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from Away.com
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ACTIVITIES
Southwest and Far West
Green River
Utah's Desolation Canyon
The Green runs fast and cold
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The Green is a long river, with many different characters. It ranges from turbulent whitewater in Desolation and Gray Canyons, to the relatively more placid stretch in Labyrinth Canyon. The surrounding canyon country is magnificent. Your legs won't atrophy on this paddling trip — you'll want to stop often and hike into the interior. You'll be treated to soul-satisfying desert environment, riddled with canyons, caves, and extensive rim-top views.
 More on the Green River
Sacramento Delta
Northern California
The Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta is a complex nest of waterways that convene to deposit the effluents of the upper Sierra and lower Cascades watersheds into San Francisco Bay. It's a rich, but fragile, area of wetlands, famous for its fishing and wildlife as well as a colorful history. Much of the delta is the domain of large powerboats, which can be the bane of canoeists seeking peace and relaxation. Amy Hutzel, who leads trips for Save the Bay, a nonprofit organization that works to protect San Francisco Bay and the delta, recommends two areas for those seeking to get away from it all.
The Nature Conservancy owns a stretch of land along the Cosumnes River. The Cosumnes is the only undammed river that flows from the Sierra to run into the San Francisco Bay. According to Amy,"It's a really beautiful spot. It's tidal, so look at a tide book before you go out. It's the largest riparian habitat left in the area. You'll find beautiful willow and oak, which is great habitat for songbirds and waterbirds."
At six feet above sea level, Brannan Island State Recreation Area is possibly the highest point in the delta. The park has reserved an area off-limits to powerboats, so it's a great place to sharpen your paddling skills. The park has a camping area, making this a very economical weekend destination — great for the family.
Finally, Sandmound Flough is one of the few remaining freshwater marsh habitats in the region, and has a fascinating bird life. It can be accessed, for a small fee, at two private boat launches: Carol Boat Launch and Sams Boat Launch.
Black River
Washington
The Black River begins as a small stream, a tributary of the Chehalis River, at Black Lake. It then wanders south to meet with the larger river between Rochester and Oakville. The character of the Black River varies surely and subtly. Some parts are wide and slow moving, studded with lily pads as it meanders through thick woods onshore and thick pads of water lilies in the river. Then the pace picks up as the river narrows and races forward.
In short, the Black makes for a pleasant and eventful day's paddle. A major part of its fascination is its history as a route by voyageurs in the fur trade. It's hard to believe that this bucolic backwater was once one of the major commercial waterways of the west. But feed that into your Sunday afternoon revery. Who knows, you may run into a ghost wearing deerskin britches.
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[from Outside magazine]
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