Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014 - 12

Camping by

Canoe
Pennsylvania's rivers offer
miles of camping by canoe.
A little planning yields
unique experiences and
enduring memories.

by Ben Moyer

photos by the author

"Greater than the sum of its parts" is a phrase that describes
canoe camping. Canoeing and camping are enjoyable
pastimes, but combining the two yields an experience with
its own unique nature. Camping by canoe imparts a sense of
adventure and history to a trip, and canoe travel takes you
to places a recreational vehicle, or even your hiking boots,
could never reach.
Pennsylvania offers more opportunities for canoe camping
than one may initially assume. While our state doesn't harbor
a labyrinth of wilderness lakes like Minnesota's Boundary
Waters Canoe Area, New York's Adirondack Park or Ontario's
Algonquin Provincial Park, paddlers willing to plan a trip
well will find quality canoe camping along the Clarion,
Allegheny, Susquehanna and Delaware rivers, where those
waterways flow through state or national forests and some
other categories of public lands. But, camping paddlers do not
need to restrict themselves to major rivers. A review of state
forest maps and that all-important spirit of adventure can
open up miles of smaller streams that snake through remote
and beautiful forests. Even one night spent camped beside
your overturned canoe along a hidden stream in the Sproul,
Moshannon or Forbes state forests, for a few examples, will
forge cherished outdoor memories.
The most important considerations for canoe camping are
put-in and take-out points, how much time you'll spend to
traverse that span, where you'll camp and what to take.
Access points on our major rivers can be located by viewing
Pennsylvania Water Trail maps. Because rivers are complex
systems that flow through public and private lands, rules
governing recreational use differ at various points along the
way. Designated water trails identify public paddling, fishing
and sometimes camping opportunities along river corridors
through the cooperative efforts of several agencies and
organizations. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * May/June 2014

(PFBC) is an important partner in the state water trails
program, and their website, www.fishandboat.com/
watertrails/, is a good place to begin collecting maps and
contact information for planning a trip. To plan details
for a specific float, it may be necessary to follow links to
other websites. Owners of unpowered boats can launch
their boats at PFBC lakes and access areas or Pennsylvania
state parks if their boats display a PFBC launch use permit,
OR boat registration, OR Pennsylvania State Parks launch
permit OR mooring permit. Pennsylvania State Parks
recognizes PFBC boat registrations and launch permits.
The Commission does NOT recognize launch permits
from other states. A PFBC launch permit can be purchased
online at the Commission's website. An unpowered boat
may have a registration OR launch permit, but is not
required to have both.
How far you paddle over an entire journey or between
overnight stops is often a function of where you are
permitted to camp. Assuming you've identified eligible
campsites, somewhere between 6 and 12 miles makes a
nice day's float, leaving ample time to set up camp, do a
little fishing and cook dinner.
When deciding what equipment to take, I divide
my gear into several distinct categories. These categories
include the watercraft, shelter, bedding, cook gear, food
and accessories.
Just about any canoe that is suited to a river section's
degree of difficulty serves transportation needs for canoe
camping. Since most Pennsylvania trips will not involve
long portages, the canoe's weight should not be a critical
point. But, you want enough room for paddlers and gear.
Generally, a 17-foot model is a good compromise. Equip
it with the required number of life jackets for passengers
onboard, whistle and lights (handheld).
PFBC Facebook: PaFishandBoat
http://www.fishandboat.com/watertrails/ http://www.fishandboat.com/watertrails/
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2014

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