Off Hours: How to go canoeing in the Middle Raccoon River, plus where to stop along the way
Hi, I'm Bill Steiden, the business and investigative editor at the Des Moines Register. I want to be like Nick Adams, watching the trout keeping themselves steady in the current with wavering fins. Watching them for a long time.
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The Deal
Here's the deal: (Apologies to Ernest) It felt good being back in the boat after so long. It was a warm Saturday on Memorial Day weekend. Sunshine glittered on the tumbling current. Though the water was still high and swift from the week's storms, not many Iowa rivers were this clear and fresh.
He was new to the Middle Raccoon River, so he studied the water for a minute before pushing off. There were boulders on the left, just under the surface. Strainers lined the eastward bend downstream, stacked with storm debris. A heron stood in the water near the east bank, about 150 feet ahead, intent on a school of minnows or a frog. The water came only a few inches up its legs.
He knew that if he hit the shallow gravel bar where the bird stood, he could grind to a halt. But he stayed far left entering the bend so he could cut around the tangles on the right. He feathered past the boulders, pushed right to get around the bar, then pried hard left to get the bow pointed into the bend.
He slid past the mess of logs and branches at about a 45-degree angle. Just right.
The hull bobbled over a barely submerged rock, but stayed upright. Then a gust caught the canoe and shoved it back to the right. As he struggled to recover his line, the heron launched, pumping its wings as it turned with the wind.
The breeze remained steady from the south. Returning to midstream, he bore down on his J-stroke to hew a true line. Putting the paddle down only long enough to shove his gear into the bow, he slid forward and took up a position just ahead of the center thwart. The next bend loomed.
Keeping all the weight in the bow would give him more control. But he knew there would be no room for mistakes with an upstream wind. He zipped his life vest.
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He'd chosen the 17-mile route from Panora to Redfield because he'd heard it was the best float in central Iowa. The 16-footer was a good boat, faster than a kayak and easier to steer, even solo, for a paddler who knew how. But the strong souther was targeting its weak point, the 10 inches of freeboard above the waterline. He'd have to tack like a sailor all day to cut through.
Over and over, he threaded the needle through the bends, avoiding rocks, then dodging logs and branches. He paddled hard, staying just ahead of the current so he could keep his line. But with the wind it was hard.
He was a few hours in when it happened. He thought he had chosen the right line through a sharp east bend, but a big gust shoved him toward a branch poking just a above the water from a sunken tree. The current took over. He pried hard with the paddle but went sideways into the snag. As the boat filled with water, he fell to the right.
The life vest kept his head above water as the current swept him downstream. He grabbed his floating paddle before it could get away, hooked a hand over the gunwale of the capsized canoe and turned belly down, keeping his feet trailing on the surface behind him. Getting a foot caught in a submerged tangle and being dragged under would be a bad way to go.
Racing downstream, with another bend full of strainers looming, he suddenly saw bottom. Moving fast, he grabbed the rope handle on the stern and turned his feet forward so he could dig into the river's gravel bed. The canoe halted and he stood up, then dragged it onto a shallow shelf on the west bank. He turned it hull up, straining against the weight of the water, and hauled it up on the bank to drain.
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Lashed with bungee cords, the cooler, backpack and spare paddle were intact. He'd even managed to keep his cap on. He felt shaken, but lucky. There were few other paddlers on the river today. If the current had pinned him and the boat against the snags, there was no way to know how long he would have had to hang on, waiting for help.
He pulled his phone out of the drybag where he'd stored it and brought up the mapping app. The GPS showed that he wasn't far from the midpoint, where the old river hand who'd shuttled him from Redfield had said there was a ramp. He thought about pulling out there and calling for a haul back.
But minutes later, when he spotted the steep concrete incline next to a bridge, he realized there was no chance of beaching safely with the water running this high. Miss the mark and he'd be sliding sideways into a bridge abutment. Dumping the boat once had been enough of a humiliation. He wasn't going to risk it again, so he paddled past.
Now there was no turning back. The river in this stretch wound through a forest, a wildlife preserve. The closest house would be a half mile inland through dense thickets, and he already was too spent for a long portage.
Realizing he was now committed to the journey calmed him. He reminded himself that he'd done pretty well, except for a single error, and that he'd known how to react when he went over. It'd been a while since he'd had the canoe in the water, but he was getting his moves back. There was plenty of daylight left and he could afford to stop occasionally to rest. He pushed on.
The journey settled into a steady rhythm. Push toward the shallower bank in the bends, away from the strainers. Then reclaim the center line and power through.
There were now a few longer, straighter sections where he could lift the paddle for a moment and catch his breath. The wind was still there, and his knees were raw from kneeling. But he was reading the river better with each turn, becoming more efficient as he steered.
