Portaging is the extra effort that grants access to a world of remote, untouched wilderness experience. And reaching that place on foot, without the aid of machines, is an accomplishment seldom experienced in the 21st century.
Trekking into the wilderness is trekking away from civilization, people, noise and the busyness of the daily grind to discover that the world is still wild in certain places and that we are still very much connected to that wildness deep inside, beneath the overly urbanized version of ourselves.
So pack light and stretch your shoulders for five of the best paddling adventures our country's wilderness has to offer. But when the shoreline approaches, don't bother turning back; we're portaging onward.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Minnesota
With more than 1 million acres of woods and water to explore within Superior National Forest, Boundary Waters Canoe Area along the Minnesota/Canada border ranks as the most popular wilderness canoeing destination in the country and offers more than 1,000 lakes and a wealth of portaging opportunities.
For the duration of your venture here, you'll trade the sights and sounds of roadways, buildings and towns for the slow pace of moose, the majesty of bald eagles and the sleepy lullaby of loons at sunset.
From Ely, Minn., 20 entry points offer access to more than 1,500 miles of canoe trails, 2,000 secluded campsites and some of North America's best fishing. Take the three-day, 22-mile Pine Creek Loop for four portages and a taste of Boundary Water backcountry-remote lakes, big and small; lake trout, walleye and pike; and loads of wildlife and scenery far from the commotion of the city.
The Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
The Swan Lake and Swanson River Canoe Trail Systems in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge join to form a federally designated wilderness canoe area that is widely known as "the other boundary waters." Containing 70 lakes, more than 100 miles of trails and Alaska's rich salmon runs, these two systems are a prerequisite for those looking to master the art of portaging.
The trails offer access to 200 species of wildlife including several fish-eating birds, playful mink and otter, and, if you're lucky, moose, bears and wolves to spice up the already impressive landscape. For short portages, all under one mile, the Swan Lake system is perfect for all canoeing skill levels and offers great fishing and quiet relaxation in abundant supply. For more of a challenge, try the Swanson River Route where rougher portages of varying distance and terrain give the weeklong trip a full dose of Alaskan flavor.
Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Maine
Tucked away in Maine's mountainous north woods is the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, offering canoers a seven-day trip from Chamberlain Lake to the town of Allagash across 92 peaceful miles of lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. Along with picturesque, remote landscapes that teem with 19th century history and an encyclopedia of Northeast wildlife, the Allagash trail offers some fast-water paddling over Class I and II rapids, stretches of calm, scenic river like the Musqucook Deadwater, challenging portages to lakes and campsites, and loads of day hikes to mountaintop views and towering waterfalls. Canoeing is prime from May to September, but your best chances for catching brook trout are in the cooler months that bookend the summer.
St. Regis Canoe Area, New York The fact that it is closed to all forms of motorized boats and vehicles means that the St. Regis Canoe Area in New York is quiet-that is, except for the soothing splash of your paddle through crystal clear waters and maybe the knocking of a woodpecker. But while it's limited in sounds, St. Regis is full of adventure with 58 bodies of water over 18,000 acres within view of the Adirondacks.
Short and long portages and a long list of possible trip itineraries make St. Regis a paddler's paradise. Make a day of it with the well-known Seven Carries Route, covering three lakes and a series of ponds, or spend the day on the Rollins Loop where sightseeing, swimming and short portages make for a peaceful outing.
For a longer trip, try the Saranac Lake Base to Franklin Falls trip where you'll encounter mountains, swamplands, and Class II+ rapids. Or challenge your portage and fishing skills with the Nine Carries route in the heart of the area's wilderness. And for the crème de la crème of St. Regis, set out on the Blue Mountain Lake to St. Regis extended trip covering almost 80 miles in a week and requiring at least nine portages.
Everglades National Park, Florida
While there are technically no portages required here, the Everglades National Park canoe trails deserve a wildcard in this discussion of long, scenic paddling trips into the wilderness. Make no mistake; an Everglades canoe trip is still a backcountry venture, but a tangled web of mangrove-lined creeks, wind-blown prairies of sawgrass, alligators and manatees, and floating campsites called chickees provide a unique spin on the typical paddling trip.
For day trips, take the West Lake Trail, a series of lakes connected by mangroves, or float the shallow waters of the 11.5-mile historic Bear Lake Trail bordered by loads of tropical flora. For longer adventures, explore the Ten Thousand Islands region for private beach camping or the vast 99-mile Everglades Wilderness Waterway.
No matter where you travel or in what direction you point your boat's bow, be willing to push on beyond the boundary of the pond you're in and portage deeper into the outstretched wilderness. Because it's there that adventure awaits, and it's there that you will find the reason for pushing on.
