Chain O'Lakes State Park

Water changes everything. Boys who struggle with 'just hiking' light up when you put a paddle in their hands. Chain O'Lakes is perfect for introducing canoe skills - the lakes are calm, the portages are short, and if you tip over (and someone always does), it's only waist-deep and everyone laughs. We'll teach J-strokes, how to read water, and basic navigation. Fishing is excellent - bluegill, bass, crappie. This trip builds skills you'll need for Boundary Waters someday, but it's low-pressure and high-fun. Plus, watching the sunrise from a canoe while mist rises off the water? That's the moment boys remember forever.