Interested in kayaking on the Mississippi River in the heart of Minneapolis or St. Paul? You simply log in online, get a code and use it to open a locker to your kayak and gear.
“It really is that simple,” said Devin Brown, community programs director for the Mississippi Park Connection. She beams when telling people about the Paddle Share program, which is getting more Minnesotans on the River. Brown moved to the Twin Cities from New Jersey more than a decade ago, specifically for the river.
“My biggest and greatest connection to God is through the Mississippi River. That is my church and my therapist,” Brown said.
The Paddle Share program is bringing this resource to people who might otherwise never have considered a kayak ride on the Mississippi. “It is my goal and objective to connect everyone and especially those who look like us to paddling on the Mississippi.”
A common misconception about kayaking is that it’s only for experienced outdoor types and requires a lot of things: a boat, paddles, a vehicle to carry the kayak and strength to lug it to the river and back.
Paddle Share, owned by Mississippi Park Connection (MPC), in partnership with the National Park Service and other local landowners and organizations, is a collaborative program designed to increase opportunities for people to get out on the Mississippi River, which passes through the Twin Cities, but is rarely used for recreation. The folks at Paddle Share recognized this discrepancy and developed a one-way kayak rental system. You simply go to the website, paddleshare.org, select your route and then go to the rental location using the access code you receive online. That code opens a designated locker with a kayak, paddle and life jacket.
“The great thing about kayaking is that it brings you right on the water where you can feel the power of the Mississippi River without getting wet and I think that’s the goal, to still look fly and also embrace nature.
The program is prompting more paddlers and groups to enjoy the Mississippi together through community paddle events Brown hosts throughout the spring and summer.
“There’s nothing that gives me more joy than the paddles I do with community, but especially with Black women, smelling cocoa butter, listening to some good music and just vibing out on the river.”
Paddle Share offers self-service kayak stations along the Mississippi River at Gateway Regional Park, River Park, North Mississippi Regional Park, Bohemian Flats Park in Minneapolis and Pickerel Lake in St. Paul.
“If you’re afraid of getting on the river yourself, then come with me!” Brown said. Her community paddle schedule is available for booking starting May 22 on the Paddle Share website. New this year is a season pass for $200, which gets you access to kayaks from May 23 to Oct. 31. “After six paddles, the pass pays for itself,” Brown added.
Start making your paddle plans today. Learn more at: www.paddleshare.org