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!

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