I have been asked a few times in the last couple of weeks how to get new areas on the website. Some areas are easier to get data than others, and the larger areas are harder to create the route finder, so the time required to add an area varies. However, I'm always open to suggestions. If I can get the data, I can add it. These are the areas that have been suggested to me so far:

• Temagami (Ontario)
• Killarney (Ontario)
• Isle Royale (Michigan)
• Apostle Islands (Wisconsin)
• St Regis Canoe Area & Adirondacks (New York)
• Northern Forest Canoe Trail (Maine to New York)
• Mississippi River (Minnesota to Louisiana) - this would be quite a project
• Minnesota Water Trails

These are areas that I've researched but haven't been suggested yet. Is there anyone that would like to see these added?

• Allagash Wilderness Waterway (Maine)
• Wabakimi (Ontario) - might be hard to get data for this area, though
• Kenai Wildlife Refuge (Alaska)
• La Verendrye (Quebec)

Anybody want to vote for the next one or add another area to the list?

Edited by user Saturday, January 2, 2016 8:10:14 AM(UTC)  | Reason: More info

I'm late to this thread, but I would cast a vote for St. Croix/Namekagon Rivers. I am very familiar with the lower St. Croix between Taylors Falls and Prescott since I am from the Twin Cities, but the upper St. Croix is a mystery to me that I would love to explore. Getting this map on Paddle Planner would make planning a potential trip that much easier. Maybe these rivers fall under "MN Water Trails" from your original post. In that case, I vote for them. Actually, I would vote for all of them anyway, with priority given to the St. Croix since it is a National Park that seems to cater to paddling. :)

I've had my eye on Wabakimi for years and would like to see it added. Granted, it's a big park and the data involved is pretty immense and I have a feeling that the last thing the area outfitters want is for an independent source of information to become available. (Memories of the Woodland Caribou situation come to mind.)

Originally Posted by: eagle98mn

I would cast a vote for St. Croix/Namekagon Rivers. I am very familiar with the lower St. Croix between Taylors Falls and Prescott since I am from the Twin Cities, but the upper St. Croix is a mystery to me that I would love to explore.

At the Outdoor Adventure Expo, I got this request a lot. So I think this will be the next one to add. It shouldn't be too hard since it is just a river and the info is readily available.

Thanks for the update Ben. Not trying to pressure you - just was curious since so much time had elapsed.

As for the superior national forest routes, now that I am looking for them, I see you do have some of them on there like the Circle Route near Ely but are missing some of the others. Here is the other link I am looking at https://www.fs.usda.gov/...ENTS/stelprdb5302434.pdf

I always noticed the campsites and portages outside the BWCA on Paddle Planner, but didn't really know what they were since I've only been canoe tripping for 5 years. Now, I'm starting to understand that many of them are part of smaller canoe routes that may be exactly what I want to check out in the future under the right circumstances. Even though they are much smaller, would it make sense to break these routes out on the "interactive maps" page like you do with some of the other canoe areas? Complete with entry points? So for Timber-Frear for example, for planning purposes, it would be nice to be able to "discover" the Timber Frear route exists on the maps page, and then once clicking on it see on Paddle Planner which lakes offer entry to the area in addition to the corresponding campsites and portages. This is just an idea to add to you're already lengthy to-do list! :)

Edited by user Thursday, April 12, 2018 3:31:41 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Originally Posted by: BillConner

eagle98, I get a "pages not found" error on the fs.usda.... link

Oops! I guess it added the period at the end of my sentence to the link. I just deleted the period and that fixed the link - my grammar teachers would be horrified! :)

I'll second this suggestion for mapping the NHAL canoe routes.  DNR's maps are of limited value.  I'd really like to see trip reports, which would help me make decisions about route planning.

Thanks for the suggestion, AH!

Originally Posted by: AmateurHour

Apostles are great, have wanted to paddle them for some time. Would also love to see Isle Royale and some of the MN waterways.

I'm in Wisconsin, so I'll toss in new suggestions for the Wisconsin river and for the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest canoe routes. The NHAL map/brochure can be found at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/StateForests/nhal/documents/NHALCanoeRoute.pdf.

Depends on what one uses the site for, I suppose. My primary use is sharing/viewing photos and site info. I spend a good chunk of time scrolling through the maps to see what others have said or uploaded, and PP is also my primary storage for trip photos. I feel a lot better about Ben monetizing my stuff than a few CEOs I could name. :)

Originally Posted by: Gavia

I've been to the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage several times.  It's basically just a big lake, so there really aren't any significant route options.  The maps and charts available on the DNR's website are enough.  If you plug the GPS coordinates into GoogleEarth you can navigate using a smartphone.  I see no need to create a resource for it on this site.

 

Originally Posted by: AmateurHour

Here's one more for the pile: The Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area. I randomly stumbled across this blog, and the T-F looks awesome. It's just west of where I usually go, but somehow I've never visited. I fully intend to check it out this summer. There are more details and maps from the state here: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Lands/TurtleFlambeau/camping.html.

Originally Posted by: Gavia

Well, I certainly can't argue your last point. :-)

I also agree that PP is a great place to share trip reports, etc. My comment was to suggest that there isn't a need for Ben to put a lot of time into mapping the T-F Flowage.

However, if one Flowage, then all four of them, including the Chippewa, the Willow, and the Rainbow.

I've been planning on adding the T-F and Chippewa flowages because there are already so many photos on Paddle Planner for them (thanks AH!). I wasn't aware of the other two flowages, so I'll be sure to add those, too, when I get to them. I hope to actually get some stuff done when the semester ends in a few weeks.

Originally Posted by: Ben Strege

Originally Posted by: Chris Hoepker

I've had my eye on Wabakimi for years and would like to see it added.

The biggest problem with Wabakimi is lack of portage information. The info that I can get from the Ontario government is just downright bad - at least the last time I looked, maybe I should look again. I know Friends of Wabakimi have good portage info, but I don't know if they would be willing to share.

Any updates on this idea? I'd love to see Wabakimi added.

Hello, I would like to suggest adding ZEC Kipawa, Quebec to the canoeing areas supported by Paddle Planner. I have maps that cover about 75 years of campsite & portage history that would be nice to preserve. I would renew my subscription to Paddle Planner so I could access this information and use your convenient trip planning tools. I am currently using OutdoorActive.com to plan and preserve trip data but it isn't as powerful or convenient to use as PP. ---Thanks

Hey Ben

Most of my tripping is north and norteast Manitoba. I take it you would need data on areas. All what would you need I am Guessing access and egrees locations and any permissions if needed. and GPX tracking of the route taken with discriptions of camp site and portages with coordinates. any thing else you would require?