# Sell me (or don't) on paddling your urban river **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 6, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626 "2014-09-06T00:48:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/1 "2014-09-06T00:48:25Z")
I am an enthusiastic flatwater kayaker. Most of my paddling has been in rural areas, if not in wilderness, but I have recently been on the Chicago River a couple of times. This would’ve been inconceivable when I was growing up–you’d be eaten by the pollution–but the river has been pretty nicely cleaned up and it’s eminently paddleable. I did one trip on the North Side, where I was greeted by a couple dozen herons and other birds, and another downtown, where you get a very cool view of the buildings that tower over the waterway. Now I’m thinking: maybe I could make this into a new project, paddling down a bunch of different urban rivers that have been at least somewhat reclaimed, check out the sights, skylines, etc from a slightly different perspective. Unfortunately I don’t know enough about the rivers of most cities (other than Chicago). Is the Cuyahoga navigable by kayak through Cleveland these days? How navigable is the Platte through Denver? Is there a river in Houston? So, urban-area Dopers, I turn to you. Big rivers, small rivers, ones that go through cities and one that go next to cities–what’s worth trying to paddle, and what’s best avoided? If you know details of put-ins and takeouts so much the better, but not necessary. Imagine that I have unlimited budget and time to get anywhere in the US or for that matter Canada. When I would do this, if indeed ever, is uncertain, but the planning is half the fun. Any information, suggestions, warnings, would be much appreciated. Thanks! Ulf the Washed-If-His-Kayak-Tips-Over ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/2 "2014-09-06T01:19:47Z")
[The James River](http://www.todaysphoto.org/picture-of-the-day/railroad-bridge-richmond/). ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/3 "2014-09-06T01:23:44Z")
I was in Pittsburgh for two weeks on a training assignment, and – darn it! – didn’t get to go boating. I really wanted to, but never found the time. The locals told me that the water is a lot cleaner these days. I saw people out there on jet-skis. The whole place was scenic as anything, and I’d happily go back again. (They told me you can’t swim in the rivers, not because of pollution, but because of hazardous turbulence. You’d be swimming along, and suddenly find yourself ten feet under. Phoo! I love swimming!) (The Pittsburgh Zoo was also a delight!) ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/4 "2014-09-06T01:32:44Z")
You can kayak on the lower-Manhattan Hudson - -and its [FREE!](http://www.downtownboathouse.org/free-kayaking/). I haven’t gone but I’ve heard its nice. Much like Chicago this would have been unthinkable when I was a child but today the harbor’s so much cleaner the [oysters](https://www.billionoysterproject.org/) and [the harbor seals are back](http://www.wnyc.org/story/193752-harbor-seals-new-york-city/)! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/5 "2014-09-06T02:28:32Z")
I’ve had several friends kayak the Cuyahoga River, from Cleveland down through Kent State University - which is only half. But the rest isn’t urban, it’s pretty rural. The National Park Service says [it doesn’t prohibit kayaking](http://www.nps.gov/cuva/planyourvisit/canoeing.htm) but it doesn’t recommend it. But plenty of people do it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/6 "2014-09-06T02:36:31Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Is there a river in Houston? You should probably get advice from locals. There are alligators in a lot of Houston waterways and I’m assuming you’d want to avoid them. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/7 "2014-09-06T02:40:57Z")
Rochester has a man-made [whitewater course](http://geneseewaterways.org/kayaking.htm) set up for kayakers. And there’s the [Erie Canal](http://www.eriecanalway.org/explore_things-to-do_boating.htm) which runs through western New York. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/8 "2014-09-06T03:22:46Z")
You can paddle the American River in Sacramento. Start just below the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, and take-out at Discovery Park at the confluence with the Sacramento River, near downtown. About 23 miles. Thing is, it is greenbelt the whole way, so you may think you are in the wild altho you are surrounded by urban-ness. Only the few bridges across the river indicate you are in town. There are a few rapids, too. The American River Parkway is like a giant lung for the region. ---
**Author:** ![Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy_PickleSniffer)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/9 "2014-09-06T14:52:38Z")
Well, I’m not urban but since you say you love flatwater kayaking, I’d like to sell you on this river: [The Namekagon](http://wisconsintrailguide.com/paddle/namekagon-river.html) I’ve been down it many times both tubing and in canoes, it’s a wonderful ride. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/10 "2014-09-06T15:12:49Z")
What about the Potomac at DC? ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/11 "2014-09-06T15:25:10Z")
I haven’t kayaked here, but have taken a row boat out on the [Flint River](http://flintriver.org/blog/) as well as some of the adjoining [lakes](http://s2.hubimg.com/u/609197_f520.jpg). I should do it more often, it’s beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/12 "2014-09-06T15:44:45Z")
You wouldn’t get far on our rivers in the South (SF) Bay, the Guadalupe and its tributaries. They’re pretty dry. I think even in the winter, even in wet year, they’re not reliably paddleable. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/13 "2014-09-06T15:52:03Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > [The James River](http://www.todaysphoto.org/picture-of-the-day/railroad-bridge-richmond/). He said flatwater. The falls of the James in Richmond is a nasty, nasty piece of whitewater. The Chattahoochee in Atlanta is beautiful and has excellent trout fishing, if you can handle a fly rod. Also, you can paddle the Savannah river starting in Augusta, and pass right by a nuclear power facility. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/14 "2014-09-06T15:57:28Z")
If you come to L.A. [you won’t be alone.](http://www.latimes.com/la-ph-lariver-vid-html-htmlstory.html). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/15 "2014-09-06T16:03:54Z")
Pittsburgh’s three rivers (Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio) are great to paddle. Some of the businesses have created docking areas catering to boat traffic. One evening I paddled with a MeetUp group, finally stopping at Station Square for cocktails. ---
**Author:** ![Lorene89095](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@Lorene89095](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorene89095)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/16 "2014-09-06T16:19:37Z")
I see many people standing on paddleboards on the Colorado River through this part of Central Texas. No alligators. Big turtles,tho. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/17 "2014-09-06T16:30:30Z")
Peterborough, Ontario, has the Otonabee River. Plenty of flat water, dams, a canal with liftlocks, rapids (on the part that the canal bypasses), more dams, swing bridges, a marina on Little Lake, and easy access to downtown for buying food and supplies. Come here! ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/18 "2014-09-06T16:37:06Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > What about the Potomac at DC? Or the Anacostia on the other side. Get in at [Bladensburg Waterfront Park](http://www.pgparks.com/Things_To_Do/Nature/Bladensburg_Waterfront_Park.htm), go past the National Arboretum, then down past RFK Stadium, the Navy Yard, and Nationals Park, then get out at the marina at Buzzard Point. It’s about a 4 mile trip. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/19 "2014-09-06T16:46:44Z")
The [Willamette River](http://wpcontent.answcdn.com/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/USACE_Fremont_Bridge_Portland.jpg/300px-USACE_Fremont_Bridge_Portland.jpg) in Portland is very calm water, at least near the city. The Columbia River, while large, is largely dammed, so there are long expanses of river that are boatable. The town of [Hood Rive](http://dirtyfingersbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/hoodriver.jpg)r is mecca to kite boarders and other water enthusiasts from all over. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626/20 "2014-09-06T17:02:13Z")
Seconding the Chattahoochee in Atlanta. I’d rather more packs of yuppies would climb into kayaks and stay off bikes on Saturday mornings. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-me-or-dont-on-paddling-your-urban-river/697626.md?page=2)