He hadn't noticed the crawfish until now, a robust-looking fellow, fat and brown, on the bottom of the canoe. He'd picked up the stowaway when he'd overturned. A quick flip of the paddle sent the mudbug back to its home.
Maneuvering through one more winding stretch, he had a tense moment as he realized he would have to squeeze between a boulder and a massive tree trunk that blocked half the river. There was maybe six feet of clearance and the current was moving too fast to beach for a portage. Steeling himself, he gripped the paddle tight, preparing to pry away from the tree trunk if the current pushed him there. But he had chosen the right line this time, and the wind cooperated. The boat glided through.
Reaching a broad gravel bar in the next bend, he paused for a rest. He could see a farmhouse in the distance and an unpaved road. He checked his phone and saw he was maybe a mile from Redfield. He was going to make it.
He sat maybe half an hour on the bar, listening to the water and watching the evening shadows slant through the trees. A newly planted cornfield on the other bank was just turning green. He stood and shook off the fatigue, then eased into the boat for the final stretch.
The takeout was easier than he'd expected. He beached upstream and climbed out to stand in the water for a while, feeling its coolness on his legs in the warm sunset. Then he dragged the canoe onto the soft bank next to the concrete ramp and jogged to the parking area to retrieve the Subaru.
With a little help from some friendly anglers, he strapped the canoe on the roof rack and turned onto Old Highway 6, bound for Kinship Brewery and a beer. His arms ached, his knees were sore and he had gotten some charred after his sunscreen washed off in the dunking.
He knew he'd tested his luck as much as his skill. And he was ready to do it again.
Tell me some of your favorite spots to canoe in Iowa. Drop me a line at wsteiden@gannett.com.
My Top 7 Tips for Canoeing the Middle Raccoon River
1. About the river: The Middle Raccoon River is one of three forks of the Raccoon River. Rising in a farm field northwest of Carroll, it flows into the Raccoon River just south of Redfield in southwestern Dallas County. The choicest section is from the Lenon Mill dam in Panora to the Redfield Dam. It's a stretch of about 17 miles, and there are at least two other put-ins along the way that allow for shorter routes. Lake Panorama, just upstream from Panora, serves as a kind of holding pond for the river, allowing the agricultural goop it carries from upstream to settle out before it pours over the spillway. That leaves it unusually clean for a central Iowa river, able to support a healthy variety and fish and wildlife.
2. How to get there: From Des Moines, it's a little less than 40 miles west on Interstate 80 and north on Old Highway 6 to Redfield. Go left on First Street, which becomes Second Street, and take another left on Thomas Street. Cross the river just downstream from the dam and look for the parking area and put-in on the right.
3. How to get in the water: Raccoon River Retreats advertises trips on the Middle Raccoon, offering rental kayaks at 515-833-2636. If you have your own boat, call Bruce Foglesong, a former canoe livery owner who provides shuttles when he's not out on the river himself, hauling in smallmouth bass. He charged $25 to haul a canoe to Panora before gas hit $5 a gallon, and the knowledge he has of the river is a bonus. 515-650-7245. The put-in directly below the Lenon Mill Dam is an easy launch point, but there are other ones for a shorter trip.
4. Check the gauge: The U.S. Geological Survey maintains a river gauge at Panora. You can access it online. Bruce says paddling conditions are best when the flow is between 300 and 600 cubic feet per second. River levels can change quickly, not only because of rain but also because of releases from the Lake Panorama spillway, so be sure to check right before you go.
Also check the weather forecast. A sudden downpour can turn a calm river into a torrent. And it's not a bad idea to check the wind direction. In Iowa, it can come from any quadrant, including the one you're trying to paddle into.
5. What to pack: A lifejacket, first and foremost. There's not a lot of what you'd call whitewater in Iowa, but a meandering flatwater river with a strong current can be deceptively dangerous, as anyone who's ever gotten pinned against a strainer can testify. Those piles of logs want to kill you. Don't let them. And if you do fall out of your canoe or kayak, keep your feet as close as possible to the surface until you can stand upright. Getting a foot stuck between submerged branches is a bad way to go.
Aside from that: sunscreen, an extra paddle in case you lose yours; a rope you could throw to someone on shore if you need help beaching; plenty of drinking water; sunglasses, preferably with a floating lanyard; a dry box or bag for electronics, cash, a fishing license and other vulnerable items; and — my suggestion — a lightweight backpacking saw in case you need it to cut your way out of a snag. Use carabiners and rope or bungie cords to make sure everything is securely stowed. It's also good to have a cooler for beverages and snacks, but watch your inebriation level — a river constantly tests your judgment, so stay sharp. And if you're in a canoe, you'll have the space to throw in a folding chair or camping equipment, if you're in an area that allows it.
