My mom is from Cresco, IA. I have wonderful memories of canoeing from Kendellville to Blufton, not seeing anyone else in the river. It’s such a beautiful, undiscovered area.
Thanks for great video. You captured the Upper Iowa's unending beauty. The 4 years I spent at Luther College in Decorah, surrounded by the wonderful Oneota Valley of the Upper Iowa River, were four of the best years of my life. Once the Decorah region gets in your soul, it never leaves you. Hard to say what is the most beautiful spot there. Bluffton and the Palisades in your video or Dunnings Spring less than a mile from the Luther campus. Amazed (and frankly pleased) how little Iowans know about the slice of Vermont in their own state. My kayak is going to be back on the Upper Iowa soon. I've promised myself that.
NE Iowa is something else, a beautiful section of un-glaciated geography. The Yellow River is also very pretty, but not quite as spectacular as what you just saw. Try the Buffalo River in northern Arkansas, which is similar, but even larger. Missouri has some great water for tall bluffs, the Current River comes to mind, as well as a tributary of the Current River, which I'll not name (ya gotta work for that jewel). Of course, the Mighty Mississippi and the Muddy Missouri have lots f bluffs, even as high as the Buffalo River. Thank you for posting this very nice video, IHPB! One more recommendation for a river having a LOT of springs: Missouri's Eleven Point.
Hey thanks! Glad you enjoy them. I'm getting backed up on the editing side of things, going on adventures is the easy part :) I've got plenty ready to edit and a bunch planned out for the rest of the year so they should slow trickle in over at least the next 12 months or so :) Thanks for watching!
Loved the video. You inspired me to make it there. Did you rent the kayak from the start point? How did you get back? I am so glad I found your channel! My Noth Face tent arrived. I am ready for adventures this summer 👍
Awesome! I am lucky enough to have family in that area willing to shuttle me around :) There are a few places around Decorah that will rent out kayaks and shuttle you to the drop off point too. Going with a place like that is probably the easiest way to get on the water. Good luck and happy paddling!
Thanks for the tip! I decided to post a pinned comment with this info plus timestamps to the highlights. I'll try to go back and do this for my other river trips too! Thanks again for the advice!
Did you hit this after a rain? Wondering how rain dependent this river is.....we are considering a trip up that way. Want to go to Wildcat Den State Park and do some hiking, but would like to do some paddling as well. This looks like a fairly easy going river. Any other suggestions appreciated. Thanks for the video.
There was a big storm that pushed the flow up over 1000 cfs the week prior but no rain the following week with the flow dropping to 500 cfs over the course of 7 days. Over on that side of the state the Wapsi, Maquoketa, and Turkey Rivers make for good paddling. The Yellow and Volga are good but I can only recommend them for more experienced paddlers. Have fun and stay safe!
I've only paddled it once so I don't have any advice for what it looks like now. Check the paddling Iowa book for flow recommendations :) No sandbar camping but there are a few private campgrounds along the river. The paddling book can help with these too :)
The Pulpit Rock campground in Decorah (run by the city of Decorah) may be the nicest campground I've ever stayed in. It's right on the river just past the Luther campus as you pull into Decorah. It's big and will handle everything from tents to 40' motorhomes. Full service and clean as a whistle---all the time. Decorah takes pride in everything it does and Pulpit Rock reflects that ethic very well. Randy's Bluffton store campground is where the video showed a couple of tents. You can camp at Randy's right across from a 300 foot rock wall. Unbelievably cool. The Hruska family also has a campground at Bluffton. The campground where the 5th Wheel was in the video is the Hutchinson family's farm/campground/canoe-kayak rental. They shuttle as do 3-4 other outfitters. Very good infrastructure for paddlers on the Upper Iowa.
@@HikePaddleBike just got home from Honey Creek State Park, then drove through Lake Red Rock. Jealous there are 3 HUGE lakes all within a couple of hours of each other.
Monday July 6th, 2020
Flow: 550cfs @ Bluffton
Kendallville Access 1:25
Big Spring 9:35
Chimney Rock 12:05
Palisades 14:51
Malanaphy Springs 23:09
Malanaphy Springs Access 24:55
My mom is from Cresco, IA. I have wonderful memories of canoeing from Kendellville to Blufton, not seeing anyone else in the river. It’s such a beautiful, undiscovered area.
Thanks for the awesome "ride-along!"
Thanks for great video. You captured the Upper Iowa's unending beauty. The 4 years I spent at Luther College in Decorah, surrounded by the wonderful Oneota Valley of the Upper Iowa River, were four of the best years of my life. Once the Decorah region gets in your soul, it never leaves you. Hard to say what is the most beautiful spot there. Bluffton and the Palisades in your video or Dunnings Spring less than a mile from the Luther campus. Amazed (and frankly pleased) how little Iowans know about the slice of Vermont in their own state. My kayak is going to be back on the Upper Iowa soon. I've promised myself that.
