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Planning a Kayak Trip: When and Where to Go

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After answering some of the basic questions regarding what type of kayak trip you want, you can move on to deciding exactly when and where you want to go.

When to go: Kayak trips are especially popular during the summer because of the warm weather and summer vacations. On the other hand, the spring rains and the melting snow means that the water level is often at its peak during March and April. With a wet suit kayak, however, you might even be willing to brave the cold water months.

Where to go: First of all, choose between whitewater kayaking and sea kayaking. For whitewater kayaking, look for rivers that you could also canoe (check out the “Canoe Trips” article on this website), particularly rivers near your home or, if you are willing to travel, in the Great Lakes area. Sea kayaking, on the other hand, is especially popular in whale-populated regions off the Pacific Coast, such as Puget Sound in Washington and California’s Big Sur. On the Atlantic coast, check out Maine’s Acadia National Park or Key West, Florida.

If you are planning a day trip, make sure you allow yourself plenty of time. For a multi-day trip, plan a relaxed first day to get your muscles used to paddling, and expect your soreness to decrease with each successive day on the river.

For a multi-day trip, it’s a good idea to get a map of the area and to plan your camping spots. Contact the U.S. Forest Service to see if there are any marked campsites, and if there are none, look for a clean site that is not in a depression.

Next Page: Planning a Kayak Trip: Packing

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