Trinity River - Kayak Trip / Canoe Trip
Report Type: Day Trip Report
Trip Dates: March 14, 2010
Nearest City: Fort Worth, TX
Difficulty: Easy
Submitted by: Wookford
Description:
My first float trip.
Put in below the dam at Beach street, with a little help from my dear and indulgent friend. Sloshed a little water in as I stepped aboard, but didn't fall in, amazingly.
The section I was floating would be about 6.5 river miles, with one weir dam to portage around. I had photocopies of the relevant USGS topo maps, some Google Earth pix, and my nav unit. I had planned to portage along the north bank, around the dam, and back down to the river. However, that section is thirty to fifty feet deep in a canyon. Near the water, vegetation pushed by floodwaters proves impassable. I managed to make my way to Fossil Creek, pushed in, and paddled through rocks and fallen trees back out to the Trinity.
This portage was difficult, and time-consuming. But I felt like a real canoe man. Had padded the thwart, and used it as the yoke to portage the boat; also slung on my right shoulder some, and dragged it through the grass by the bowline. Tough little boat!
Found a muddy, but flat little rill that led up the hill and pulled out about 1000 yards from the dam at Handley-Ederville. Pulled out literally, digging my fingers into the silty mud and hauling out free-climber style, dragging the canoe ashore with my body across the thwart. Another long, hard slog up the hill. Found Jenny at the top, and she helped me carry the Pack back to the Jeep. Now that's a wife!
Lots of trash along the way; plastic bags, old tires. Some sidewalk is falling into the river. This is our drinking water, folks! Nevertheless, lots of birds: great blue herons, mallards, coots, finches, sapsuckers, red hawks. Lots of turtles. In fact, I think I figured out a name for the boat...
Seven miles along the Trinity River--Adventure Sunday!!!
This section not recommended because of insufficient portage route around the dam.
Accommodations:
None
Directions:
I-30 at Beach St.
Resources:
USGS topos, Google Earth, Garmin GPSMap 76Cx
Great Products from the Buyers' Guide:
