Trips and Day Paddles

RMSKC members kayak for a wide variety of reasons: to enjoy the out-of-doors and being on the water, camping places that can't be reached on foot and without carrying a heavy pack, watch birds and wildlife, get fun exercise, and enjoy the camaraderie of a group of friends.  It's true we don't live near the ocean, but we have a super time getting together to paddle our long boats all over the Front Range and farther away.  Sometimes we even fly places and rent kayaks!  

Sign up on the Calendar

Day Paddles that have already been scheduled are on the Calendar where you can register with just a few clicks.  You may also register a guest.   If your guest is an ACA member, there is no charge.  If your guest is not a member of ACA, we require an event membership/waiver and $10 to cover insurance costs.
For multi-day trips, the Trip Organizer may have to limit the number of participants because of safety concerns or a lack of accommodations.  Go ahead and express interest by registering through the Calendar.  If over-subscribed, the Trip Organizer will conduct a lottery and let all registrants know who will be the lucky travelers.  

Day Paddle Locations

Our favorite day paddles are:
Chatfield Lake/ Chatfield State Park Chatfield 
Carter Lake/ Larimer County  Carter
Cherry Creek Reservoir Cherry Creek
McIntosh Lake, Longmont McIntosh  (typically a weekday evening paddle)
Union Reservoir, Longmont Union
Lagerman Reservoir, Boulder County Lagerman
Horsetooth Reservoir, Larimer County  Horsetooth
Boyd Lake,  Loveland Boyd Lake Brochure   

Horsetooth and Carter Lake require day entry permits ($10) (or an annual pass) from Larimer County.   Larimer County Permits
Your "Go Wild" state park pass does the trick at Chatfield and Boyd Lakes. 
Union Reservoir Daily Vehicle Fee is $10 Union Fees 
McIntosh Lake is free.

Start Times

The start time is listed in the calendar entry.  Starting time means "in the water and ready to paddle."  Please plan to get to the launch site in time to unload your boat, move your car, pack your kayak and get geared up.  The advantage to lakes and reservoirs is that we seldom need to shuttle cars.  If we do plan a shuttle, starting time may mean the time cars being taken to the takeout leave the put in.  Take note of the instructions about where to park.  Some parks have several launch sites.  

How to Propose a Day Paddle or Trip

The RMSKC encourages all its members to propose paddles.  If there is an outing you have always wanted to do but do not see it on the calendar, please consider organizing.  Review the Trip Organizer Guidelines (Documents module) for information on how to propose and organize a trip.  Feel free to contact the Paddling Coordinator, Marsh Daugherty, to help with any questions you have. 

Multi-Day Trips

Thanks to our super Trip Organizers, RMSKC members enjoy kayak camping,  car camping, glamping, and  cabins while we explore rivers and lakes in the West and on the three coasts.  Detailed trip reports are in the Documents Module and in past issues of the Mountain Paddler. 

Past Trips Include
5+ days of Kayak Camping on the Green River (multiple Trip Reports)
Houseboat living and camping on Lake Powell (multiple trip reports)
Group Camping at Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone
Erie Canal NY
Maine Coast
Alaska Inland Passage
Eleven-Mile Reservoir, Wyoming
Pathfinder Reservoir/North Platte River
Niobrara River/ Merritt Reservoir Nebraska

Who can go?

Membership in RMSKC is required for those who travel with us on multi-day trips.  If you have a non-paddling family member who wants to travel with you, just make yours a family membership and sign each traveler up with the ACA.  The cost of a RMSKC family membership is the same as an individual membership. 

Waste Disposal

Other Great Tips
Take a gander at our many publications to learn more about kayak camping, kayak loading, safety and more.  They are in the Documents Module. For example, here is a report from a 2023 trip to Caddo Lake, Texas. Caddo Lake TX 2023