Canoeing Plans for 2026?

[SouthernKevlar]

What are your canoeing plans for 2026? A new canoe, a big trip, introducing someone new to paddling or just enjoying local waters more?

I still have not decided on my yearly "big trip" yet, possibly another trip to the WPSCR in Pennsylvania and then on to the Adirondacks, or if the dates work out right this year go to the Maine Canoe Symposium and then the WPSCR after a few days in the Adirondacks. Maybe a trip to Canada. No immediate plans for a new canoe this year but I will probably thin the herd and create a bit of space in the garage, i.e. "boat shed". Then again, who knows what "must have" floating vessel may strike my fancy in the coming next year.

May all have a great new year and find wonderful waters to paddle.

 

[ABT]

Wow turns out I’ve got lots of plans this year now I’ve written them out:

-Buffalo River trip this spring
-Missouri Whitewater clinic late April on the St. Francis
-Spring Ozark Rendezvous on North Fork of the White River (truly awesome Ozark river, and often ignored bc it’s not in the National Scenic Riverways).
-Annual Current River/Jacks Fork trip with Dad
-Canoecopia in March

Not on the calendar yet but on the “would like to if I can pull it off” list:
-Freestyle clinic/symposium
-Eleven Point River summer trip
-whitewater “week of rivers” trip in June/July in TN
-Spring River (Arkansas) weekend trip with St. Louis Canoe/Kayak club
-Mississippi or Missouri River day trip with STLCKC (never paddled before)
-paddle/explore the St. Francis below the shut ins/main whitewater sections

In general I’d also like to paddle more miles than last year’s 215, take plenty of weekend morning paddles on the close rivers, paddle more whitewater to get better at it, take my 3yo out with me more, and get my wife out with me more in her new kayak. Maybe start throwing in a weeknight paddle after work every couple of weeks.

For boats:
-try a pocket canyon for fun
-look into additional Starfire options (can’t see myself ever being without one now, may need a spare at some point…)
-try an actually “fast” boat for fun. Since I mostly do rivers, I’ve prioritized maneuverability but I should try something like Advantage, voyager, prism, magic, peregrine, etc. at some point.
-keep an eye out for Northstar’s new larger river tripper, very interested to see what it will be like.
-sell a boat or two before I even THINK about buying anything else

 

[Punkinhead]

We're currently camped in SC on our way to Florida where we'll paddle the mangroves, springs, and gulf for a month or so. I plan to attend canoeacopia this March and buy a new tandem. We'll surely do our annual Fall trip to Jacks Fork & Current River again. My wife and I just moved to a new house that puts me closer to my favorite small mouth stream so I'll paddle that at least once a week. My new shop will hopefully be done this Spring and I'm kicking around the idea of building a stripper.

 

[wjmc]

Hoping to continue with the "same old, same old" - 3 weeks in the NWT in late June/July, and a week in northern Saskatchewan in September. With the same caveat as last year - enough connective tissue surviving ski season.

This will be a bit of a milestone for me, if it works out. If I am allowed to count one trip that was in the NWT when I did it, but is now in Nunavut, and another that zigzagged across the Saskatchewan / NWT border, next summer will be my 40th trip in the NWT: a goal I have had for some time but was delayed by COVID travel restrictions.

Happy paddling to all in 2026.

wjmc

 

[GeoBoy]

Hopefully it won’t be so hot, 2025 was a hot summer in the NE, and I would like to try a tandem canoe with my wife. We currently use pack canoes but as we age it might be easier to keep up with the younger paddler’s with us paddling a small tandem.
What do you experienced tandem paddler’s think? The tandem I am thinking of is a Northstar Polaris.

 

[billconner]

You all have some great plans. Besides some day trips around me, I hope to do maybe 10-12 days on NFC, plus two work weekends with them. I will be at Canoecopia in March.(Should we plan a canoe tripping get together?) And if possible, a bwca or Quetico trip in September or October would be terrific.

 

[tketcham]

The tandem I am thinking of is a Northstar Polaris.

I've been looking at that canoe as well. I found some reviews and discussions (here and other websites) but it's mostly about how well the Polaris works as a solo canoe, not as a tandem. There's a thread (kbobb) asking about the Polaris over at the Tandem Forum but no activity so far.

 

[dramey]

I am planning on canoeing all 30 lakes in the Swan Lake Canoe Trails, all 40 lakes of the Swanson River Canoe Trails, and the Nancy Lake Canoe Trails.

 

[Neophyte]

I just got my Trillium switched from pack to seated drops and picked a few canoe paddles. I'm looking forward to spending this year working on my paddle strokes.

ABT I'm with you on the fast boat thing, I paddles a Magic and loved it, and I'd like to try a GRB Classic and Advantage. I'm not rushing on this though, I'd like to focus on really getting to know my Trillium this year.

I'd like to do some more river paddles this year. The Perkiomen and Delaware Rivers are near me, and they're both great trips. I've got to get them early though, water levels can be a struggle once we get past June. And of course shuttling is a hassle, so I can't go by myself.

Lowangle al recommended some lakes up in the Poconos, I'm hoping to get to those this year and maybe take him up on his offer to meet up some time.

There's an overnight trip on the West Branch Susquahanna I'd like to do as well, I'm looking at putting in at Karthaus and taking out Keating/Sinnemahoning Creek. It's a nice half-way point between my brother and I, so I'm hoping he'll have time this year. Details to be determined, I may be reaching out for trip advice.

I'd also like to paddle in somewhere and camp on a lake for a few days. Lows Lake in the Adirondacks looks perfect, but it's a six hour drive. I could do it by myself though, which is a big plus.

