Float This Boat!

Canoe Big River in Mendocino

06.15.2022
English bulldog and person in a redwood canoe on the Big River in Mendocino

What makes paddling Mendocino’s beautiful Big River even more enjoyable? Exploring it on an artisan canoe! This isn’t your big green plastic summer camp canoe. These handcrafted outriggers are fashioned from reclaimed virgin redwood and offer a ride that’s smooth, steady, swift, and fun! (Bonus: even the dog can come along; ask for the “canine cruiser.”)

Woman and her dog on a canoe on the Big River in Mendocino

Rent your outrigger from Catch a Canoe & Bicycles, Too!, where the good folks will let you know the best tide-tuned times to paddle out and back. The 8-mile Big River estuary invites the quiet exploration of a wide tree-lined oasis with resident river otters. However near or far you choose to go, the canoe’s outrigger and push-pedal rudder will make steering a breeze. Bring a picnic to enjoy and stay awhile—you’ll definitely want to savor this boat float.

TIP: Catch a Canoe & Bicycles, Too! also rents two-wheelers. Combine your canoe trip with a beginner-friendly bike ride on the Big River Trail, or ask about Mendocino’s advanced mountain biking trails.

Catch a Canoe & Bicycles, Too!, Hwy. 1 and Comptche Ukiah Rd., Mendocino; (707) 937-0273. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View
  2. Hiker taking a photo of sunset at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve

    Sunshine and Skyline

    Head to Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve for a 4-mile out-and-back hike on the Bay Area Ridge Trail that offers a front-row seat to spectacular sunsets.

    View
  3. Hike Los Trancos Open Space Preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains

    Light of Los Trancos

    In autumn, Los Trancos Open Space Preserve lights up with orange-red maples, yellow hazelnut, and deciduous oaks, making this 2.5-mile hike in the Santa Cruz mountains a wonder-fall destination.

    View
  4. Sponsored

    Center of Attention

    Central Oregon is home to the craft beer capital of the US, the Deschutes River, and trails for every kind of outdoor adventure: hiking, skiing, paddling, biking, and—of course—relaxing at fire pits.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Secret Stair Master!

    Step up to a wonderful 2-mile, nearly 1000-step workout in peaceful Pasadena that is part leg labor, part suburban stroll, and all serene secret.

    View
  2. Hiker at Dos Picos County Park in San Diego County

    Dos Picos

    The 1.4-mile loop around Dos Picos County Park is a small yet mighty gem in northern San Diego County. It's gentle and packs a bunch of scenery.

    View

  3. U-pick and Hike

    Some of the most delicious anywhere grow on trees high up in the San Bernardino Mountains in the town of Oak Glen, where Los Rios Rancho, So Cal’s largest historic apple ranch, grows 32 varieties, all completely organic, and available as u-picks.

    View
  4. Hike to an epic vista in the San Gabriels via the Colby Trail in Glendora

    Do It for a Donut!

    Why bust your legs on this 2.25-mile hike in the San Gabriels? Two words: Donuts. Donuts. Okay, you’ll also get great views and a fine workout, but we guarantee that the treat alone merits the trek.

    View