Southern Canoeing
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Canoeing and Kayaking are great for experiencing nature, staying fit and simply having fun. Our Southern streams offer year round opportunities for expert and novice paddlers alike.
Whether you are canoeing through glassy stillwaters or kayaking over exhilarating whitewater always think safety first. BE SMART, DON’T BE STUPID! •Canoe with a minimum of three people or two crafts. •Be sure you become familiar with the body of water before you embark. Ask! •Always wear your life jacket. •Bring an extra paddle, ropes or lines, dry change of clothes in cooler weather, plenty of potable water. •Be ready for an occasional dunking. Don't panic. Stay upstream of the boat to avoid being pinned between the boat and a rock. In calm waters, angle your way up to shore instead of paddling straight. •Don’t attempt rivers or rapids beyond your ability. You can progress gradually from one skill level to the next. •Do Not Litter!
We’ve found these recommended streams in each Southern state for your Canoeing or Kayaking expedition. Enjoy!
Kentucky The Green River
The Green River through Mammoth Cave National Park is one of the finest family oriented canoeing streams in the state. Canoeing the Green, you can experience one way early settlers found new homes during westward expansion. Canoers can expect to encounter deer, beaver, fox, bobcat, wild turkey and a large variety of birds.
Cave City Ky off Hwy. 70. I-65 at Exit 53
Outfitter:Green River Canoeing
Louisiana
Atchafalaya Paddle Trails
Atchafalaya Paddle Trails is a non-profit organization created by the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources' Atchafalaya Basin Program to help build, maintain and operate paddle trails in the Atchafalaya Basin, the nation's largest freshwater river swamp.
Kayaks are available to rent, and arrangements can be made to rent canoes, tents or other camping gear or for shuttles to nearby accomodations. Call APT at (337) 739-2410 for more information.
Outfitter:Atchafalaya Paddle Trails Listing
Mississippi - Black Creek
Black Creek (a National Scenic River) winds through Desoto National Forest (south of Hattiesburg), northwest and southeast through Brooklyn, MS. The waters are clear but have a brownish tint due to tannic acid from decaying leaves of trees that border the stream. Black Creek, where magnolia trees and wild azaleas are plentiful, is famous for its wide, white sandbars and relaxed floating pace.
Outfitter:Black Creek Canoe
North Carolina The Dan River
The Dan River flows for roughly 60 river miles through Stokes and Rockingham County. Remote and beautiful, with many rock gardens and huge boulders scattered all along the trail, banks rising over 100 feet are common. The tree cover along the river corridors is almost unbroken.The five public access points enable canoeists, rafters and tubers to select the ideal length for their tip.
Outfitter:Dan River Company
South Carolina - Edisto River
Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail is an easy trip on one of the state's longest blackwater rivers. It certainly ranks among the prettiest anywhere, too. For much of its gentle and flat passage, the Edisto ambles along under huge live oaks draped in Spanish moss, stoic baldcypress, and water tupelo towering from the dark water.
Near Colleton State Park only five minutes from I-95, Charleston/Canadys exit.
Outfitter:Carolina Heritage Outfitters
Tennessee - Buffalo River
The spring-fed Buffalo River is a Class I & II river suitable for beginners but does have its challenges. In the many bends the current picks up and swishes you beneath undercut, toppled trees lying across the outside of the bend. Take care here and hang to the inside of blind bends as much as possible.
Located about 90 miles west & south of Nashville the Buffalo is home to Boy Scouts of America's Grimes Canoe Base.
Outfitter:Flatwoods Canoe Base
Virginia The New River
The New River, the second oldest river in the world and one of the few that flow north, wanders through 37 miles of picturesque mountains and valleys in Giles County. It is one of only ten National Heritage Rivers in the United States. Good water quality, excellent scenery, plentiful campsites and sandy beaches make the New ideal for summertime cruising and camping. From June thru October when most Virginia streams are too low for canoeing, the New is at its best.
Located about 30 miles northwest of Blacksburg VA the New River meanders through the magnificent New River Valley.
Outfitter:Tangent Outfitters
Alabama Bartram Canoe Trails
The Mobile-Tensaw Delta's 200-mile-long Bartram Canoe Trail is one of the longest in the United States. It offers canoeists and kayakers 13 different routes to choose from, including three routes with floating campsites.
Located in North Baldwin County, the Trails are largely a fresh water system of wetland habitats and are host to many rare and exotic plants, animals and fish. The trail is dedicated to William Bartram, the well known traveling botanist whom visited the area in 1777.
Outfitter:Sunshine Canoes
Arkansas
The Buffalo National River
The Buffalo National River, the United States' first national river, is roughly 150 miles long, and packed with beautiful scenery and historical roots. The Buffalo originates in the rugged Boston Mountains division of the Ozarks near Fallsville. Beginning as just a trickle, The Buffalo River runs down the Boston Mountains and empties into the White River.
Canoe Outfitters: Harrison Arkansas Listing
Florida - Juniper Creek
The canoe trip from Juniper Springs Recreation Area to Juniper Wayside flows about 7 miles through the heart of the Juniper Prairie Wilderness. You will be surrounded by a lush tropical forest comprised of palms, cypress and many kinds of southern hardwoods. The first 2.5 miles of this creek are narrow and winding, with a channel scarcely wider than 6 feet. Past Half-Way Landing, the stream broadens out and becomes shallow and slow moving. There are no intermediate access points, and the average family takes about 4-5 hours to complete the trip.
Juniper Creek is one of 5 canoeing trips in the Ocala National Forest. From Ocala, follow SR 40 into the Ocala National Forest until you reach the Juniper Springs Recreation Area.
Canoe Outfitters: On Site, Call 352.625.2808
Georgia Okefenokee Swamp
The Great Okefenokee Swamp, one of America's most fascinating natural areas, is the largest Swamp in North America. Click for a larger view."Okefenokee" what Seminoles called "Land of Trembling Earth" is approximately 700 square miles located in the southeast corner of Georgia. The Okefenokee is crisscrossed by over 120 miles of canoe trails.
Stephen C. Foster State Park is a primary entrance to the famed Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and offers Canoe and Fishing Boat Rental as well as Guided Boat Tours.
Canoe Outfitters: On Site, Call 912.637.5274