Hello, I am new to this forum (and paddling for the most part) and look forward to participating as best I can. With that said, I am looking for some recommendations. Our family is my wife and I, and our twin 8yr old daughters. All of us have recreational sit in kayaks used primarily on lakes for recreation and fishing. My daughters each have their own old town Herron jr which has proven to be a perfect boat for them, and my wife and I paddle 10’ LL Bean (Perception) recreation kayaks. We bought them last year and really enjoyed our first year of kayaking!
With that said, we would like to plan an overnight trip for next spring/summer. We live in the suburbs of Philadelphia and spend a good deal of time in NE PA pocono mountains. I am looking for recommendations for a river paddle that would be easy and safe for the kids, but long enough where we could stop for the night, setup camp, and continue the next day. The idea of moving water is nice so my daughters can float when tired, but we obviously do not want any serious white water. Also, I want to make sure the camping is in a legal place. I am open to suggestions within a few hours from home. Is there anything like I describe on the upper Delaware, Schuylkill, or anywhere else? I would also be open to suggestions in western PA such as Ohiopyle but in that case we would have our RV and only 1 car so we would have to use an outfitter. My goal would be to start upstream somewhere and leave a car at our target destination down stream.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations!
there are 3
Upper Delaware
West Branch Susquehanna
Susquehanna below Sunbury
Search to: Landers Delaware outfitter and speak with Landers for your trip
The West Branch is more remote, colder, with a greater wilderness feel to the area. Also searchable.
Lower Sus is open country, warmer sunnier but windier if a front is blowing out or in.
viewing
trip areas is possible sing Google Maps, trnsfering place names, river names, adding canoing…into Google Images.
Pennsylvania has sponsor information on line.
You might also consider
the pristine flatwater streams of the south jersey pine barrens. the Mullica river has paddle in camping halfway from Atsion to pleasant mills. the wading river has drive in camping at hawkin bridge, godfrey bridge and bodine field.
also in the Pine Barrens and less
technical than the Mullica
The Batsto with camping halfway( Old Forge) to the village
biting
insects, again !
Batsto river
paddle or hike in camp site is lower forge. it is upstream from quaker bridge and really only about 35% of the way from Hampton furnace to the village. I wish it was halfway but it leaves you a short paddle on day 1 and a pretty long paddle on day 2.
the Wading is the easiest and most accessible, and probably the best for the kids to start with. there are also a variety of day trip car camp options. Micks canoe rental will help with shuttles(fee) if you need. Pinelands preservation alliance is also guiding trips now with a naturalist, they also might help shuttle for a fee
West Branch of the Susquehanna
The West Branch of the Susquehanna would be my choice of the opportunities closest to you. Excellent camping opportunities. Only significant rapid is just above the entry of Moshannon Creek (Red Moshannon Creek or the “Red Mo”) otherwise just riffles but decent current.
The best section is the roughly 95 mile stretch from Shawville to Lock Haven especially the 53 miles from Shawville to Keating.
Be aware that for the great majority of this stretch there are no roads accompanying the river and road crossings at bridges are spaced out by up to 15-20 miles so you would sort of be on your own.
DWGNRA
The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area would be a good choice. The Milford to Dingmans stretch or Dingmans to Bushkill. Easy moving water with campsites. I’ve paddled there often.
kayak trip
Stay on absolutely flat water. Your little kayaks are going to feel like submarines unless you are backpacker light.
Can your daughters brace, avoid obstacles and do a wet exit? They are pretty young for moving water.
Great info!
Great info everyone. Thanks! Regarding this stretch of the delaware, are the campsites actually campgrounds or just good places to pull over and camp? Are there outfitters to help haul your boat back to the launch point or do you leave a second car? Thanks again
campsites
are well established primitive spots to pull over, some on islands. the east bank is reasonably close to a road. the outfitters are bob landers and kittatiny canoes
backwoods before I80
https://www.google.com/#q=landers+canoe
https://www.google.com/#q=Delaware+Water+Gap