foot.
 
I have it on my to-do list to kayak or canoe camp, but haven't yet. Too many peakbagging lists calling out my name (and no place to store a boat in my apartment).
:)

TramperAl has done a significant number of canoe trips; hopefully he'll chime in.
 
Sure!!

Don't tell anybody, but you can carry lots more in a canoe than on your back!! :rolleyes:

I do a lot of tripping with my 6 year old son. We use wood and canvas canoes.
 
Lake Lilia, Little Tupper, Bog River, Osawatchie,Moose River rec area(Hike to back area lakes with wheeled kayak carrier, ) Cedar River flow, are a few easy spots I go to for a r&r from hiking. Like Fitz says, you can carry a lot more with a canore, or kayak, which can be either good or bad.
 
I got some kayaks a couple months ago, but they haven't been near water yet. I'm hoping for a break sometime in the next few weeks to get out though. I need it to break up my mountain biking trips, which I was using to break up my hiking trips! It's a never-ending circle; I get bored easily.
 
I would advise adding a portage to you canoe camping. I used to only canoe camp when I was living in the flatlands of Ontario. Portaging is by far the best experience with canoe camping.

If you are ever in Ontario check out Frontenac Park its the best place to portage.
 
You don’t have to travel to Canada if you want to add a “little” portage to a canoe trip. Bog /Lows Lake then carry over to the Oswegatchie. Three miles broken up by a brief paddle across Dear pond. Great trip especially on the Oswegatchie above High Falls. Think of it as backpacking with a very large kevlar hat.
 
Though hiking is my main activity, I also do canoe. Very recently we did a trip on the Bog River in the ADKs, and in August a group of us will be canoeing the Allagash River in Maine. Past trips have included numerous ADK lakes, Raquette River, and several trips to Canada on the French River.
 
I tend to kayak too when I can, but I break up hiking with a lot of cycling..

Although since I commute to work by bike, my mountain biking has dropped drastically, more because on the weekends when I don't work, I find it nice to get off the bike and hike or kayak which means I don't MTB as much as I used to.

kayaking is a lot of fun though and is a good diversion...

Jay
 
Don't get me started; I can talk about my canoe trips all day...

In the Adirondacks, there are certainly many opportunities to mix hiking and camping, but I can't say that I've done that more than once. The one time I did mix on the SAME trip was a year ago, when I camped at Rollins Pond (Saranac area, Adirondacks). I hiked my 46th peak (Emmons) on Thursday, hiked Goodnow Mountain (a fire tower peak) Friday, and paddled around the ponds on Saturday.

I was a paddler for many years before I hiked up my first mountain just 5 years ago, so I have many "favorite" paddle destinations.

Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park:
Rock Lake - Pen Lake - Clydegale Lake.
Canoe Lake - Thom Thomson Lake - MacIntosh Lake.
Smoke Lake - Ragged Lake.
Canoe Lake - Otterslides - Happy Isle - Opeongo (loop).
Or just paddle up to a site on one of the arms of the big lake they call Opeongo (great for kayaks).

Adirondacks:
Cranberry Lake (Wanakena) to Dead Creek Flow (another good kayak destination).
Stillwater Reservoir (also kayaks or canoes or.... POWER BOATS).
St. Regis Canoe Area.
Fish Creek Ponds area.
Bog River -Low's Lake -Oswegatchie River-"Inlet" (traverse).
Middle Saranac Lake or Lower Saranac Lake in early May (after mid-May, there is a fee to camp on those lakes).
A day trip to the north end of Lake Placid (great views of Whiteface and more).
The Raquette River, upstream from the launch that's just East of Tupper Lake (the public launch area is referred to as "the crusher").

Or if you want a long multi-day trip... Try launching on Lake Kushaqua (east of Paul Smiths), and do a long loop through Rainbow Lake - Osgood Pond - Lower St. Regis Lake - Upper St. Regis Lake - carry into and through the St. Regis Canoe Area to Floodwood Pond - Rollins Pond - Whey Pond - Fish Creek area - Upper Saranac - Middle Saranac - Lower Saranac - Saranac River - and end up on Lake Flower in downtown Saranac Lake Village!

Some of these trips are possible with a kayak, but most involve portaging ("carries"), and are best suited for canoes.
Fun Wow!! :D
 
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dr_wu002 said:
He doesn't post very often but MarshallM does a lot of this sort of thing. Maybe he'll see this thread. He's got some fantastic pictures too!

MichaelJ said:
TramperAl has done a significant number of canoe trips; hopefully he'll chime in.
You know what's weird, is that neither MarshallM nor Tramper Al has posted anything in several days. Just a coincidence?
 
Paddling is a great rest for you knees too!

Heading up near Temagami next week for a 5 day trip with my wife and dog. All my paddling has been done on the Canadian side. Algonquin Park has provided me with many an adventure.

I prefer the small streams to the big lakes though...


-Shayne
 
Yes!

Like many on here. I love both Canoeing and Hiking. Algonquin Park, Frontenac Park and La Mauricie in Canada and Floodwood/FishCreek in NY. Also done the Saranac and parts of the Raquette river.
Next time you're in the Paul Smiths area for a paddle, try climbing St. Regis Mountain.....not a long hike or very high but the view of the High peaks rising beyond the local ponds is very impressive.

-Phil
 
Let's see...
Did Little Tupper Lake but no hiking
Did Lake Lila and hiked Fredrieca Mt
Did Bog River Flow/Low's Lake and hiked to Oswegatchie
Did Raquette River but no hiking
Climbed High Peak and then camped at Corey's Road and then kayaked to Raquette Falls
Did Wanakena to Cranberry Lake and Dead Creek Flow to Janacks Landing lean-to and then hiked Cat Mt
Did St Regis Canoe area and camped on an island

Like it was said in an earlier post that it is great to combine an upper body work-out with a lower body hike.
 
Starting last year, due to heat and traffic concerns I've taken to kayaking in the summer. Last year I did two camping trips, this year I hope to do more with an eye on the Santoni Range via Long Lake and Cold River.

Playing in water while the fish feed is much more fun than trying to draw water out of a late summer seep.
 
Was out on Lake Umbagog a month ago, and Lower South Branch Pond in BSP this past weekend combining fishing, hiking, and kayaking with Gris, Shizzmac and some friends of mine. Chomp came up for some hiking and kayaking also. He proved he was a pretty good swimmer ;)

Edit: My sincere apologies to "Blender Boy" Spencer and "Sweet Pipes" Joanna who were also in attendance. To us flatlanders, one night in BSP doesn't count! Having you join us for an evening and a hike put this trip over the top for me! Thanks!
 
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