Lake Erie provides Pennsylvania's only coastal waters. Most of the shoreline is private property or state park, so it is best to plan with public campsites and access areas in mind, allowing sufficient time to go from point to point. Most of the shoreline is undeveloped, remaining in a wild natural condition with erosion ridges running down its multicolored clay banks. Signs of civilization can be seen on top of the steep cliffs which rise from the water's edge. There are only two public campgrounds with lake frontage along the entire Pennsylvania shoreline.
Canoe travel is best done in July through the first half of August. The water is still too cold in June and from mid-August onward storms and wind-whipped waves can last several days at a time, causing a lot of down time for small craft. The lake can turn up its waves on short notice. Waves have been recorded 12 to 15 feet high in bad storms. It is not unusual to see waves 3 to 5 feet. On the other hand it can be flat as a pancake. Check the weather before going. If small craft warnings are posted, find some place inland or try the lagoon system in Presque Isle State Park. It's handy to carry a battery-powered weather radio to get up-to-the-minute reports on lake weather.
The Coast Guard requires a PFD for each person in the canoe. It also requires a signaling device (whistle) for each craft. It's a good idea to fly a bicycle flag to improve your visibility to power boaters. In addition, a white light visible through 360 degrees (i.e., in all directions) is required for night travel. A Pennsylvania State Park boat permit is needed for launching or landing in Presque Isle State Park.
Canoes should be a minimum of 17 feet long and have plenty of freeboard. Become proficient in open-water rescue before venturing far from good shoreline. You may be far from shore, or the shoreline may offer no place to stand at the base of the cliffs.
We have described these sections assuming you will paddle from west to east, the direction of the prevailing wind. If, when you paddle, the wind is from the east, you will probably want to start your trip from the described take-out points.
A. Conneaut, Ohio
to Walnut Creek 18.5 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
A Lake Huge B/A
Topographic Maps: Conneaut (Ohio), East Springfield, Fairview SW, Fairview, Swanville
County Maps: Ashtabula (Ohio), Erie
Description: [Checked 1985]
Difficulties: High cliffs descend to the lake, often directly to the water without any beach. Do not attempt to pass the cliff areas shown on the topographic maps if the wave action is picking up. When the lake is turbulent, there is no beach to stand on along the base of the cliffs if you should swamp the canoe. Stay clear of the concrete walls around Trout Run Marina and jetties sloping into the lake. Exercise caution at Walnut Creek inlet.
Shuttle: Put in at the municipal pier in Conneaut. If your car will be there more than a day, the local police department should be notified and a float plan should be filed with them. Pennsylvania maintains a public launch site at the mouth of Walnut Creek. Virginia's Beach Campground is at the 6.5 mile point, just before Crooked Creek.
Gauge: Not needed
Normal Wet Period: All year. During the winter the lake will be frozen. During spring and fall, storms and high winds are always a possibility.
B. Walnut Creek to
Erie public dock 12-15 miles
depending
on choice of route in bay
B. Walnut Creek to Erie public dock
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
A Lake Huge A/A
Topographic Maps: Swanville, Erie North
County Maps: Erie
Description: Presque Isle State Park juts out into the lake and curls east along the shore to form a bay. One can paddle the outside of the curl in the main lake, or portage across the arm and paddle in the bay. A description of Presque Isle State Park can be obtained from Presque Isle State Park, Department of Environmental Resources, Erie, Pennsylvania. [Checked 1985]
Difficulties: Exercise caution before attempting to paddle across the main inlet from the tip of Presque Isle to the main shore. It is a 500 ft crossing. Expect to wait it out until wave action settles down.
Shuttle: Put in at Walnut Creek access area. There is a public campground (Beachcomber Campground) just past Waldameer Park, which is near the west end of Presque Isle where it joins the shore. Continue to the east end of Pettinato Beach, Presque Isle State Park. This is the official (1985) portage route between the lake and the bay. There is a food concession and restroom at this point. The State Park Bathing Beach runs the entire length of Presque Isle peninsula. Therefore it is not permitted to beach or launch a canoe at any point other than Pettinato Beach or the marinas. It is a one-third mile carry along a path to Marina Lake. From here you can either go east along the south side of Presque Isle and across the bay to the Erie Public Dock, or west past the Erie Yacht Club and eastward to the Erie Public Dock. The crossing of the bay requires that the entrance to the bay be calm so the decision should be based on the winds and weather. If you elect the south side of Presque Isle see the description of Presque Isle trip elsewhere in this guide. It is best to take out on the leeward side of the dock. An intermediate take-out is at Pettinato Beach.
Gauge: Not needed
Normal Wet Period: All year. During the winter the lake will be frozen. During spring and fall, storms and high winds are always a possibility.
C. Erie public dock
to Ripley NY 21.0 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
A Lake Huge B/C
Topographic Maps: Erie North, Harborcreek, North East
County Maps: Erie, Chautauqua (NY)
Description: [Checked 1985]
Difficulties: On approach to the inlet between the Bay and Lake Erie, tie up at the first inlet light tower and walk out on jetty to check the wave action in Lake Erie. If it is too turbulent, portage at this point and launch again at Lampe's Marina. Caution: the cliffs east of the marina have no beach to stand on in event of a swamping; so do not attempt passage if wave action is too rough. The water in this area shows signs of pollution. It is best not to be closer to the cliffs than the "slop line" in the water (this is the point where the backwash from the cliffs meets the incoming waves off the lake). The area of easiest paddling is approximately 25 yards from shore.
Shuttle: Put in at the public dock in Erie. The take-out point is at Lakeside Campground just over the New York border. A fee is charged for use of the launch area. Intermediate public access can be had at Eight Mile Creek and Sixteen Mile Creek.
Gauge: Not needed
Normal Wet Period: All year. During the winter the lake will be frozen. During spring and fall, storms and high winds are always a possibility.