5 Great Places to Kayak
By Amy Reinink
You wouldn’t expect to find world-class white-water kayaking in Montgomery County. But that’s what it has, thanks to elite training courses such as the one set up at the feeder canal in C&O Canal National Historical Park and the Dickerson Whitewater Course in northern Montgomery County. But it’s not just extreme
athletes who are succumbing to the sport’s appeal. Participation in both white-water and flat-water kayaking has increased rapidly in recent years. With several paddling outfitters within a quick drive of Bethesda, you, too, can experience the adrenaline rush of careening down white-water runs—or relax by floating lazily through the calm waters of the area’s lakes. Here are our favorite spots to hit the water.
Potomac River, Violette’s Lock: Tom McEwan, director of Liquid Adventures Kayak School in Cabin John, says the best place to learn white-water kayaking skills is “right here on the Potomac.” With its relatively gentle currents, he says, the section near Violette’s Lock is especially friendly to white-water kayakers with just a few lessons under their belt. Put in at the river bank adjacent to the lock; paddle directly across to the Virginia side of the river and go just under two miles downriver; then paddle back up the C&O Canal for roughly a four-mile round-trip. Violette’s Lock is located about eight miles north of Potomac off River Road, roughly half a mile before Route 112. (www.nps.gov/choh)
Potomac River, Lock 6: Ian Buckley, a kayaking instructor and manager at Potomac Paddlesports in Rockville, says intermediate kayakers can up the ante by putting in at Lock 6, near Bethesda’s Brookmont neighborhood, to access Little Falls. The run is only about two miles round-trip (again, using the canal to paddle back upriver), but it offers great scenery and a chance to rub elbows (or paddles) with world-class kayakers on the white-water slalom gates in the feeder canal. “There’s a long history of Olympian slalom kayakers using the gates set up for them to practice their skills and techniques,” Buckley says. “It’s also nice for strong beginners, because while the water is moving swiftly, it’s pretty flat, so it’s a good, safe place to work on your skills.” Even so, he says, make sure you’re properly trained, with a solid grasp of intermediate white-water kayaking skills or with experience in Class III rapids, before you go. (www.nps.gov/choh)
Harpers Ferry, W.Va.: Beginners looking for a change of scenery will like Harpers Ferry, where the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers meet. The Potomac River is so calm around nearby Shepherdstown, W.Va., that you can virtually float to your destination, and even paddle back upstream rather than park a second car to shuttle you back. (Try putting in at the Shepherdstown boat ramp at the end of North Princess Street downtown and floating/paddling down to the Dargan Bend boat ramp, just north of Harpers Ferry.) A short drive away, though, you’ll find Class III rapids and 6-foot waves on the North Branch of the Potomac after water is released from Jennings Randolph Lake via Savage River Dam on select days in April, May and September. Check with one of the various river outfitters in and around Harpers Ferry for a guided trip. (historicharpersferry.com/directory.php)
Lake Needwood: White water not your thing? Rent a kayak on 75-acre Lake Needwood in Rockville instead. Boat rentals cost $8 per hour or $27.50 for the full day (www.LakeNeedwoodBoats.com, 301-762-1888). Clopper Lake and Seneca Creek at Great Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg (www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/seneca.asp) and Little Seneca Lake at Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds (www.montgomeryparks.org/facilities/regional_parks/blackhill) also offer flat-water lake kayaking.
Key Bridge Boathouse, Georgetown Waterfront: Flat-water enthusiasts can explore the District’s iconic waterfront by putting in at the Key Bridge Boathouse (formerly known as Jack’s Boathouse) in Georgetown. Paddle the Tidal Basin if you’re looking for an easy ride. Venture out to Roosevelt Island if you’ve got extra time—you’ll get to spy the Lincoln Memorial and other monuments (not to mention wildlife such as herons and bald eagles) from the water. Adults can rent kayaks for $15 per hour; kids 7-12, $10 per hour (kids must be accompanied by an adult). (www.keybridgeboathouse.com, 202-337-9642)
Where to Learn
If you’re craving the adrenaline rush of white-water rapids, it’s essential that you take a lesson before heading out. You’ll learn basic paddling strokes and safety skills such as how to roll, a move that rights a capsized kayak, as well as how to avoid unsafe river conditions. Find an instructor certified through the American Canoe Association (ACA) at these local outfitters.
Liquid Adventures Kayak School offers lessons from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sundays, May through October. Lessons start at Violette’s Lock ($100 per person; liquidadventureskayakschool.org, 301-229-0428).
Potomac Paddlesports in Rockville offers five-hour beginner lessons on the Potomac River at 9 a.m. Saturdays, May through September ($145 per person; www.potomacpaddlesports.com, 301-881-2628).
