Begin Planning Your SUP Camping Trip Here
Planning an overnight paddle boarding trip is a lot of fun. Planning you trip will increase the anticipation and excitement. You and your expedition members will bond around the discussions and debates over all the details of your trip. Some of my best memories are around the meetings I had with friends while planning our adventures.
Video: 3 Night Backcountry SUP Camping Trip
Read: More SUP Camping Tips
Read: Best Inflatable Paddle Boards for Camping Expeditions
Read: Packing Gear on a SUP Board
Begin planning that SUP camping trip by considering these 10 steps:
1. Find a lake or river that allows camping
It is important to know if you are allowed to camp along the river or lake you want to paddle. Some lakes and rivers have designated camping spots only. Some land around lakes and rivers will have no rules or restrictions whatsoever. Other spots will be on private land with no camping allowed.
With the internet you will have no problem finding a river or lake you can paddle and camp. State or Federal forest lands are often wide open and completely unrestricted. National parks and lakeshores can work well. And I have had good luck with state parks too.
Do you need a permit? Most national parks and many state parks require you to get a camping permit.
These are questions you may want to ask about the location and season of your trip: Does the water temperature matter? Are there lots of biting flies and mosquitoes this time of year? Will this location be crowded?
If you want to paddle a river: Will the current be slow or fast? How many portages does this section of river have? Is there enough water to paddle this time of year?
2. Decide how far you want to paddle each day
How far you paddle each day may be determined by where you are allowed to camp each night.
It’s important to think about how far you want to paddle. First of all, what kind of paddling shape are you in? No matter what kind of shape you are in you may be sore after your first full day of paddling. If you are not in good paddling shape you could be so sore it may be hard to paddle the next day. To be safe I would under-estimate how many miles you can paddle.
Factor in how much time you want to spend at camp. You will need time to set up camp and prepare dinner. You don’t want to do that in the dark. And you will need time to break camp in the morning.
When planning a river trip figure on traveling as far as you would float with the current. Yes, you will be paddling and not floating. But you will also be taking breaks and may even want to go on a short day hike before you reach camp.
Also factor in your last day. What time of day do you want to arrive back to your vehicle. Do you want to travel home late in the day?
3. Choose a put-in location, Choose an exit location
Another important point to consider. How will you get to your put-in point? And how will you get back to your vehicle after you exit the water? If you are paddling a lake you can go out and return to the spot you began. But with a river you will need a shuttle to get back to your vehicle. Some rivers have a shuttle service for paddlers. If not you will need to have a friend waiting for you at your exit point.
Also consider how comfortable you are leaving your vehicle at the put-in spot. Make sure to hide any valuables that could be stolen from your car.
4. Find out what the weather typically is at this location this time of year
Knowing the weather, wind and current conditions are always important when paddle boarding. But it is even more important on a paddle board camping trip.
The weather will determine much more than what clothes to pack.
Water levels vary during different times of the year. Low water levels mean more portage. Really low water levels and you may have to find another location.
And things can get really tricky when paddling a river. You need to talk to rangers or locals about flood conditions on rivers.
Rivers levels and currents can rise dangerously and quickly. A river can flood from rainfall miles away. Small emergency weather radios are reasonable priced and worth owning.
5. If you are renting paddle boards choose an outfitter
You don’t need to own a paddle board to go on a trip. There are outfitters who will provide paddle boards and PFDs. If you are planning a river trip using an outfitter is a good way to go. With a river trip these outfitters will typically have a shuttle service to take you back to your vehicle after you exit the water.
Using an outfitter will take a lot of the guesswork out of a paddling trip. They will be able to tell you where to camp and how long it will take to paddle to each camping spot. An outfitter can answer any questions you have about water conditions and the surrounding area for day hikes.
If you are using your own paddle boards find out if there is a river shuttle available for you.
Even if you are using your own paddle board there are shuttle services on some rivers that will take you back to your vehicle. If a shuttle is not available you will need a friend to bring you and all your equipment back to your vehicle.
Some shuttle services will only accommodate inflatable paddle boards.
And of course, on a lake you will not need a shuttle service.
6. Get in good paddling condition
Even the most experienced paddlers can be sore after a full day of paddling. A word to the wise, get in paddling shape before your trip. The best exercise for paddling is paddling. If you don’t have a paddle board to practice with get to the gym. Work on your legs, lower back, upper back and the pulling muscles of your arms for endurance. If your gym has a rowing machine that will help.
Also try and get your feet in shape. It sounds crazy but your feet has many small muscles that don’t get used wearing shoes all day. Some people will have very sore feet after paddling all day. Do balancing exercises or yoga barefoot to strengthen those muscles.
Have an expert show you proper paddling technique. In particular you want to avoid carrying your bodyweight with your lower back. Keep your knees soft and slightly bent when paddle boarding. Having a sore lower back on the second day of your trip is no joke. I know because I have been there.
7. Print out this SUP camping gear list
Make sure you have plenty of dry bags in a variety of sizes.
Here is paddle board camping gear list to help you decide what to take.
The weather will determine what clothes to take. One important tip: don’t take any clothing made with cotton.
Do you plan on fishing? What about a fishing licence?
Here are tips on rigging an inflatable SUP for fishing you may want to consider.
8. Plan your meals
I love planning my meals. This is just like meal planning for a hiking trip. You need to make sure you have plenty of extra calories each day. Healthy energy bars and a trail mix with nuts and dried fruit will help. You definitely don’t want to run out of food or water on a multi day SUP trip.
I suggest at least one meal a day using dehydrated food. The more dehydrated food you use the less weight you will have to carry on your paddle board. If you have a dehydrator you can save a lot of money by dehydrating you own food. You can dehydrate almost anything. I dehydrate my own food for all my hiking and paddling trips.
Here is a website I use with plenty of good dehydrator recipes.
9. Fit test your gear on your paddle board
You should test pack all your gear on your paddle board. You want the weight evenly distributed, side to side, on your board. The faster the river current the more weight you want up front.
10. Write down your itinerary. Leave a copy with a friend
Make sure you write down your itinerary. E-mail or give a copy to a friend or family member. Carry a copy with you and leave another copy at home. You may be required to leave an itinerary with a park ranger depending on your location.
The itinerary should include the following information: Where you are going. Where you are putting in. Where you are exiting. Who is going with you. When you will be back home.
Even if you change your plans during the trip this will give someone an idea where you might be in case of an emergency.
