Best Places to Live in the US for Canoeing?

[Ripple]

Saranac is a beautiful village, congrats!

 

[Boatman53]

If I didn’t live on the coast that’s where I would live. Actually did live there for a while and my daughter lives there now.
Jim

 

[dramey]

Alaska

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

We will be moving to Saranac Lake, NY in June.

I missed the end of this thread.

Congrats to you and your family, Jake! If you've got a solid job, that's a great area to live for canoeists and outdoors folks. I was there several times this summer.

Make sure to visit the WCHA Assembly at Paul Smith's College next July, right up the road from you. There are scores of lovely wooden canoes to ogle and interesting and educational vendor tents to visit. Plus, you'll be able to meet me and several other CTN members there. Maybe fit in a small group canoe day trip.

 

[Tfraser]

I’ll throw a vote in for North Georgia. Amazing variety. Southern end of Appalachian mountains and has everything from creeks beyond my skill set, solid class 3-4 whitewater runs, multi day flat water, and lakes. 5 hour trek to southern part of Georgia opens a whole other spectrum of remote swamps and coastal paddling.

 

[MrPoling]

I like living where I can get to the water easily. I've lived waterfront, which was amazing. About half the places i've lived had somewhere I could get to in a few minutes to paddle. Not necessarily something spectacular but just somewhere I could access the water legally and get some exercise.

I've lived in two cities in North Carolina, both not far from where I live now. Both had nice places to paddle with 30 minutes, but nothing within fifteen minutes of the house that wasnt controlled access. So it was hard to slip out for a paddle after work, or at dusk when the wildlife is out and the sun is setting.

I could still day trip to the same places, and do longer trips in the same places. But I got out of shape for paddling, and had paddling on my mind less.

 

[memaquay]

I really shouldn't comment on this, as I have no experience the States, but I was thinking Minnesota would be a good place. Not only is there some nice paddling opportunities, but if you live in the north, you are only a few hours distant from some of the best paddling in Canada, and once Minnesota becomes the 11th province, it will be a breeze to drive up here.

 

[Bob B.]

I am blessed. I live in South Western Wisconsin. The driftless zone. We have wooded acres, and I care take for two properties that border mine. I get to be in the timber everyday. My dogs and I hike throughout the year, I keep myself and 2 neighbors in firewood, maintain over 4 miles of trails and have a lot of country to wander and hunt with my longbow.

Here a traffic jam is waiting on a hay wagon. I am minutes away from several Wisconsin River back water put-ins. Two nice lakes and hiking at Governor Dodge State Park, lots of other small rivers like the Pine and Pecatonica. I am a days travel from the BWCA and the Quetico, 2 hours from the Mississippi River. I can not paddle year round, wish I could … but do not think I would be happy living anywhere else.

 

[Whit30]

North Alabama is NOT the place. If that's any help.

The "River" is huge and it's either a barge channel or a giant shallow mud hole.

Any smaller creeks/streams are either an inch deep or have a thousand drunks floating them on coolers every weekend.

Not that I'm bitter about it

100%. It's tough here.
Our history is one of waterways being prioritized for profit and convenience. Electricity, flood control, and commercial navigation has always been the top priorities. Any water big and deep enough for an outboard motor is totally dedicated to power generation, motorized crafts, commercial navigation, real estate, and tax generation. What's left is slim pickings indeed.
What little whitewater we have is free flowing and only runnable in the colder months. The few decent flat or gently flowing streams we have are lined by cow pastures and chicken houses and mostly choked with fallen timber.
The few remaining cleaner ones with enough level in the warmer months are full of drunks on rentals. Nothing against our outfitters they provide us valuable access and logistics. But they make their living sending clueless suburbanites down a section of river and turning it into an amusement park ride.

 

[Whit30]

I’ll throw a vote in for North Georgia. Amazing variety. Southern end of Appalachian mountains and has everything from creeks beyond my skill set, solid class 3-4 whitewater runs, multi day flat water, and lakes. 5 hour trek to southern part of Georgia opens a whole other spectrum of remote swamps and coastal paddling.

Although we have more actual waterways in AL Id have to agree GA is better. GA has a variety of paddling opportunities from the northern mountains to the coastal plain, and its generally less developed and more canoe friendly overall. MS is pretty similar to AL but worse, not even any whitewater in the winter. TN is pretty decent, on par or a little better than GA Id say but still has a lot of the same issues as AL.
FL is its own thing, unique and beautiful, but with its on set if issues.

 

[lowangle al]

If I was looking to buy a place, my main priority would be to find one on a lake, or possibly a river. I would start my searches near major canoeing areas, like the Adirondacks, Boundary Waters or somewhere in Maine. I would look for a lake with the character I like and can afford. I would also want some good day trip possibilities close by and not be more than a few hours drive from a canoe area.

Nothing will do more for your paddling then living on the water. My place in the Poconos would be perfect if it was a few hours closer to the Adirondacks.

 

[Black_Fly]

Ely 20 years ago. Don’t know if I’d enjoy summers there nowadays. I’d look hard at the UP of MI. Short drive to Ontario, some cleanish seasonal rivers, some awesome shoreline, and a short drive to Ontario (bears repeating).