Dramey, I'm not familiar with paddling up your way but Swan Lake Canoe Trail looks amazing. I visited Alaska once when I was young and I'd love to go back. Enjoy your paddling.

 

[lowangle al]

Hopefully it won’t be so hot, 2025 was a hot summer in the NE, and I would like to try a tandem canoe with my wife. We currently use pack canoes but as we age it might be easier to keep up with the younger paddler’s with us paddling a small tandem.
What do you experienced tandem paddler’s think? The tandem I am thinking of is a Northstar Polaris.

I think it's a good idea to go tandem as you get older. It should make paddling easier for one thing. Being more stable and having someone to either hold the boat steady or apply a solid brace while getting in and out makes things easier. If you're doing portages, having only one boat to carry will let you bring an additional pack, lightening the load of the other packs.

I never paddled a Polaris. I'm partial to the Seliga, it's probably more stable, dryer and will carry a bigger load. Plus I like its' traditional lines.

I am planning on canoeing all 30 lakes in the Swan Lake Canoe Trails, all 40 lakes of the Swanson River Canoe Trails, and the Nancy Lake Canoe Trails.

I still hope to join you for a trip this summer, it may be my last one up there. How about the two rivers? The Moose is nice and the Swanson is fantastic when the silvers are running.

Lowangle al recommended some lakes up in the Poconos, I'm hoping to get to those this year and maybe take him up on his offer to meet up s

I look forward to it.

Dramey, I'm not familiar with paddling up your way but Swan Lake Canoe Trail looks amazing. I visited Alaska once when I was young and I'd love to go back. Enjoy your paddling.

I was always partial to the Swanson River trails. It's a little more wild and less traveled, but the Swan lake system has better mountain views and flatter, better cleared portages. Both systems are good and lightly used. As a canoeing destination it is probably cheaper and logistically easier to get to then places in Northern Canada. You can above 60 degrees latitude, where you can find wolves, grizzlies, moose, salmon, giant native rainbow trout, swans, loons and eagles, and northern lights, all with no permits and no crowds. You can be on the water a day after leaving from anywhere in the lower 48.

 

[Gamma1214]

You can be on the water a day after leaving from anywhere in the lower 48.

Wow. I thought I drove fast...

 

[lowangle al]

Wow. I thought I drove fast...

Haha, you'd only have a three hour drive from the airport in Anchorage, but it is scenic so don't go too fast.

 

[tketcham]

I'm really looking forward to canoeing in 2026, more so than usual. Last year was an OK year but due to other commitments and priorities we didn't get out as much as I like. This year is dedicated to canoeing so I'm hoping to do a lot more camping and backcountry trips, paddling with friends, exploring new water, and getting to know my GRB Classic better. No new canoes on the horizon unless a deal on a used lightweight Swift Keewaydin 17 or Northstar Boreas comes up. (We'd have to get rid of one of our tandem canoes and that would be a difficult choice.) At least that's the plan. But even ‘the best laid plans of mice and men can still go awry’* so we'll see.

* Robert Burns, 'To A Mouse', 1785: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men. Gang aft a-gley.”

 

[RatAssassin]

Buy myself a new solo boat. Sell my old one.
Paddle the Current River in MO.
Hit up some local big flowages (we have lots of free paddle in sites here in WI) for some smaller 2-3 day trips and hopefully expand my pretty much non-existent circle of people who enjoy some paddling, fireside company and some day trips/fishing.
Hook up with 2 older gentlemen who always plan a trip or 2 a year into BWCA/Quetico. They are 75 and 76 and still go. I never miss an opportunity to be the "kid" they drag along.
Do more paddling in the UP.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Well I already mentioned my Bowron Lakes trip. Everything else is tentative and depending on other obligations. But there are a few things I'm considering.

More time in Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming, which might include the upper Green, the Yellowstone, or the south fork of the Snake. High on my list there is to make a central camp and do day trips on everything around Island Park that I can do with bicycle shuttle. Possibly a trip into Shoshone Lake to the geyser basin if I can fit it in.

I have a plan for something similar closer to home. Camping at Three Forks of the Owyhee River and poling upstream as far as I can on each fork.

Other than that, the only significant plan I have given any real thought to is to mentor a new solo canoe paddler if he'll let me.

 

[CanoeDaddy]

...as much as time and family obligations will allow me...

 

[dutchlennart]

A weekend in the Ardennes naar Malmedy in a couple of weeks with many Belgium paddlers and some Dutch and Germans . Hope there will be water for the nice grade 2 rivers. But waterlevels are more for the walking boots.
Paddle more from home. Hope there will be some longer trip later in the year.

 

[dramey]

I still hope to join you for a trip this summer, it may be my last one up there. How about the two rivers? The Moose is nice and the Swanson is fantastic when the silvers are running.


I was always partial to the Swanson River trails. It's a little more wild and less traveled, but the Swan lake system has better mountain views and flatter, better cleared portages. Both systems are good and lightly used. As a canoeing destination it is probably cheaper and logistically easier to get to then places in Northern Canada. You can above 60 degrees latitude, where you can find wolves, grizzlies, moose, salmon, giant native rainbow trout, swans, loons and eagles, and northern lights, all with no permits and no crowds. You can be on the water a day after leaving from anywhere in the lower 48.

I look forward to going on a canoe trip with you. Whichever loop or the Moose or Swanson River is fine by me. I really don’t know why the Swanson River Canoe Trails or the Swan Lake Canoe Trails aren’t more famous. If you fly into Kenai, you are 1.5 hours drive from being on the water and camping with Moose, Caribou, Bears, Wolves, Lynx, Bald Eagles, Swans and fishing for trophy sized Salmon, Trout, Dolly Varden without the freezing winds of the Canadian Barrens.