Lastly, take a garbage bag. Clean up your own mess and, if necessary, the garbage others may leave behind. There was remarkably little on the Middle Raccoon.
6. How long it should take: It all depends on water flow and other conditions. If you do the Panora-to-Redfield paddle, give yourself at least six hours on the water, and time it so you're not paddling after dark — a genuinely bad idea.
7. What you'll see: Depending again on water levels, a variety of fish. Lots of birds, from sparrows to herons. Turtles galore on the logs and rocks. Frogs wherever the water is a little more still. Crayfish, freshwater mussels and the creatures that eat them: raccoons, muskrats and maybe even otters. Lots of gravel bars that are good for lolling and splashing around. There are some houses and a few cornfields, but for much of the way, the banks are forested. A goodly portion of the shoreline is conservation land, including the Milo Ray State Conservation Area and the Marlowe Ray Wildlife Management Area.
What are some of your best tips for canoeing? Drop me a line at wsteiden@gannett.com.
Eat This, Drink That
Tin Roof Sundae, $3.79 to $4.69: Paddled hard? Treat yourself to a Tin Roof Sunday (vanilla) or a Roof Tin Sunday (chocolate). Three sizes: $3.79, $4.29 and $4.69.
Get it: The Dairy Shoppe, 617 First St., Redfield, is a classic small-town ice cream stand that also offers sandwiches and snacks.
Kinship's Dark Lager, $7: My preferred stop after canoeing, however, is 17 miles east on Old Highway 6/U.S. 6, at Kinship Brewing, 255 N.W. Sunrise Drive, Waukee.
Get it: I'm partial to the Dark Lager at Kinship, and you can order from a limited food menu (barbecue plate with three sides, $15).
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48 Hours Off
Saturday morning: I love to paddle, but I also pedal, and I spend a lot more time on my bikes. Ever since moving to Des Moines, I've been exploring its trails on the weekends. Where I go depends on which way the wind is blowing. If it's coming from the east, I head that direction on a trail like High Trestle or Chachaqua Valley, then return full sail with the wind at my back.
I also enjoy the Great Western trail, but I don't ride it as often because the surface south of Cumming is in desperate need of resurfacing (did you hear that, Polk and Warren counties?).
When I'm not wandering so far from my West Drake home, I'll pedal the Meredith Trail to the place that sealed the deal for me and Iowa: Confluence Brewing, 1235 Thomas Beck Road, Des Moines. Waiting for a flight after interviewing at the Register, I wandered in and discovered not only the cavernous tasting room but the sprawling, covered patio, where hundreds of members of my biking tribe were coming off the trail to pause for refreshments. I remember telling myself, "I could live here."
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Saturday night: Head to Colfax for the Progressive Paddle Picnic, a four-course progressive dinner through the 450-acre Quarry Springs Park. Participants will start with hors d’oeuvres and beverages at the boat ramp, then they’ll kayak to the next stop for the salad course. After that, on the back part of the park, they’ll enjoy the main course, after which they’ll paddle their way back to land and enjoy homemade pie while listening to live music by Bryce Janey. Tickets start at $100 with kayaks launching every half hour from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
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Monday night: When I'm not biking or paddling, I'm seeking out musical performers. Since they started in March, I've frequented the Monday Night Live shows at xBk Live, 1159 24th St. in the Drake Dogtown district not far from my home. Nationally regarded bassist Scot Sutherland, drummer Russ Tomlinson and guitarist Dave Ducharme-Jones serve each Monday night as the rock-solid house band for an invited guest, usually a top-notch Iowa singer-songwriter. Dave's wife Anne sometimes joins in on guitar and vocals and usually conducts an artist interview during the mid-show break. When they're not on stage, the musicians mingle with the crowd, and it's easy to strike up a conversation with them. I'm still trying to talk Scot into doing a Gram Parsons tribute show. You can't beat the acoustics of Tobi Parks' xBk,. Her smart, diverse and eclectic programming has put her place on the map as one of the state's prime music destinations. You also can't beat the price of MNL: They play for tips.
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My Day Job
I arrived at the Register in 2019 after a news career that's taken me from Kentucky to Ohio, Florida and Georgia. I also had a brief stint out of the news biz in Michigan (hated it). I say grace over a lot of things at the Register. I'm officially the business and investigative editor, working with eight talented reporters. But I also manage court coverage and served as the entertainment, dining and retail editor before Susan Stapleton arrived last year to take over those subjects (thanks, Susan). I'm just happy to be back in a newsroom, getting paid to do things I love.
Speaking of Susan, she returns next week to show off her 4-year-old nephew's favorite splash park in the Des Moines metro.
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This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Canoeing in Iowa? Here's what you should know if you're on the water
