Explorer Series | Paddle Iowa: Why My Favorite View of the State Is From the Water

Paddle Iowa: Why My Favorite View of the State Is From the Water

I LOVE WATER.

I LOVE KAYAKING.

Put the two together, add an Iowa river, a few friends, some questionable rapids, and a local dive bar at the end of the day, and I am 100% in.

We’ve been kayaking since 2007, and over the years, it has become one of my absolute favorite ways to experience Iowa. There is something completely different about seeing our state from the water. The bluffs look bigger. The trees seem greener. Wildlife sneaks up on you (that’s if our kids aren’t splashing or hollering from a bend away!). Little towns and parks take on a whole new perspective.

   

We’re a little more on the adventurous side when it comes to kayaking. The faster the rapids, the better!

Okay…that’s not entirely true.

I’m actually kind of a chicken. I mostly like when there are enough rocks to make ripples in the water so I can feel adventurous without having to question my life choices.

But whether it’s a family outing, a trip with friends, or a date day with my husband, you mention water, and I’m ready to go.

Here are some of my favorite places we’ve paddled in Iowa.

Middle Raccoon River: Coon Rapids

This one has to be near the top of my list, especially because of the proximity to my home and the bluff scenery at the end of the float.

We like to put in along Highway 141 east of Coon Rapids and take out at the Whiterock Conservancy campground. The bluffs along this stretch are absolutely incredible.

This is exactly what I mean when I say you get a completely different perspective of Iowa from a kayak. From the road, you simply can’t appreciate some of these landscapes the way you can when you’re sitting right in the middle of the river looking up at them.

It’s peaceful, beautiful and one of those floats that reminds you just how underrated Iowa’s outdoor recreation can be. PS – Did you know that Whiterock has some of the longest off-road mountain biking trails in Iowa offering around 16 miles of singletrack alongside an additional 12 miles of multi-use doubletrack trail?

North Raccoon River: Auburn to Grant County Park

Another favorite is the North Raccoon River.

My preferred route is putting in at Access #160 north of Auburn and taking out at Access #149 in Grant County Park.

And here’s your warning: don’t panic when you get close to the takeout!

There are quite a few rapids right as you’re finishing the trip. I think they make it fun, but if you’re an inexperienced kayaker, you might freak out just a little bit.

Or a lot.

You’ll be fine. Probably…

While you’re in the area, make a day of it. Check out the metal artwork by Tanner King in Grant County Park and near Auburn. Then, because every great kayak trip should end with food and drinks, stop at Fat Guys afterward. They even have axe throwing and a golf simulator if somehow kayaking all day didn’t provide enough entertainment.

Yellow River: Northeast Iowa

If you haven’t explored northeast Iowa from the water, add it to your list.

The Yellow River is beautiful, and I highly recommend using the Northeast Iowa RC&D Yellow River Water Trail Map & Guide when planning your trip. It’s a great resource for figuring out your route, accesses, and what to expect.

We’ve used Bigfoot Canoe Rental out of Monona for kayak rentals, which makes the logistics much easier if you don’t want to haul your own boats.

Northeast Iowa already feels different from much of the state, but experiencing it from the river makes it even better.

Upper Iowa River: Decorah

The Upper Iowa River through Decorah offers some of the best scenery we’ve encountered kayaking in Iowa.

We paddled from Pulpit Rock through Decorah and used Off the Driftless as our outfitter.

The scenery was gorgeous, but my husband may have loved the “adventuring” even more than the kayaking. He’s the guy who likes to get out of the kayak and wander along the water’s edge to see what he can discover (especially when we finds a pasture of cows grazing).

I’m usually the one saying, “Are we getting back in the kayak yet?”

Where the Wapsipinicon & Mississippi Rivers Meet: Clinton County

Some of my favorite kayaking memories come from my time living in DeWitt and exploring the waterways between McCausland, Folletts and Camanche in southern Clinton County.

I love the backwaters near Rock Creek Marina & Campground, exploring the Mississippi River backwaters, and floating the Wapsipinicon from McCausland toward the Mississippi.

Those trips were the perfect combination of adventure and peacefulness.

Most of the time.

We did encounter a few downed trees after a recent storm that required some creative navigation. But honestly, that’s part of what makes river kayaking fun. Every trip is a little different, and you never quite know what the river is going to put in your path or how deep the water might be.

Des Moines River: Seven Oaks Recreation Area

Don’t forget about the Des Moines River west of Boone!

We highly recommend Seven Oaks Recreation Area. One of the biggest barriers to river kayaking can be logistics: Where do we put in? Where do we take out? Who is driving? How do we get the kayaks back?, etc. and having a full-service rental and transportation company makes everything easier.

Seven Oaks also has a ton of other year-round recreation opportunities, including river tubing, paintball, snow skiing, snow tubing and even their once-a-year Gladiator Challenge.

