Water trails suggested for trailsnet.

"How about adding water trails?"

That was a suggestion I just received from Archie in South Carolina regarding the trailsnet website.

And it's an excellent point. When I first began compiling information for the trailsnet website, my intention was to include every possible type of trail. So I collected information about mountain bike trails, rail trails, backpacking trails, and water trails. In fact, I still have files full of information about water trails all over the United States and a few international ones as well.

But alas, once I actually built the trailsnet website, it became overwhelming, so I decided to focus on multipurpose trails that were bike accessible and able to be used by people of all ages and abilities. I felt I could do more justice to the site and site visitors by having more of a focus.

My dad relaxes in his kayak on
the beautiful waters of Middle
Thompson Lake in NW Montana.

However, the trails network blog is much more diverse and includes other types of trails. Which brings me back to Archie's suggestion: What about water trails?

I would love to include information about water trails. Some of my most enjoyable trail trips have included kayaking on the chain of lakes in northwestern Montana or canoeing on the Powell River lakes up in Canada. For at least a couple more years, I will continue focusing on bike/multipurpose trails on the website, but I will definitely begin sharing more information about water trails on the trails network blog.

So let me start by sharing this website for the Berkeley County Blueways in South Carolina. It looks like a great water trail system. Since I haven't yet featured any South Carolina trails on trailsnet, I'm hoping maybe I can check out the B.C. Blueways when I visit S.C.

Thanks for the suggestion, Archie!!

Water trails suggested for trailsnet.

Water Trail in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River

kayak on Colorado River

I haven't spent much time talking about water trails in this blog, but a recent article about the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge in Parade magazine prompted me to write a little about the water trail in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River and my kayak experience in that stretch of the river.

To be brief, it was awesome.

While my buddies were gambling in Vegas, I was enjoying the serenity of the Colorado River between Hoover Dam and Lake Mojave.

one of the many natural hot springs

view from one of the hot
springs looking down on
the Colorado River

But it was more than just serenity. And it was more than just beauty, although the trip is beautiful and occasionally surreal.

The surprise that awaited me was the hot/warm springs. I had no idea they existed, so I was pleasantly surprised to find out that those little streams that joined the Colorado River were actually flowing with warm water. And on some of them, that warm water was dammed to form pools that were filled with bathtub-like water that was just the right temperature. Talk about relaxing. I kayaked all day and visited three warm spring canyons. That whole time, I only saw two other people on the river and one other person in the hot springs.

I loved it, and I suggest you give it a try. I'll take kayaking and hot springs soaking over Black Jack and roulette any day.

Water Trail in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River