A Quest to the Coast : Our Russian River Paddle Board Trip.

The Russian River is by far one of my favorite escapes from the city. In under 2 hours you can make the drive from San Francisco, California and step into a new world of rest and relaxation along the river and amongst the redwoods.

This region is home to world-class wineries, fishing, canoeing, and more, so it was a no brainer to plan this 3 day, 2 night trip for my birthday this year. I had one goal in mind : Paddle to the Coast!

I had dreamt up this adventure just a year before, when sitting on the shore at Johnson's Beach in Guerneville. I thought, "wouldn't it be cool to do a float trip all the way to the coast?" The river flows all the way until it kisses the Pacific Ocean in the town of Jenner, CA. I pulled out a map to start considering the reality of the trip - one year later, the birthday adventure was born!

It was like a real "Tom Sawyer" adventure!

*Note: If you're looking to explore the area, this same adventure can be done on land, by car! I've highlighted some of our favorite stops!

Our adventure started on a Wednesday night, with a visit to our friends at : River Bend Resort. We were taken back to memories of our childhood with some good ol' fashion fun. We told stories around a campfire, skipped rocks on the water at sunset, and made friends with some neighboring campers, staying up past our bed time, filling the campgrounds with laughter. It was a great way to kick-off the trip, and a comfortable stay for our early embarkment.

Thursday morning, we carried our paddle boards down the camp trail to the water, and loaded up for a full day on the river! It wasn't long before we were joined by a group of ducks swimming alongside our paddles. (A "raft" of ducks is the term, we learned!) I was at peace surrounded by the simple wildlife and natural beauty of the region!

Pro-tip: Bring your speaker, and a small cooler for refreshments and snacks!

Local tip: Don't bother the residents. There are plenty of places to pull up and enjoy the scene, but be sure not to dock on the locals property. Be respectful of their homes and their belongings. Look out for signs noting to "Keep Off" or "Private Property".

We stopped for lunch at Stumptown Brewery. Luckily, they were open, and the weather was perfect for a burger on the patio! It was enough to fuel us to paddle a little further down to Johnson's Beach. Usually this beach is packed, but being a weekday during the off-season, we had space to enjoy it! We pulled our gear up onto the shore, and headed into town to explore! So many great spots are within walking distance of the beach, just head up into the downtown of Guerneville! Not only can you find some fun Bart Bridge hats in this store, but there are also some delicious items on the menu, and a market to restock your snacks! Make sure you stop by PikNik Town Market while you're here! And if you've got time, dig through and see what you can find at the Mill Street Thrift store! 

If you're driving through the area, stop by: Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve - Armstrong Redwoods preserves stately and magnificent Sequoia sempervirens, commonly known as the coast redwood. Enjoy the parks day-use areas for hiking, picnics, and more!

After Guerneville, our destination for our overnight was in Monte Rio! And we had some river to crush to get there! To put back in, we had to walk our paddle boards around the Dam at Johnson's Beach. Don't worry, this was super easy!

Heads up: There is a second dam between Guerneville and Monte Rio! You'll want to keep your eyes on the river, and walk your gear around the dam. You'll find it just before a bridge, and it should have posts coming out of the water. This one wasn't as easily marked, and the water flowed through it - Be safe when approaching this. Danger and Difficulty will be dependent on the river's water levels.

We paddled hard for the remainder of the trip, but we took breaks on various islands that we found to rest our arms. In Monte Rio, we were staying at a friend's house, and my mouth was salivating from the thought of the tacos we were having for dinner! I didn't need any more motivation than that to keep paddling! 

Monte Rio:  You'll want to pull your gear out at the Monte Rio Public beach area, just as you approach the bridge.

We called it a night here, and enjoyed the comfort of our friends, and a home cooked meal. Bartlett's Market was walking distance and had everything we needed to restock supplies before entering the river again on Friday.

On day two, we had some issues with two of our inflatable paddle boards. These boards were a little older, and one had an obvious leak when we started out on the second leg of our trip. We tried to patch it, but we could tell it was going to continue to let out air. Luckily we had packed a pump with us - so we occasionally stopped along the river to re-pump air into the boards. The skies were covered in a smoke, coming from a controlled burn further down the river. It was eerie at first, but it also made for a beautiful scene when the sunlight would pierce through its thickness. We could not have asked for better weather during this trip!

 With two boards giving up on us, and constantly having to stop to refill them with air, our trip was taking longer than we had hoped. We pulled off at Duncans Mills to assess our situation.

Reminder: Do not get out on other people's property unless it's for an emergency. The locals are not fond of visitor's approaching from the water.

Most of our crew called it quits at Duncans Mills - which was honestly a great stop to enjoy the rest of the day. There's a great little shopping area, as well as a General store, and an antique store. We snagged some lunch at The Blue Heron. 

If you time your trip right, you might even be able to catch the Rodeo in Duncans Mills! 

Check these places out if you're in Duncans Mills: Mason James, Cape Fear Cafe, Twice As Nice Antiques. 

My adventure didn't end there. I was determined to make it to Jenner! We swapped out some gear, and our friends took a taxi ride to shuttle back the rest of the boards, while two of us continued west! We were racing the sun to the horizon, hoping to see the ocean before dark! The air and the water got colder as the shadows over the river grew. We paddled hard, but we couldn't help but take in all the beauty that surrounded us. The coastal hills rolling along side the river... home to cows, horses, and eventually, as we got closer to our destination, the harbor seals began to welcome us. Their cute whiskered noses and big dark eyes would pop out of the water and bob up and down in front of us. We knew we were close. I started to sing "Just around the river bend..." from the Disney Movie "Pocahontas" to feel inspired by the proximity of our finish line. Just as it was getting dark, we saw our friends waving from the road side! We called out to them on where to meet for a pick up - and were reunited to share the stories of the last leg of our trip! There was no better place to celebrate, and share than over a cocktail at the bar, at River's End Restaurant. (I recommend making a reservation if you go during busy season, or want to sit down to eat. We just grabbed some drinks with the bartender, who had a fascinating amount of knowledge to share about the area!)

Highly Encouraged: Have a conversation with the bartender and other locals! They are part of what makes these small towns so special! You might learn a thing or two, or even better - make a new friend!

The take away? You don't have to travel far, or long, to enjoy an adventure in nature! A short drive and a quick stay will get you exercise, excitement, and memories that are sure to last. 

For those of you who don't have the time, or energy: No sweat! There are plenty of great day-use spots along the Russian River to just enjoy it from the banks, or put in for a quick float. The trip above can be modified to be done by car, and in a day!

We'd love to hear about your experience at the Russian River! Let us know in the comments below!