Water Trails

1 - Cascadia Marine Trail

Besides the Cascadia Marine Trail, the well established Washington Water Trails Association stewards the Willapa Bay Water Trail and Seattle's Lakes to Locks Water Trail.

Route: From Olympia to the Canadian border.
Length: 140 - 150 miles
Campsites: Goal is to have one every 5 to 8 miles. Some of them have access to water, some have fire rings, all have sanitary facilities
Types of Craft: Human or wind-powered craft
Year Started: 1990
How Far Along: 25% in terms of camp sites, much further along on access to water
Guidebook: Yes, available to members only
Contact: Washington Water Trails Association, (206)545-9161

2 - Lewis and Clark Columbia River Trail

This water trail is a"blueway" connected to a greenway that links the city of Portland with the Pacific coast. The focus of this trail is the Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1805. Work is proceeding full steam ahead to have the trail ready for the Expedition's bicentennial, scheduled for 2003 to 2006. All of the Lewis & Clark expedition's campsites will be identified, along with information culled from their journals on the location of Indian villages along the river.

Route: The free-flowing segment of the river from Bonnieville Dam, past Portland, to the coast
Length: 140 miles
Campsites: One dedicated (Dibblee Island), more under development. All input and takeout sites will be marked.
Types of Craft: Small watercraft, primarily canoes and kayaks
Year started: 1996
How Far Along: The organization is working hard on creating a water trail map for the river. The map will be sectionalized into 18 different reaches. Out of this work, signage will be developed.
Guidebook: Expected towards the end of this year. In the meantime, paddlers can use nautical charts and get information from numerous boating facilities and paddling clubs along the river, as well as the Marine Board and the state's Park and Recreation Departments.
Contact: L&C; Watertrail Association; Oregon Historical Society; 1200 Southwest Park Avenue; Portland, OR 97205

3 - Lower Tomol Trail

This is a traditional route used by the Chumash Indians in the area around the Channel Islands and San Luis Obispo in California.
Route: Pacific Ocean north of Santa Monica, in the Santa Monica National Recreation Area
Length: 36 miles
Campsites: Two available for paddlers only
Types of Craft: Sea kayaks
How Far Along: Essentially complete, although organizers are working on creating a third campsite on the southern end of the trail on property purchased by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
Guidebook: None, although information can be found in the book Hiking the Santa Monica Mountains, published by Canyon Publishing Company.
Contact: Santa Monica Mountains Trail Council, P.O. Box 345, Agoura Hills, CA 91376