Canoeing

**snowcraig2.0** · 08-03-2010, 09:51 PM

Anyone have a good recommendation for canoeing and tent camping in eastern Iowa? TIA.

**farewayfool** · 08-03-2010, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by snowcraig2.0

Anyone have a good recommendation for canoeing and tent camping in eastern Iowa? TIA.

I have canoed the Cedar north of Muscatine (Atalissa area) and it was pretty good. That was several years back and it was not high or flooded. If you are looking for something soon, I would watch out for high water.

**MLawrence** · 08-03-2010, 10:08 PM

McDonough's Canoe rental in Monticello is not too bad. I don't know that there is tent camping in the area. I don't if Walnut Acres or Central Park have camp tenting. But I would check out the area before you go an see how they were affected by the floods.

**cyclonesurveyor** · 08-03-2010, 10:27 PM

upper iowa river-kendallville to bluffton to decorah
www.decoraharea.com
turkey river around clermont & elgin and yellow river are also enjoyable, all in northeast iowa.

**farewayfool** · 08-03-2010, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by cyclonesurveyor

upper iowa river-kendallville to bluffton to decorah
www.decoraharea.com
turkey river around clermont & elgin and yellow river are also enjoyable, all in northeast iowa.

I agree with this one. Canoeing by Decorah (now that WAS awhile ago) is awesome.

**Bobber** · 08-03-2010, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by cyclonesurveyor

upper iowa river-kendallville to bluffton to decorah
www.decoraharea.com
turkey river around clermont & elgin and yellow river are also enjoyable, all in northeast iowa.

All these are really nice. I canoed the Maquoketa growing up, but these rivers tend to have more drop with speed and very nice scenery.

**Iastfan112** · 08-03-2010, 10:48 PM

Not very familiar with eastern Iowa paddling but I have 2 general suggestions:
1. :: Index is a great forums for asking questions has nice variety of paddlers around the state including a few Iowa DNR folks who are big into canoeing.

2. Free Paddling Iowa: 96 Great Trips by Canoe and Kayak eBooks Download - Books Download another good resource about the best trips around the state. Its out of print now but if you see a copy in print and are serious about canoeing its an awesome resource.

**Al_4_State** · 08-04-2010, 07:26 AM

Upper Iowa River from Kendallville to Bluffton. Most spectacular scenery in Iowa. You can camp and get your gear out of Hruska's Campground in Bluffton. Great place to camp as well.

**Senolcyc** · 08-04-2010, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by snowcraig2.0

Anyone have a good recommendation for canoeing and tent camping in eastern Iowa? TIA.

Rivers are way up, running fast, deep and treacherous. Full of debris, log jams, tricky spots, etc etc etc. It's up to you, but a novice could get in a lot of trouble real quick on eastern Iowa rivers right now. Even the usually tame Upper Iowa can be dangerous when it's up.....and it is way up.

**GeronimusClone** · 08-04-2010, 07:47 AM

You could canoe down my street this morning.

**mj4cy** · 08-04-2010, 07:52 AM

every year we get a group and do the des moines revier starting north of boone and ending at ledges. its a fun time. They drop you off and pick you up and you can booze the whole way down if you wish.

**ajk4st8** · 08-04-2010, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by Senolcyc

Rivers are way up, running fast, deep and treacherous. Full of debris, log jams, tricky spots, etc etc etc. It's up to you, but a novice could get in a lot of trouble real quick on eastern Iowa rivers right now. Even the usually tame Upper Iowa can be dangerous when it's up.....and it is way up.

The Upper Iowa was way down despite all the rivers down here as of 1.5 weeks ago. They have had little measurable rain up there since. Trout streams (South Bear especially) were clear and lots of people going down the upper Iowa.

The Upper Iowa is probably your safest bet to get on a river that isnt completely flooded.

**ajk4st8** · 08-04-2010, 09:10 AM

[QUOTE=Iastfan112;1837637]Not very familiar with eastern Iowa paddling but I have 2 general suggestions:
1. :: Index is a great forums for asking questions has nice variety of paddlers around the state including a few Iowa DNR folks who are big into canoeing.

2. Free Paddling Iowa: 96 Great Trips by Canoe and Kayak eBooks Download - Books Download another good resource about the best trips around the state. Its out of print now but if you see a copy in print and are serious about canoeing its an awesome resource.[/QUOTE]

This book is out of print now, and will be forever. The publisher said they are NOT making more copies. We have contacted them many times.

Most libraries have it though.

**DaddyMac** · 08-04-2010, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by Al_4_State

Upper Iowa River from Kendallville to Bluffton. Most spectacular scenery in Iowa. You can camp and get your gear out of Hruska's Campground in Bluffton. Great place to camp as well.

Second this.

Not sure if it's the same placed we camped or not. But where we did (Bluffton) we got flooded out which may be an issue this summer as well.

But the canoeing was fantastic.

**TheCaptain** · 08-04-2010, 09:24 AM

Just got home yesterday from a 3 day trip on the Upper Iowa from Kendallville to Bluffton.The river is perfect for canoeing and the scenery is even better.
I've been on many stretches throughout the state over the years and this is by far my favorite.