It’s a great option if you’re looking to turn your river trip into a bigger adventure.

What About Iowa’s Lakes?

     

We’ve kayaked plenty of lakes, too, and there are some beautiful ones across Iowa.

A few we’ve especially enjoyed include:

They’re all worth exploring.

But if you give me a choice between a lake and a river?

I’m choosing the river.

Every. Single. Time.

There’s less paddling, constantly changing scenery and just enough unpredictability to make it feel like an adventure.

Our Latest Water Adventure…Wasn’t Actually in a Kayak

Our most recent river adventure took us outside Iowa to the Niangua River near Lebanon, Missouri.

And technically, we cheated on our kayaks.

We went rafting.

We used Riverfront Campground & Canoe, and despite it being a rainy day, the experience was absolutely incredible. There were more than 400 vessels out that day just from the outfitter we used!

The river was full of people, energy, and activity, and we had SO much fun.

One of my favorite parts was being able to put five people together on one raft. It made the experience incredibly social (most of the time!), and the raft was so easy to navigate.

I’d love to see more opportunities like that develop on Iowa rivers. Kayaking is fantastic, but rafting creates another option for families and groups who want to experience our waterways together without everyone needing their own kayak.

My Iowa Kayaking Bucket List

Despite all the Iowa rivers we’ve explored, there’s still one that keeps sitting on my bucket list:

Manchester Whitewater Park.

How have we not done this yet?!

Considering my previously mentioned love of “rapids” that are really just rocks making exciting ripples, this could be interesting.

But it’s happening.

Someday.

Hopefully soon.

Shelly’s Best Tips for Kayaking Iowa

After nearly two decades of kayaking, I’ve learned a few things: sometimes the easy way and sometimes definitely not.

  1. Know your water trail. Look it up online before you go. Talk to people familiar with the area. Figure out approximately how long your route will take and, most importantly, know exactly where you’re putting in and taking out.

Pro tip: The best accesses aren’t always well marked. Actually, they’re rarely well marked.

Have a game plan before you’re standing beside a river saying, “I think this is it?”

  1. Always identify your post-kayaking food and drink destination. Find a local dive bar or restaurant near your takeout point. Better yet, order your meal to go and turn it into a date night (or date day) on the river.

Food tastes better near water. I’m pretty sure that’s scientifically proven.

  1. Try a river, even if you’ve only kayaked lakes. Lakes offer tons of kayaking opportunities, and they’re a great place to get comfortable in a kayak. But rivers are my favorite. There’s less constant paddling, the scenery keeps changing and you get to see parts of Iowa you’d never experience from the road.
  2. Don’t own a kayak? Don’t let that stop you. Iowa hasn’t always had a huge number of outfitters, but more and more are popping up. Search the area you’re interested in exploring and see whether there’s an outfitter offering kayak rentals and transportation. Sometimes having someone else handle the logistics makes the day even more enjoyable.

And finally, the most important kayaking advice I can possibly give you:

  1. NEVER (and I mean NEVER) borrow your father-in-law’s favorite John Deere hat for a kayak trip.

Because you just might lose it.

And you will NEVER live it down.

It’s not like he doesn’t have 500 other hats he could wear!!

But apparently that one was special.

Iowa Looks Different From the Water

After all these years, that’s still what keeps bringing me back.

I’ve kayaked with friends. I’ve kayaked with family. My husband and I have turned kayaking into date days. We’ve floated peacefully through backwaters, navigated around trees, bounced through little rapids, explored shorelines, and probably spent more time than I’d like to admit trying to figure out exactly where the takeout was supposed to be.

And I’d do it all again.

Iowa may not be the first place people think of when they picture a kayaking destination, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so special. We have beautiful rivers, quiet creeks, hidden backwaters, towering bluffs, wildlife and miles of scenery just waiting to be experienced from a completely different perspective.

So give me a paddle, point me toward the water and tell me where we’re taking out.

Just don’t give me your favorite hat.

Let’s hear from you: Where are your favorite kayak adventures???

 

EOH Explorer Series | A Different View of the North Raccoon River

If signs that say River Access, One Lane Bridge, Gravel Ends or Level B Road make you want to turn instead of keep driving, I have an area of rural Iowa for you to explore.

           

And you don’t even have to get in a kayak. But I did.

The North Raccoon River Water Trail winds through a part of western Iowa that is very familiar to me. I grew up just a few miles from here. My family fished the river, and I’ve driven these gravel roads from farm to farm and through this countryside more times than I could count. But kayaking or tubing the river? That wasn’t something we did growing up.

It took until adulthood for me to see this familiar place from an entirely different perspective.

Seeing Home From the River

We made an afternoon of kayaking the North Raccoon River, and what surprised me most was how quickly everything else seemed to disappear.

Once you’re on the water, you’re surrounded by trees, wildlife and stretches of river that feel almost completely undisturbed. There were moments when I found myself thinking that the view probably hadn’t changed all that much in hundreds of years.

