Keep cool this summer and have fun with your family and friends! Go paddling in a state park or along a designated Texas Paddling Trail.
On the water it’s easier than ever to experience a closer view of wildlife and scenery! Many state parks offer places that will rent you the equipment you need: canoes, kayaks, and life-jackets, as well as teach paddling basics.
Photo taken at Caddo Lake State Park by ©Jake Kazmirski. Kazmirski won the Instagram category of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Photography Contest.
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Over 60 designated Texas Paddling Trails provide well-mapped, accessible day trips in a variety of settings and for all levels of paddling experience. Visit the Paddling Trails website for trail maps and photos, info on canoe/kayak rentals, directions to designated access sites and fishing and wildlife information.
Austin: There are 12 Texas Paddling Trails within about an hour of Austin. They include: Lady Bird Lake Paddling Trail, El Camino Real Paddling Trail and Wilbarger Paddling Trail.
Dallas/Ft. Worth: There are 8 Texas Paddling Trails within an hour of DFW. They include: Dallas Trinity Paddling Trail, Joe Pool Lake and Walnut Creek Paddling Trail (Grand Prairie), Lake Arlington Paddling Trail, River Legacy Parks Paddling Trail on the Trinity River (Arlington).
Houston: There are 9 Texas Paddling Trails within about an hour of Houston. They include: Buffalo Bayou Paddling Trail, Stephen F. Austin Paddling Trail, Galveston Island State Park Paddling Trail, and Christmas Bay Paddling Trail.
Rio Grande Valley: There is 1 Texas Paddling Trail within an hour of RGV: South Bay Paddling Trail.
San Antonio: There are 7 Texas Paddling Trails within about an hour of San Antonio. They include: Upper Guadalupe - Nichol's Landing Paddling Trail (above Canyon Lake), Saspamco Paddling Trail (near San Antonio).
Stop zebra mussels - The Texas Parks and Wildlife commission has approved expanding from 47 counties to statewide, the rule requiring all boaters, including paddlers, to drain all water from their vessel before approaching or leaving a water body. This applies to all types and sizes of boats used on fresh waters, effective July 1.
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Share these state park and Texas Paddling Trail locations on your Facebook page and Twitter!
 If you are looking for some paddling tips before you head out:
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Open bodies of water (lakes, rivers, bays, bayous, ponds, oceans) are vastly different from neighborhood swimming pools and therefore warrant extra precautions. The key differences are that there are no lifeguards; water conditions can change rapidly; and underwater currents sometimes exist. Before you go paddling, tell a friend or family member where you will be and when you expect to return.
It is recommended that everyone who participates in boating wear a life jacket. In Texas, children under 13 years of age in or on vessels under 26 feet must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable life jacket. All vessels (including canoes and kayaks) must have a sound producing device and at least one Type I, II, III or V life jacket of the proper fit for each person on board.
Remember: The life you save may be your own! Before you paddle make sure you review these informative safety tips:
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- U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets
- Sound-producing device
- Canoe or kayak
- Water, snacks
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Sunglasses, hat, sunscreen
And please remember to keep your parks beautiful by following the Leave No Trace principles.
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