The Big Sioux River Through Sioux Falls: A last cruise of the year.

Today was a glorious gift to those of us here on the northern plains. A bright, sunny, weekend day with temperatures approaching 65 degrees on November 11 cannot be allowed to pass without notice. Many of us feel compelled to take advantage of this welcome respite preceding the inevitable winter shutdown. Just weeks from now, the lakes and rivers are likely to be frozen. In fact, we expect a return to cold grey days next week.



So, after a midday hike in the hills overlooking the Big Sioux River at a state recreation area near Sioux Falls, I felt anxious to load up the kayak and take a last cruise of the season on the river. Within minutes of returning from the hike, I had my old beater of a river kayak (10.5 foot Dagger) lashed to the Yakama rack and was heading down 26th Street to the park along the Big Sioux River. This is less than a ten-minute drive for me from my east side Sioux Falls home: 10 minutes from driveway to “put-in.”



There was a great deal of traffic on the Sioux Falls bike trail, and many people were in the parks. As usual, however, there was no one on the river nor any cars parked at the canoe access point on the west side of the river at 26th Street.



I headed upstream in a pretty full river with good depth all along my route. Going upstream, the YMCA camp is located along the west bank and the bicycle trail on the east bank. I was able to check out any new developments within view of the river at Camp Leif Erickson, a beautiful YMCA facility that runs for nearly a mile along the river.



The current was strong, especially for this time of the year. The weather was shirtsleeves, rolled up shirtsleeves at that. I did not see any notable wildlife other than a few ducks and flocks of crows in the leafless trees. The vista certainly has changed since my last cruise along this part of the river. With no leaves on the trees and the weeds going dormant, it was a brown world.



It took me about 35 minutes to paddle upstream from the bridge over 26th Street to the bicycle trail bridge, and I spent another 35 minutes enjoying a float trip back down to the take-out at the canoe access point.



This short stretch of the Big Sioux River is a little jewel here in the city. It requires the investment of only an hour or so on the water, but the views and experience of isolation are wonderful. Sometimes we neglect this waterway because, I guess, it is so close and not much of an adventure. For a tranquil paddle and the opportunity to check out seasonal changes, look at a variety of bird life, and experience the winds and currents, the Big Sioux through Sioux Falls ought to be on the cruise agenda of city paddlers. Also, no shuttle is necessary for this short paddle.



This was probably the last cruise of the season for me. With the return to colder, grey and windy days next week and the approach of Thanksgiving, I will take the kayak rack off the Honda Civic and empty the trunk of PDFs and paddles. It seems like a long time until March when we can all get back on the water around here. In the meantime, I will read Sea Kayaker Magazine and Canoe Magazine and look at the area maps for new waters ahead. The South Dakota Canoe Association will be having a board meeting this next week, and the annual conference will be held in January, so talk will revolve around new opportunities and adventures for the next season.