I’m from coastal California and I grew up being a big fan of all kinds of water sports. I enjoy surfing, boating, and kayaking, among pretty much everything else. Recently, my job moved me to Spokane, which is deep in eastern Washington State, and my surroundings wound up being a whole lot different than they were in California.
For one, the winters are much colder than I’ve ever been used to before. But also, there are fewer places for me to participate in the sports I’ve grown to love. Obviously, there’s nowhere for me to go surfing, but there is a nice place for Washington kayaking and boating known as Banks Lake. I like going there on the weekends sometimes and taking my kayak out there.
Southern summers are no joke. Just the other day the heat index where I lived reached 105 degrees (in actuality it was 97 degrees, but the humidity bumped the heat into the triple digits). Fed up with suffering in the sweltering heat, I decided to book a family vacation for Banks Lake.
We had vacationed there as a family several years before, but simply hadn’t found the time to go back. Now that the trip is booked I can’t stop thinking about going on nature hikes and Banks Lake kayaking. I cannot wait to escape the heat and enjoy the natural beauty of Eastern Washington State.
If you’re looking for a scenic kayaking trip that’s not too difficult to navigate, then you’ll want to check out the Old Devils Lake Trip on Banks Lake. I found the route in the book Adventure Kayaking: Inland Waters of the Western United States. The trip is six miles long and can be completed in three hours.
During this Eastern Washington kayaking adventure you’ll witness all the beauty of a high-desert lake. You’ll want to paddle near Steamboat Rock, a peninsula that juts out into the lake. The basaltic cliffs are gorgeous to behold. When the journey is complete, be sure to check out the visitor center at Dry Falls or Lenore Caves.
Kayaking is an amazing way to reach some very remote and unique locations, but if you’re going to be camping, you’ll have to fit all your gear into the hatches of your kayak. For this reason, make sure that the hatches of your kayak are spacious enough to hold everything—from your tent and sleeping bag to your camp stove and extra clothes. But you also have to ensure that these items won’t get wet, as wet gear can truly ruin any otherwise fun trip.
If you want to ensure that your gear arrives at the campsite dry as a bone, it will almost always require the use of dry bags. These bags are completely waterproof, and they allow you to store all the gear that you don’t want to get wet. They come in various sizes, so it shouldn’t be an issue finding one small enough to accommodate your camera and wallet and one big enough to fit your tent. I used them for the first time last weekend on my Banks Lake kayaking trip and they were absolutely amazing.
In the Pacific Northwest, we frequently have to wait until July for the weather to become favorable, but this year we have already experienced several days in the 80s. January saw record high temperatures and the heat wave appears to be continuing. And when the sun comes out in our neck of the woods, people move in droves in the nearest body of water. With dozens of lakes riddled throughout the landscape, there are many opportunities for Eastern Washington watersports.
Whether you enjoy fishing, kayaking, water skiing or just laying on the banks and basking in the sunshine, the summer climate in the Pacific Northwest is ideal for fun in the water. Unlike many areas of the country, there is little humidity and temperatures hover in the 80s, which is enjoyable for virtually everyone. And thanks to the incessant rainfall during the rest of the year, virtually ever body of water is surrounded by rich, lush flora.
Washington is truly one of the most beautiful places to live in the United States. After all, there aren’t many states that can boast such an electric collection of physical landmarks. To that end, Washington offers mountains to climb, rainforests to hike through, lakes to kayak, and urban centers to stroll. The kayaking in particular is absolutely gorgeous. If you’re interested in Washington kayaking, one of the best places to go is Portage Bay.
Whether you launch from Agua Verde or some other launch point, you’ll have direct access to Lake Union as well as Lake Washington. This paddle will give you unparalleled view of the downtown skyline, which includes the iconic Space Needle. You can also head to the arboretum, which will potentially offer views of eagles, herons, grebes, and more. You’ll even have the thrill of kayaking under the freeway.
No trip to Grand Coulee would be complete without a stop at the Grand Coulee Dam. One of the summer highlights is the evening laser light show at Dam that is projected onto the dam’s wall.
The area around the dam has an abundance of camping options, including cabins, villas, resorts and setting up your own tent. Banks Lake campgrounds located around Banks Lake also offer many recreational options such as boating, fishing, kayaking as well..
