Canoeing and kayaking in Indiana rivers, streams and lakes can provide endless hours of fun, relaxation and exercise. You can get lots of information, trips and help from The Hoosier Canoe and Kayak Club and Indiana Outfitters, an online outdoor recreation guide.

Eric and Cara Stallsmith, with Indiana Outfitters, have created a Indiana rivers site, that provides a list of good rivers in Indiana, outfitters and descriptions of put-ins and take-outs. Here are some suggestions for canoeing and kayaking trips, with much information from the Stallsmiths and photos from Hoosier Canoe and Kayak Club members.

EAGLE CREEK RESERVOIR

The marina offers guided evening paddle trips on Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. Call the marina at at (317) 327-7130 to register.

WHITE RIVER WEST FORK

The banks of the White River West Fork near Martinsville are lined with woods of sycamore, river birch and oaks, and you may see Canada geese, cranes, ducks, fox and herons. A great trip is from Waverly to Henderson’s Ford Bridge.

Sugar Creek provides a plethora of canoeing and kayaking opportunities from north of Crawfordsville to Shades State Park and Turkey Run State Park and beyond. Several different outfitters provide shuttles and equipment for this creek. These are especially good trips for beginners and families with children.

WILDCAT CREEK

Wildcat Creek from above Kokomo to the Wabash River at Lafayette provides interesting canoeing and kayaking experiences. The website provides information about access points, trip lengths and descriptions.

Garry Hill operates the Wildcat Guardians, an association of people dedicated to improving the health and beauty of Wildcat Creek in north central Indiana. He holds the Indiana Paddler’s Rendezvous each summer, a three-day camping and paddling trip on the Wildcat that draw some 100 paddlers.

FALL CREEK

Fall Creek in Indianapolis has several access points. It can go form being an easy to challenging river, depending on the water flow. You can access the creek at Pendleton for trips down to Geist Reservoir. The Hoosier Canoe and Kayak Club held a moving water clinic in May 2009 on “killer falls” on Fall Creek, where Garry Hill and others are maneuvering some whitewater upstream from the Shadeland-465 bridges.

Much of the joys of river trips come from what you can see and experience on the river banks — everything from herons to turtles and eye-catching woods.

EEL RIVER

The Eel River is scenic and runs from near Fort Wayne to Logansport, where it joins the Wabash River.

DRIFTWOOD RIVER

Driftwood River flows from the confluence of the Big Blue River and Sugar Creek to the east fork of the White River at Columbus. It winds through farmland with wood strips bordering both banks along most of its 16-mile length.

BLUE RIVER

A jewel in southern Indiana, Blue River flows through one of the most scenic, diverse and interesting areas of the state. You can experience extensive forests, numerous caves, rural farmland and historical attractions. The river starts in Washington County and a portion of its path to the Ohio River forms the boundary between Harrison and Crawford counties. The limestone walls along the river are usually covered by trees and shrubs.

CATARACT FALLS

Sometimes you can get a special scenic treat on a paddling trip, like Cataract Falls in Cloverdale, Owen County, only a little more than an hour from Indianapolis. Two sets of falls on Mill Creek create a cascade that drops 86 feet, the largest waterfall in Indiana.

There is boat access to the lower falls from the Cunot public access site on Cagles Mills Lake. It’s about a 3.6 mile trip, but there are no outfitters here. You can also hike from the lower falls to the upper falls before heading back.

BIG PINE CREEK

Indiana’s only section of real whitewater paddling can be found on Big Pine Creek, located about 20 miles west of Lafayette. Spring rains and meltwater in April and May can turn Big Pine Creek into a series of whitewater rapids. But during much of the summer and dry periods it has insufficient water levels for good paddling.

The 51-mile creek features beautiful cliffs, wildlife and options for several different lengths of trips from the Rainsville Bridge to Twin Bridges and from Twin Bridges to Attica. Indiana Outfitters provides more information about public access sites and the river. But there are no outfitters for this river.

LAKE MONROE

The vast Lake Monroe, south of Bloomington, offers some unique paddling with your own canoes or kayaks. During high water in 2008 Hoosier Canoe and Kayakers Club members were able to paddle among the trees.

The club’s Seat Kayak Fleet organizes paddling trips and training for touring and sea kayaks. It also organizes overnight trips on Indiana lakes, as well as Lake Michigan and Lake Erie.

SALT CREEK

A lesser-known paddling treasure in Brown County is the Salt Creek tributary to Lake Monroe. You can bring your own canoe or kayak or rent a kayak or canoe from the Brown County Wilderness Canoe Rental. It’s located four miles from Story. This is a wonderful, scenic trip.

You can explore nameless tributaries with beaver lodges or paddle all the way to Lake Monroe. There’s a good chance to see cranes, wild turkeys, coyotes and perhaps a bald eagle. Drive right to the canoe launch and paddle back to the site. A map of all the tributaries is furnished to all canoers and guided tours are available for an additional fee.

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