Kayaking or Canoeing in Alaska

[ussminnow]

Hello!

 

Can anyone tell me the best place(s) to kayak and/or canoe in Alaska? I am not experienced in either but would love to see AK from the perspective of the water and enjoy the scenery.

 

Also - are there opportunities for kayaking or canoeing in Denali that are suitable for someone in search of a leisurely excursion? I have seen rafting trips but I wasn't sure if they would be appropriate for someone who has never rafted before (i.e. me!).

 

Thank you!

[Suzanne123]

We've done several kayak trips in Alaska. My favorite was a full day kayak out of Homer.

http://homerkayaking.com/

 

I also liked the longer trip in Juneau with http://beyondak.com/trip/day-trips/

We paddled in Auke Bay and got to see the humpbacks. It was about 8-9 miles, so maybe not a good choice if you're not sure you like to kayak. I see they have a new, shorter Chanel Islands trip that looks like fun.

 

The kayak trips in Skagway were just OK for me. Nice scenery, but not very exciting.

 

Chilkoot Lake Kayak Experience and http://www.packerexpeditions.com/glacier-lake-kayak-and-scenic-rail/

 

The Southeast Sea Kayaks trip out of Ketchikan was nice even though it poured the whole time we were on the water.

http://www.kayakketchikan.com/

 

I guess my preference is the ocean versus lake kayak because I like to see the animals, but the lake kayaks are also nice if you just want to enjoy the scenery.

 

We've also done the Mendenhall Lake Canoe trip and the Glacier Point Wilderness Safari several times which involve canoes. Both of those trips were very nice, too.

[Budget Queen]

The canoe trip on Mendenhall Lake is basically a "ride", you don't have to paddle. You can rent kayaks and kayak Mendenhall Lake, which is pretty easy.

 

If you want a guided kayak trip, Southeast kayaks out of Ketchikan, has some very nice trips, geared for all levels. Only raft trips out of Denali. these are guided, with different types depending on the put in, from white water to float. There is a very nice float trip out of Skagway on the Taiya River. I do not recommend the Mendenhall River float trip.

[bottom-dragger]

Can anyone tell me the best place(s) to kayak and/or canoe in Alaska? I am not experienced in either but would love to see AK from the perspective of the water and enjoy the scenery.

 

yes, but not if you're only seeing three tourist ports in southeast

 

Le Conte Bay, Stikine River, Petersburg Creek Wilderness

 

there's a whole lot more of southeast than KetchiSkgJun0

Edited May 12, 2015 by bottom-dragger

[ikirumata]

We really enjoyed our Southeast Kayaks/Oras Cove excursion. Their office is right next to the cruise dock. Orcas cove is about 5-10 minutes boat ride from Ketchikan cruise port.

 

We got to see a bear, eagle's nest, seals, spitting clams, star fish, otters... After the kayaking, we got to chow down on some yummy smoked salmon and crackers.

 

Keep in mind, kayaking is a lot of work, especially in the wind. We were super tired when we finally got back to the cruise ship!

 

I hope yall have fun!

[ussminnow]

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback! Has anyone ever rafted in Denali who was a first-timer? My husband is interested in whitewater rafting in AK but I've never done it before and wondered if the rapids in Denali are not suitable for a newbie?