Where to kayak around Charlotte
November 1, 2024
Paddle on: A local enthusiast shares his favorite spots for kayaking around Charlotte, North Carolina.
by Jay Ahuja
Decades ago, while visiting my younger brother in California, I paddled a sea kayak around Santa Catalina Island while Paul and his girlfriend went scuba diving. Just as they came up from their dive, I completed my circumnavigation and was immediately hooked on kayaking. Now, whenever we travel near water, we seek out places to rent kayaks, whether it’s on a lake, a river, the intracoastal waterway or an ocean. It’s quality time spent outdoors in nature and, depending on conditions, a decent workout.
A few years ago, my wife and I started searching for local kayaking spots with an eye toward someday owning our own boats. Most folks are fully aware of the U.S. National Whitewater Center and its flatwater kayaking options, but it turns out there are quite a few other places within a short drive.
The Boathouse in McAdenville is Catawba Riverkeeper’s spot for kayaking and among my favorites. The center offers guided and self-guided options, full moon paddles and a spider lily tour — a paddle through the spring-blossoming flowers followed by a 1.5-mile hike through Landsford Canal State Park in Catawba, South Carolina. All proceeds benefit the nonprofit’s efforts to preserve water quality, so it’s a good time and a great cause.
Cane Creek Park is our go-to kayaking spot, in part because it’s close to our Mint Hill home, but also because it has a good-sized lake that takes several hours to paddle all the way around and has very few motor boats, so it’s tranquil. It costs $4 to park and $20 for a two-hour rental.
photograph courtesy Anne Springs Close Greenway
Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill offers two-hour rentals on Lake Haigler for $16 per person, and reservations are required. This may be the most beginner-friendly option.
iKayak will deliver kayaks, paddles, dry bags, and life vests to Neck Road Boat Ramp on Mountain Island Lake in Huntersville for just $25 for the first hour and $5 each additional hour. This is another sizable lake and a terrific option for experienced kayakers who do not have their own equipment.
Also at Mountain Island Lake in the Latta Nature Preserve, Quest Nature Center offers guided stargazing kayaking tours for ages 16 and up that cost $20 per person. The center also offers private group tours for groups of five or more. LEARN MORE: Call 980-314-1129
McDowell Nature Preserve on Lake Wylie is the oldest preserve in Mecklenburg County. In addition to 8 miles of hiking trails, the preserve offers guided kayaking tours. They fill up at least a month in advance, and reservations are required. Learn more here or call 980-314-1128
If you already have your own boat, nearby Riverwalk in Rock Hill offers a 2.75-mile trip that starts at Fort Mill Dam, includes a pair of Class I/II rapids and ends at River Park.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of local kayaking options, and the “kayaking season” at each place varies, so be sure to call ahead or visit their websites. While Charlotte may be hours from the intracoastal and the ocean, there are plenty of opportunities, by day or night, to kayak our local rivers and lakes — so paddle on! SP
Featured image by Jay Ahuja
