Route-Planning

To find and evaluate possible paddling routes, you need access to specific information. Here are a few of the most commonly used paddling resources and the kinds of information they typically provide:

NOTE: Be sure to check the resources you use to make sure that their information is current. Also, use a number of resources to research your route instead of relying on just one.

Area Paddling Experts

Local paddling experts can be great sources of information. Many of the best canoe camping trips begin with recommendations from fellow paddlers about routes that just can't be missed.

REI staff members—The staff of your local REI can be an excellent source of route information. Just stop by and ask for some help!
Local paddling clubs—Members of local paddling clubs and organizations can also be excellent resources. Many of these groups offer other useful services like guided trips, group paddles and organized classes.

Local Guide Books

Paddling guide books are usually the best overall resource for route-specific paddling facts. Popular titles typically offer a variety of route information, including:

Detailed route descriptions
Difficulty rating systems (to help you find routes that match your skills)
Identification of access points, hazards, and attractions along the way
Estimated paddling times and trip distances

Check with your local REI store for a list of titles describing paddling opportunities in your area.

Maps and Charts

Maps and nautical charts provide straight-forward information about the physical characteristics of a route and the land around it. They provide an excellent opportunity to examine routes from start to finish, to gauge distances and to plan out specifics like rest stops, overnight camping spots and nearby hikes.

Topographic maps describe the physical structure of the land around a body of water. Nautical charts describe the water itself, with data on depths, rocks, shoals, and other formations. Choose between the two based on the location of your route and the complexity of the surrounding environment. When in doubt, use both resources to be sure you have all the information you'll need.

Keep in mind that rivers, lakes, and coastlines are highly variable features. Even up-to-date maps and charts may present a less than accurate picture if they are not studied carefully and combined with information from other resources.

NOTE: In some popular paddling areas (such as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area), special-interest maps are available that cater specifically to paddle campers. These maps typically provide great route information, including the locations of established campsites, portage routes, launch and landing zones, point-to-point distances and areas of interest along the way.

Tide and Current Tables

Camping in coastal areas requires special planning and navigation skills, because of the significant effects that rising and falling tides (and the currents that they produce) can have upon the route being followed.

Significant changes can occur many times each day in coastal areas. Thus it's essential that coastal paddlers know how to read and understand tide and current tables. These resources, like maps, should be carried at all times during paddling trips, protected in a water-tight case.

NOTE: Like maps and charts, current and tide tables can also help paddlers plan the specifics of their trip once a (coastal) route has been selected. They can be used, for example, to identify times when the water is relatively still, or when currents are heading in the direction that paddlers wish to travel.

Government Agencies

One of the best ways to get up-to-date information about water conditions and/or the status of popular camping spots is to check with local government agencies and organizations (US Forest Service, the National Park Service, state/local recreation area managers). Many of this country's most popular paddling destinations fall inside of local, state, or federal jurisdiction. The rangers and caretakers who patrol these areas can provide paddlers with a lot of helpful and detailed information.

Keep in mind that there are often permits, paperwork, and fees associated with paddling through government lands, and that many areas have rules and regulations written specifically for paddle campers. Some popular areas, for example, have mandatory reservation systems for busy paddling times of the year. Always check with the appropriate authorities before planning a camping trip in government-run areas.

Weather and Other Uncontrollable Variables

No matter how much information you have prior to your departure, there are always some paddle camping variables that cannot be assessed far in advance. Bad weather, changing water conditions or increasing/decreasing water levels, for example, can force you to re-evaluate your paddle route any time before (or during!) your trip.

For this reason, approach trip-planning as an ongoing process, one that lasts right through until the end of the trip itself. Stay as flexible as you can with your plans so that should conditions change, you can handle postponed departures, forced rest days, or even reevaluations of your final destination. Factor in extra time for delays and route changes. And plan a back-up route if time is tight, so that you can still get outside and have fun if your original route plan has to be scrapped.