US Midwest - Best Rafting, Paddling & Kayaking
1. Trout Lake, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota. A surreal July 4 storm toppled an estimated 12 million trees,
but the natural clear-cut just made your decision, um, clearer. So avoid the potential of a millennial inferno by heading 40
miles west of Ely to Trout Lake, where you'll find no humans, plenty of walleye, and nary a branch out of place. Call 877-550-6770
for reservations.
2. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin. Unless you have a fascination with hypothermia, it's wise to paddle the world's
largest and coldest freshwater lake--Superior--amidst the sheltered bays and harbors of the Apostles. Try the 20-mile
Sand-to-York-to-Raspberry-to-Oak Island route, followed by a two-mile open-water crossing back to the mainland. For more information,
call National Lakeshore headquarters at 715-779-3397.
3. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan. Pitch your tent on conifer-forested Tooker's Island, just off Isle Royale's southeast shore, and
then pause to soak in a 360-degree view of Gitchigumi before striking out to paddle the placid nooks and crannies of Raspberry and Caribou
Islands. Call 906-482-0984 for details.
4. Niobrara River, Nebraska. The shallow, swift-moving Niobrara slices through six ecosystems, many of which, to the untrained eye, could
be mistaken for a thick patch of green prairie. The 27-mile stretch from Cornell Bridge to Rocky Ford also includes grassy dunes and oak
and ponderosa pine forests, where turkey, bobcat, and white-tailed deer often play. Call 800-346-2046 for shuttle and rental information.
5. Middle Fork of the Vermilion River, Illinois. In spring, showy bluebells carpet the forest floor along the banks of the state's only
designated Wild and Scenic River. Paddle the 13-mile stretch between Kinny's Ford and Kickapoo Bridge in Kickapoo State Park, and be sure
to keep a fishing pole handy for the crappie lurking in the small green pools around every bend. Call 217-354-2060 for shuttle and rental
information.
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