Paddling Adventures
We offer a wide variety of different runs on the Little Manatee River and surrounding waterways. We hope to see you and your family soon for a day you’ll remember forever!
Trip One:
6 miles. 2.5 hours. One unforgettable journey.
Most of our customers stick with Trip One, our most popular trip. This 6 mile journey through the state park takes 2-3 hours to complete, and is perfect for families, big groups, newer canoe and kayak enthusiasts, and is the only trip we offer on the river with a chance to see manatees during season (March-October).
Click for more information!
Other Trips We Offer on the Little Manatee:
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Paddle Out Paddle Backs - from 10 minutes to 4 hours
For those paddlers that don’t want to commit to doing the entire trip, we offer a more flexible option where you paddle downstream or upstream for as long as you’d like, then turn around and come back to the dock. Explore on your own terms for a lower price.
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Trip 2 - 1.5 hours
This trip is about half of the length of trip 1, and is about 3 miles of downstream paddling through the state park. This trip is perfect for folks with smaller kids that need a shorter river experience. Prices for this run are the same as trip 1, so we recommend doing the longer run if possible and making a full day of it.
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Trip 3 - 4 hours
Feeling the call of the wild? This narrow, winding, challenging section of the river will test your skills and show off pristine nature preserves as well as a 120-year old railroad trestle. With no bathrooms or other amenities, and frequent blockages due to downed trees, this trip is not for everyone and is only available at certain water levels. We launch at 9:30 and 11:00 for trip 3. Be sure to call beforehand to check conditions!
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Trip 4 - 6 hours
Ready for a real challenge? This run will put your skills to the test on our longest and roughest river run on the Little Manatee River. This run adds 2 extra hours of paddling onto trip 3, and is only for experienced paddlers who want to really challenge themselves. We run a shuttle bus to Leonard Lee at 9:30 am, so please arrive by 9:15 to fill out our paperwork and get loaded up on the bus. be sure to call beforehand to check conditions!
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Moonlight Paddles
Our moonlight paddles are a local institution, drawing crowds of 20-50 to experience the sights and sounds of the full moon across the face of the river. Let the owls serenade you as you cruise downstream to our halfway point, where you’ll stop for a bite to eat (anything from burgers and potato salad to all-you-can-eat pancakes and sausage), a nice cup of warm coffee or a cool soda by the campfire, and (of course) s’mores!
Enjoy our talented guitarist’s strummings while you eat and meet your fellow paddlers, and then complete the river run and catch the bus back to the Outpost. The whole run takes 4ish hours, and starts at sunset. Check our events page for more details, and be sure to book early, as these special events fill up quickly and only run once a month at most.
Rentals on Other Waterways:
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Cockroach Bay - 3 to 5 hours
The largest mangrove estuary in Tampa Bay, Cockroach Bay is a gorgeous way to see a new face of the Little Manatee. For the angler, the area offers some of the finest fishing for Snook, Redfish, and other salt water species. Cockroach Bay runs are by appointment only, be sure to call ahead. Due to the distance from our main facility and the cost of transportation, we do require a minimum of two rental boats or a minimum revenue amount. You may also choose to rent any of our boats at the Outpost and transport it yourself to the bay.
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Braden River
The Braden River is located in Manatee County between Bradenton and Sarasota. It is a slow moving river which may be easily paddled in either direction. Although the paddler will see increasingly more residential development along it’s banks, in sections the Braden paddler can get a glimpse into old Florida.
The Canoe Outpost trips on the Braden launch off from Jigg’s Landing. You will paddle up the river for about five miles until you reach the take out at the Linger Lodge. Average trip time is about 2.5 hours, and require reservations ahead of time; be sure to call!
While the river trip is scenic and relaxing, for many, a trip on the Braden would not be complete with out a stop at the Linger Lodge Restaurant for lunch or dinner. Voted one of the top 5 weirdest restaurant in the U.S., The Linger Lodge has been a local institution for many decades. Be sure to try the Alligator bites and Orange Blossom Pie.
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TECO Rental Program
In the coming months we will be partnering with TECO power plant and wildlife refuge to offer kayaking tours of the mangrove tunnels and surrounding waterways associated with their manatee sanctuary, museum, and viewing center.
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Custom Trip Options
We pride ourselves on our flexibility here at the Canoe Outpost, and we look forward to meeting your needs! We’ve shuttled boats out to a birthday party at a customer’s home, provided our boats as a prop for movie sets and photoshoots, run guided trips for groups of 2-50, and shuttled boats anywhere and everywhere in the Tampa Bay, Sarasota, or Apollo Beach area.
With notice almost anything is possible, so be sure to contact us to customize your trip in advance so we can make it perfect for you! Call us at 813-634-2228 to set up your custom trip. -
Off-site Rentals
If you have a specific trip in mind and just want to rent a boat for the day (or week!) we have an off-site rental program that may appeal to you. Contact us to arrange your trip!