Paddling through Wildlife Refuges

Okefenokee Swamp Kenai, Alaska Souris River, North Dakota

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Delaware

After two hours of paddling through flooded timber, sweet gum, maple and oaks, boaters will find themselves in an open marsh with heavy, lush vegetation, leading to Broadkill River and the headquarters of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.

"It's an interesting trail, because it takes you through two major habitats," said Brian Braudis, deputy manager of the refuge. The canoe trail along Prime Hook Creek is narrow and shallow for the first 700 feet, from the Waples Mill Pond launch site adjacent to Waples Mill Pond off Route 1, then widens to a slow-moving stream and eventually opens into the marsh.

The entire, seven-mile trip, west to east, takes about four hours and requires two vehicles: one at each end. Some people, however, opt to do smaller sections of the river, paddling both ways through small currents. Although the trail is marked with signs, and the refuge provides maps, boaters are advised to bring a compass to avoid getting lost in "offshoots" of the main channel, Braudis said.

The trail is open during the spring, summer and early fall, with limited access during the late fall and winter. There are natural attractions in every season, from the colorful red maple leaves in the fall and spring to the fragrant sweetbay magnolia flower in the spring and early summer. In August, the large pink and white blooms of the marsh mallow draw in paddlers and butterflies alike.

Winterberry, sweet pepper bush, bayberry and seaside alder are among common shrubs along the trail, and there is an abundance of swamp rose, poison ivy, common greenbrier and redberry greenbrier. For more information, visit www.fws.gov/northeast/primehook/ and click on Public Use/Nature.

Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada

On the east side of the Ruby Mountains, where most travelers would expect nothing but sagebrush and other high desert plants, lies one of Nevada's most significant wetlands, a freshwater marsh full of ducks, swans and other wildlife.

"This is the only place in the state where you'll find a large, pristine marsh in the high desert," said Jeff Mackay, wildlife biologist for Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge. "The water here is crystal clear."

A marked canoe trail through the 7,000-acre marsh offers visitors close-up views of waterfowl and other wildlife - all under the magnificent backdrop of the mountains.

Mackay explained that the marsh is a "closed basin" in that it is spring fed and the water is completely still. Even though the boating channel is marked, paddlers are advised to use a compass or GPS to keep track of the trail. Occasionally paddlers will drag canoes over islands to get back on course or ask fellow paddlers for directions.

The trip through the marsh is about 12 miles roundtrip and generally takes about 6 hours to complete, Mackay said. Many families visit for trout and bass fishing, to observe waterfowl and just to find solitude.

The boating season at Ruby Lake Refuge begins June 15 with only non-motorized boats and boats with electric motors permitted in the marsh through August 1. Electric and gas motors, up to 10 horsepower, are then permitted until the end of the calendar year.

Paddlers are advised to watch for afternoon winds, which can reach 70 miles per hour and make for a difficult paddle back to the boat ramp. The Refuge is open from one hour before sunrise to two hours after sunset. Camping is not permitted. For more information, visit www.fws.gov/pacific/refuges/field/NV_rubylk.htm.