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I want to show my kids that true entertainment is not pre-packaged plastic, artificial fun served up in a strait jacket at a theme park. I want them to explore and entertain themselves in the outdoors. What I hope to find are locations for day trips or one-two night voyages in a canoe or kayak, without rapids or any significant danger areas. While I spent a fair amount of time in a canoe as an adolescent and have decent backpacking/basic survival training, I am not familiar with the suitable locations out here. Any tips would be appreciated, especially locations within two hours of Tacoma.
 
I would look for a medium sized lake that offers good bass fishing. You could look at the WDFW website and find a stocked lake to take the kids out on.
I would only take them on a river after they have had plenty of still water experience. Maybe look for a river with a good reputation of largemouth and smallmouth bass.
I suggest bass lakes because the water will be warmer, and more fun to fall in (usually calmer in a river too).

The closest one I can think of off hand is silver lake, which has great bass and crappie. Otherwise you'd be traveling too far... then again, I'll be driving 4 hours to the John Day on Saturday for a day trip... I might just be crazy. ;)

Good luck and have fun! They'll thank you for the experience.
 
Baker lake in Skagit/Whatcom county is pretty quiet this time of year until about July. It has many boat in only primitive campsites and you will not find a more picturesque setting either.
 
I don't remember where I found it, but it was cheap and it sits on the deck in my kayaks. 22" collapsed and about 6' extended. Certainly doesn't cast gracefully like a 2-piece rod, but it's great for drifting and flipping a line into the shady spots I can't reach from terra firma. I keep a pair of needle nose nippers with me too, for catch and release. And to recover bass lures left hanging in branches by landlubbers - haven't purchased anything new in years.

shorrt rod.jpg
 
On a separate note, this being NWFA and all...

Kayaking, canoeing and fishing are about as peaceful and relaxing as you can get, especially in remote spots where you're not competing with others for access. That said, I've launched my boats in more than a few places where it might be no surprise to come back to a ransacked vehicle (hiking trails, too).

But I will not be scared out of pursuing my hobbies. So I buy good insurance and try to exercise common sense regarding what's visible (and hidden) in the car/truck. And I go armed, at least with a revolver that would clean up well if it were to take an accidental dip in the water.

Oxygen bandits (meth-heads) love to patrol lonely drop-in points, especially if they see you leaving, presumably for an hour or more. Returning once from a 2-hour paddle, I spotted a Beavis/Butthead looking punk "just standing around" near my Outback on a deserted backwater bank near Kelso. Creeps me out knowing that I could've watched him break, enter, steal and split (in leisurely super slo-mo) while I thrashed the final half mile at best speed. He wandered away (who knows where?) when Mrs. Teflon and I beached and started loading boats. Not sure if he noticed my holstered sidearm or not.

This is not to dump a bucket of cold water on a fun thread. Rather, to remind everyone that healthy outdoor recreation can be just a sketchy in its own way as jostling among oblivious masses in a packed urban setting.
 
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I used to take my kids to Spanaway lake when they were younger and I would rent a canoes at the lake. Not sure if they still rent canoes, or if you can fish, but it would be close to you and might be nice just to paddle around on the lake.

Ron
 
I want to show my kids that true entertainment is not pre-packaged plastic, artificial fun served up in a strait jacket at a theme park. I want them to explore and entertain themselves in the outdoors. What I hope to find are locations for day trips or one-two night voyages in a canoe or kayak, without rapids or any significant danger areas. While I spent a fair amount of time in a canoe as an adolescent and have decent backpacking/basic survival training, I am not familiar with the suitable locations out here. Any tips would be appreciated, especially locations within two hours of Tacoma.

Look on Google map for lakes in your area, there are a few that I could mention right out of the box. One being American lake which is in Lakewood and another is lake Tapps which is out by Bonney Lake and not very far from you. Alder lake is another good choice about an hour southeast of Tacompton (Tacoma)... Sorry.
 
So from Tacoma or wherever you are.
Baker lake would be a weekend end trip .
There are a few smaller lakes up there on your way to Baker .
Grandy lake is there I know they are catching trout in grandy lake .
With worm and bobber set up .
And small castings spinners.
I will be going up to Baker lake next week to check it out.
But it's only a hour and 20 minutes from my house.
 
There are lots of camping spots around Baker and the surrounding lakes .
Hiking tails and stuff like that.
And like someone said you can't beat the scenery.
It's at the base of MT Baker.
Just Google camping at Baker lake. Screenshot_2019-05-24_005307.jpg
 
There are lots of camping spots around Baker and the surrounding lakes .
Hiking tails and stuff like that.
And like someone said you can't beat the scenery.
It's at the base of MT Baker.
Just Google camping at Baker lake.View attachment 582492

There are several spots on he East shore of Baker that are boat in only not shown on the this map. Those are the ones I would try to get for more of an off the grid experience. Waking up to this in the am is awe inspiring.

D09C5878-B229-4793-B65D-B82E249ADE32.jpeg 8F5A63F9-BC75-498D-BE86-CF36ADE2CE48.jpeg
 
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79051CDC-CCDD-421F-A869-1833C5CEEDBB.jpeg 00539154-BC06-4C99-88E5-4C569410EA1C.jpeg Thanks everyone, I will be visiting Baker Lake later this month. I bought a fiberglass canoe that needed a new coat of paint and new caning in the seats. It was a steal. Now the marine fiberglass bottom paint is finished and just waiting on me to find new caning.

In the meantime we visited the JBLM side of American Lake today and rented the sit on top kayaks. We had clear views of Mt. Rainier, bald eagles fishing very close to us, and my son was delighted with his rock bass catch.
 
There are a lot of little lakes around .
That are good for kayaks.
The one by my house here in Anacortes .
Hart lake there is always people in small boats and kayaks and it is a no gas powered boat lake.
So is Cranberry lake on Whidbey island
They stock them a few times a year.
Last Wednesday .
Fishing from the bank . MVIMG_20190605_093953.jpg MVIMG_20190605_131656.jpg 8786.jpeg
 
The lakes that are no gas engine lakes are good because you don't have to worry about getting wake out or ran over by some body speeding around .
 
View attachment 588775 View attachment 588774 Thanks everyone, I will be visiting Baker Lake later this month. I bought a fiberglass canoe that needed a new coat of paint and new caning in the seats. It was a steal. Now the marine fiberglass bottom paint is finished and just waiting on me to find new caning.

In the meantime we visited the JBLM side of American Lake today and rented the sit on top kayaks. We had clear views of Mt. Rainier, bald eagles fishing very close to us, and my son was delighted with his rock bass catch.

Be careful and wear bright clothing on American Lake. Wakeboarders, seaplanes, and bass boats that can do 70+ mph are all over that lake through the summer. Someone, usually a kayaker, gets killed on that lake every year it seems.
 

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