Kayak among the Spider Lilies at Lansford Canal!

It's that time of year again, friends! This is a "bucket list" sort of paddle, a trip all local kayakers have to take at least once. The Spider Lilies bloom for a short time in May and early June, and from what I've heard and read they are already off and running now.

You'll need your own kayak and equipment for this one, and enough experience and confidence to handle class I and class II rapids. This is a short but senic--and somewhat challenging--2.5 mile journey that requires some patience and skill. We start out paddling upstream to the base of a broad but short waterfall, then turn around and come down river on the far side of an island. There we begin to encounter class I rapids. As we clear the island and enter the main channel of the Catawba River, we pick our way through a "rock garden" that sometimes rises to the level of class I or class I+ rapids. Once through the garden, it's fairly smooth sailing to the rock outcroppings where the lilies bloom. We'll stop on the rocks there for snacks/drinks, then continue downstream through a series of class I rapids that may, under the right conditions, pass as class II. We take out on the right, secure our boats, and take the foot trail along the river back to the main parking lot. From there we drive back to the takeout to pick up our boats, and our day is done!
Bring $3.00 for admission to the park, and whatever snacks you like. You'll need sunscreen, and you might want bug spray for the walk back on the wooded trail. And very importantly, you must wear good shoes with a good grip for walking in the water, as you may have to get out of your boat while traversing the rock garden, depending on water levels.