Everything You Need to Know to Plan a Canoe Camping Trip

Years later, I spent three weeks paddling the New Zealand’s Clarence River from the mountains to the ocean as part of a semester spent with the National Outdoor Leadership School (aka NOLS). That trip involved full neoprene suits, traveling through sleet, and paddling and lining our canoes through Class II and III rapids (lining is when you stand on the shore and walk your boat down the river, like a dog, when things are a bit too hairy to paddle through). There were even a few capsizes and swift water rescues.

The point is, canoe camping can be as accessible or adventurous as you want or need it to be. Recently, having acquired a new Old Town canoe, I traveled back to the Saint Regis Canoe Area for the first time in a number of years with a group of friends for a long weekend camping trip. Even having grown accustomed to farther-flung and higher stakes experiences over the years, our tame 20-ish mile route had all the elements of a real outdoor adventure. It renewed my fondness for canoe camping, and convinced me that it’s one of the best ways to take to the outdoors.

How to Plan a Canoe Camping Trip

Decide Where to Go

This is an obvious Step One, right? Maybe—give it some consideration. What kind of trip do you want? An easy one? An adventurous one? How much time do you have? What’s accessible from where you’re based? Do you own a canoe or will you need to find a rental? Answer these questions and you’ll find you’ve narrowed down the options considerably (unless you live in Minnesota or Maine). If you’re a beginner, seek out a flat water destination that’s not too remote and go out for a night or two before leveling up.

Get Permits and Campsite Reservations

Before you break out the map, take a moment to check if you need permits or campsite reservations where you’re heading. No? Plan away. If yes, be prepared to be somewhat flexible; limited campsite availability might choose your route for you. And if sites are first-come-first-served, see if you can find any information online about how crowded things can get or call a local outfitter for beta, and put a backup in place in case your top pick campsite is occupied by the local college outing club by the time you paddle up to it.

Source: https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/how-to-canoe-camping-guide