No buildings. No traffic. No packed attraction or itinerary to follow.

Just the river.

And while I wouldn’t necessarily introduce myself as an avid kayaker, I really did enjoy it.

There’s something about floating along with a small group, talking when you want to talk and simply taking in the scenery when you don’t. Late summer gave us thick green foliage along the riverbanks, but I kept thinking how beautiful this trip would be once the leaves begin changing in the fall.

That said, our peaceful float did include a few lessons.

           

Lesson #1: Check the Water Level

Our trip happened when the river was pretty low.

There was definitely floating.

There was also definitely pulling.

At several points, we had to get out and pull the kayaks through shallow areas. It’s doable, but checking river conditions before you leave could make the difference between a relaxing paddle and getting a much better workout than you planned.

Which brings me to lesson number two.

Lesson #2: Wear Water Shoes

I wore plastic sandals.

Do not follow my example.

While pulling my kayak through one of the shallow sections, I managed to lose my footing and take a full spill into the river.

Thankfully, it was hot and the water actually felt pretty good. I laughed at myself, got back up and kept going.

But next time? Water shoes. Absolutely water shoes.

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

This is also one of those adventures where you need to think through the logistics before putting your kayak in the water.

Unless you’ve figured out how to make your vehicle float downstream behind you, you’ll want two vehicles. Leave one near your ending access point and use the other to get everyone and the kayaks to where you’re starting.

Bring life jackets, plenty of water, snacks and a waterproof case for your phone. A picnic waiting at the end would also be a pretty great way to finish the trip.

And since we’re sharing the things travel brochures don’t always tell you: restroom options are limited.

Dickson Timber near Merritt Access has a newer pit toilet restroom. Along the river itself, however, nature is pretty much providing the facilities.

Plan accordingly. Ladies, you may want to mentally prepare for the possibility that squatting in the woods becomes part of your outdoor adventure.

I told you this was the practical travel guide. 😉

You Don’t Have to Kayak to Explore Here

One of my favorite things about this area is that the river doesn’t have to be your entire destination.

There are several access points and public areas to explore, including North Raccoon Access, Andrews Access, Merritt Access and Dickson Timber.

Dickson Timber adds another layer to the trip with horse trails, equestrian camping areas, hitching posts and other outdoor recreation opportunities.

           

Even if kayaking isn’t your thing, this is the kind of area where you can pack a lunch, take the back roads and spend an afternoon exploring. Follow the river. Turn when you see an interesting public access sign. Stop somewhere you’ve driven past a dozen times but never actually visited.

That’s really what I took away from this trip.

I grew up only a few miles away, yet getting onto the river showed me a side of this landscape I’d never experienced before.

Sometimes exploring rural Iowa doesn’t mean driving hours from home or finding a place you’ve never heard of. Sometimes it’s looking at somewhere familiar from a completely different angle.

Even if that angle occasionally involves falling into the river.

Annie’s List – Know Before You Go

  • Check the river level first. Low water can mean less kayaking and a lot more getting out and pulling your kayak through shallow sections.
  • Wear actual water shoes. Plastic sandals did not pass the test. After taking a spill while pulling my kayak through the river, this is the number one thing I would change next time.
  • Plan for two vehicles. Leave one vehicle at your ending access and use the other to transport everyone and the kayaks to your starting point.
  • Bring your own gear. You’ll need a kayak or tube, properly fitted life jacket and any other water gear you need for your trip.
  • Protect your phone. A waterproof phone case or dry bag is a very good idea. Take it from someone who ended up unexpectedly sitting in the river.
  • Pack water and snacks. Better yet, leave a picnic at your ending point and make an afternoon of it.
  • Know the restroom situation. Dickson Timber near Merritt has a newer pit toilet restroom, but facilities along the river are limited. Be prepared for nature to be your restroom. Yes, that may mean squatting in the woods.
  • Consider Merritt or North Raccoon Access. Parking varies by access point, with some gravel or grassy parking areas.
  • Explore beyond the water. North Raccoon Access, Andrews Access, Merritt Access and Dickson Timber give you several places to discover. Dickson Timber also has horse trails, equestrian camping areas and hitching posts.
  • You don’t have to kayak. Pack a lunch and take a drive through the area. The river accesses, back roads, wooded areas and rural scenery make this a worthwhile place to explore from land, too.
  • Go during daylight hours. Summer and fall are both great choices. Late summer brings lush green scenery, while fall should make for a beautiful color-filled trip.
  • For families: I’d recommend this kayaking experience for kids around 10 and older or younger kids who are already comfortable and experienced in a kayak.
  • Pets: A kayaking-loving dog could come along, but use your judgment based on your pet, water conditions and kayaking experience.

Annie’s biggest advice: Wear the water shoes. Check the water level. You’ll have a much better day.