Launching a kayak from the Tournament Capital Ranch requires driving a dirt road to the bank above the river, then hauling the boat down the sandbanks to good spot.   There is a bay with a back eddy and a beach south of the slow pitch diamonds area.

The river runs very quickly, too fast for most paddlers to proceed upstream, but we can paddle downstream, cross to the other side and come up channels on the west side.

In the first channel the water was still, but the shoreline was very colorful.    At the end it was easier to turn around than to portage to the next channel.

The next channel ran aground after a while, but it was a short portage to get to the next channel.

Each channel was flanked by fall colors.

Most of these channels could be paddled without any portages in spring and early summer.

Some hard paddling and a short portage across a gravel bar took me back to the main channel so that I could paddle downstream to the start, turning quickly into a back eddy.

This was fun paddling, but it would not be the kind of venture that novice paddlers should try.   Any route from the shoreline will involve paddling upstream into fast currents, paddling across the current, paddling in shallow water, portaging, and hauling.   All safety gear would be a must, especially in cool or cold water.

I plan to return in early summer to explore more channels or to paddle downstream to Riverside Park.