Canoeing, A Real Workout

Outdoor activities are all the people in Minnesota seem to do from Spring until the first snow. My guess is that they spend all the time they can outside because in the winter, they’re stuck inside under mountains of snow. Never mind the mosquitoes and humidity, summer in Minnesota is time for hiking, biking, boating, and all the other outdoor activities they can come up with.

Last summer I had the privilege to take a trip up to Minnesota and go on a day trip to Taylor’s Falls. This town lies on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin, a couple hours north of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The St. Croix river runs through here, making for beautiful canoeing spots, hiking, and camping. I went for a day trip to canoe down the river and spend a day in the sun.

For those who are new to canoeing, like myself, it’s a lot more work than expected. By the end of the day my arms felt like they were going to fall off and I was dead tired. It was absolutely worth it though. Newbies to canoeing be warned, but don’t shy away from the opportunity. Just make sure you have someone with you who knows how to steer the canoe, otherwise you’ll be paddling in circles all day long. That is something I learned the hard way.

Having never actually gone canoeing before, I found this trip to be perfect for those who want to experience the outdoors on the water, but don’t quite know how to get started. The summer heat is cut by the cool breeze off the river and the mosquitoes aren’t terrible if you go in July, as the heat starts to kill them off during the day. You will need someone with you with a bit of knowledge on canoeing, but there is also the option to go on guided tours with groups.

The tours offered have larger canoes where the option to just ride along as a passenger is available. There are several tour guide groups that are stationed up in the area around Taylor’s Falls, as well as other groups up and down the river. There’s an option for everyone up there, whether you’re up for the arm work out or not, you can get out and see Minnesota from the water.