Must have been awesome, on that river,too much to take in!!!!where ever you look,
NE Iowa is something else, a beautiful section of un-glaciated geography. The Yellow River is also very pretty, but not quite as spectacular as what you just saw. Try the Buffalo River in northern Arkansas, which is similar, but even larger. Missouri has some great water for tall bluffs, the Current River comes to mind, as well as a tributary of the Current River, which I'll not name (ya gotta work for that jewel). Of course, the Mighty Mississippi and the Muddy Missouri have lots f bluffs, even as high as the Buffalo River. Thank you for posting this very nice video, IHPB! One more recommendation for a river having a LOT of springs: Missouri's Eleven Point.
This is one of my favorite rivers. We go every year, usually twice. I've never been to that falls. I will hit it this year. Thanks!
Definitely wouldn't have thought of this location as Iowa !!!
What a beautiful paddle! Love all the rock walls... Love hearing all the birds singing. Thanks for taking us down that beautiful river! 👍🚣🛶🌅
Not too far from Wisconsin, you guys should check it out if you are in the area! Thanks for watching!
@@HikePaddleBike We are hoping to make a trip there soon! ;-)
I love your videos, keep em coming.
Hey thanks! Glad you enjoy them. I'm getting backed up on the editing side of things, going on adventures is the easy part :) I've got plenty ready to edit and a bunch planned out for the rest of the year so they should slow trickle in over at least the next 12 months or so :) Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the tour! I fished there at Kendalville, but have never kayaked the river. I’ll be back up there this summer fishing where the drop in is!
Beautiful, I’ve always wanted to head north to paddle the Upper Iowa. Thanks for letting us float along. Fair winds…
That's just cool makes ya feel like your stepping back in time
This trip is on my go-to places this year. Just have to figure out how to launch in Kendallville and get back there after the kayak trip.
You should get with those river king guys paddle some of those waters down south
Lives in iowa all my life and never knew we have mountains,hills yes but never Mountains.
Loved the video. You inspired me to make it there. Did you rent the kayak from the start point? How did you get back? I am so glad I found your channel! My Noth Face tent arrived. I am ready for adventures this summer 👍
Awesome! I am lucky enough to have family in that area willing to shuttle me around :) There are a few places around Decorah that will rent out kayaks and shuttle you to the drop off point too. Going with a place like that is probably the easiest way to get on the water. Good luck and happy paddling!
Did you hit sandbars in 2 feet of water on this river? Iowa's West Nishnabotna is brutal at only 2 feet.
If you could post the date you floated it would be nice. Maybe even the water flow. Would help a person to pick a better time to float. THANK YOU!!
Flow was posted in the video when I put in. It was on a Monday in early July 👍
Thanks for the tip! I decided to post a pinned comment with this info plus timestamps to the highlights. I'll try to go back and do this for my other river trips too! Thanks again for the advice!
How many hours does this float take, looking to go up with my family this weekned
Awesome area for recreation. I live about 10 miles from kendelville
So true! Hands down my favorite part of Iowa.
Did you hit this after a rain? Wondering how rain dependent this river is.....we are considering a trip up that way. Want to go to Wildcat Den State Park and do some hiking, but would like to do some paddling as well. This looks like a fairly easy going river. Any other suggestions appreciated. Thanks for the video.
There was a big storm that pushed the flow up over 1000 cfs the week prior but no rain the following week with the flow dropping to 500 cfs over the course of 7 days. Over on that side of the state the Wapsi, Maquoketa, and Turkey Rivers make for good paddling. The Yellow and Volga are good but I can only recommend them for more experienced paddlers. Have fun and stay safe!
Amazing trip! The current flow today is 186cfs. Would it be possible to paddle at that flow rate? Are there places to camp on the river?
I've only paddled it once so I don't have any advice for what it looks like now. Check the paddling Iowa book for flow recommendations :) No sandbar camping but there are a few private campgrounds along the river. The paddling book can help with these too :)
The Pulpit Rock campground in Decorah (run by the city of Decorah) may be the nicest campground I've ever stayed in. It's right on the river just past the Luther campus as you pull into Decorah. It's big and will handle everything from tents to 40' motorhomes. Full service and clean as a whistle---all the time. Decorah takes pride in everything it does and Pulpit Rock reflects that ethic very well. Randy's Bluffton store campground is where the video showed a couple of tents. You can camp at Randy's right across from a 300 foot rock wall. Unbelievably cool. The Hruska family also has a campground at Bluffton. The campground where the 5th Wheel was in the video is the Hutchinson family's farm/campground/canoe-kayak rental. They shuttle as do 3-4 other outfitters. Very good infrastructure for paddlers on the Upper Iowa.
Nice place, do you have the address I wanna go.
What you use for kayak
Old Town Adventure XL 13.8... I've had it for about 20 years now, it's a tank :)
I'm from Nebraska and I hate to admit but Iowa outdoors > Nebraska outdoors
This is the greatest complement a Nebraskan could give!
@@HikePaddleBike just got home from Honey Creek State Park, then drove through Lake Red Rock. Jealous there are 3 HUGE lakes all within a couple of hours of each other.
Praise be Jesus.
There is God Almighty. He shows Himself to us if we wish to see. This video and your response to His creation are a tribute to Christ our Lord.
Thanks for the awesome "ride-along!"