The St. Regis Canoe Area in the Adirondacks is a great region for beginner and experienced canoe campers. Don’t allow stories of the remoteness and seclusion of the Adirondacks unnerved you into thinking you can’t handle the Adirondacks. It’s not as remote as it’s made out to be.

Sure, there are areas of the park where you could find yourself in danger if lost or injured, but with common sense and a sensible plan you’ll do just fine. Many paddlers do the Adirondacks solo, but first time Adirondack trippers should choose to do it with a confident paddling partner.

There are several camping and access options available when visiting the St. Regis Canoe Area but be assured whatever option you choose you will have to portage while visiting the St. Regis Area. One of the most convenient ways to see the St. Regis area is to paddle to the St. Regis Pond and set a basecamp.

Getting to St. Regis Pond is easy, but it does require five short portages that begin at the Upper St. Regis Lake, or one longer portage from Little Clear Pond. From that St. Regis Pond basecamp you can explorer the many other canoe routes with only essential gear such as water and food, making portaging so much easier.

Click here for more information on the Adirondacks.

Maryland’s Antietam Creek is one paddling destination full of scenery, wildlife, excitement, but most importantly a great part of American history. The most convenient way to paddle the Antietam is to begin at Devil’s Backbone Park on Route 68 near Sharpsburg and you can choose between two takeouts. One being the Burnside Bridge takeout or paddle the 12 miles to the Potomac takeout. Paddling to the Potomac can take from 4-8 hours depending on your ambition.

Conditions 
During normal water conditions you’ll encounter swift current that may test your paddling skills. And there are ledges, rocks, strainers you’ll need to navigate. The creek is only a class 1, but at the end of the run, near the Potomac, you’ll encounter the class 2 Furnace Rapids. During high water levels this rapid may be a bit difficult for novices. Inexperienced paddlers may want to consider portaging this rapid.

Burnside’s Bridge
The Antietam Creek flows straight through the Antietam Battlefield at Burnside’s Bridge. This bridge was the location of one of the most famous battles of the Civil War. It was at this bridge a few hundred Confederate soldiers held off thousands of Union Soldiers for several hours. Unfortunately you can not dock your boat within 1000ft of the bridge. The best way to see the battlefield is to visit the Antietam National Park after you’ve completed your paddle.

Visit these Antietam Creek Website resources
Devil’s Backbone County Park - the launch point of the lower Antietam.

See more Antietam Creek canoeing and kayaking information and Antietam Creek canoeing photos.