The forecast for Sunday is sunny and 60. Meet at 1:00 p.m. at the Rice Creek Regional Trail parking lot located in the NE quadrant of I-35W and County Road I. It is across the street from the MnDOT and state highway patrol facility. From there we’ll head to the put in point (Aqua Lane). The route will be Aqua Lane to County Road I and is 7.4 miles. This will take several hours.
Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, life vest, paddle, and something to paddle. I kayaked most of this route yesterday and found it very doable in a shorter boat (mine is 10 feet). Could be extra challenging for long boats. There was one place where clearance between water surface and bridge was tight – a canoe might have to make a short portage if water isn’t down by then. The creek was swollen but the current was mild.
There are also nice bike trails along Rice Creek. Bring a bike if you’d like to take a ride after the paddle.
Estimated cost: $0. Deposit: $0. Max trip size: unlimited.
Steve P.