Sometimes things really are that easy. 

Over the weekend we had plans near Finger Lakes State Park and we thought it would be a great opportunity to go check the park out and kayak the lake. 

Although we both have kayaks, the rest of our day would have made it difficult to drive around with two large kayaks in the bed of the truck. This had us going back and forth between whether or not the extra stop would be “worth it.” 

Eventually, I checked out their website and it turns out that Finger Lakes is a park that has watercraft rentals. Enter the solution to all of our first-world Saturday woes: a tandem kayak.

Arrival

Finger Lakes State Park is just a few miles north of I70 in Columbia, MO. This drive was easy-peasy and primarily highway. 

You’ll drive by the main park office not long after turning into the park. If you’re looking to rent a watercraft this is where you’ll pull off! 

They offered solo kayaks, tandem kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards for 4-hour and 8-hour rates and you can find their up-to-date rates here: Watercraft Rates. We ended up renting the tandem kayak for $20 at the 4-hour rate!

The staff working were very friendly and walked us through the process of renting the kayak. This involved filling out a basic form, leaving them with a driver’s license, handing over the key to our kayak locker (the key does not float, so play it safe and just keep it in your vehicle), and getting pointed toward the paddles and lifejackets that are included with the rental.

From the main office you’ll drive just a short distance to the main parking lot where you’ll pick up and unleash your kayak from its cage (they don’t bite).

Overall, the rental process was surprisingly quick and simple, which was exactly what we were hoping for.

The kayak lockers are conveniently located right off the lake, so you don’t have to worry about hauling them any further than a couple of feet. 

One suggestion: I would bring a paper towel or a small hand towel to wipe off your rental. They weren’t caked in dirt or anything, but a sheet of paper towel did wonders for cleaning out some gunk that had built up in the cup holder and seat.

The Trail

We primarily followed the route listed on AllTrails which is listed as an out-and-back at 4.2 miles. By no means do you have to follow this exact path but it gave us a good idea of where to start and the trail featured buoy markers to keep you on track.

This may be a small state park and a smaller lake, but it is definitely one worth exploring. As the name implies, this lake is made of fingers that spread from the main channel making it a perfect way to escape the overhead sun as you paddle under the tree canopy.

The narrow fingers of the lake also made the paddle feel a little more interesting than simply doing laps around an open body of water. There was one stretch where we free-floated with the gentle current, and really soaked up the quiet, subtle movements of the world around us. The occasional sycamore leaf cascading gently to the water. The box turtle swimming up to the water’s edge and climbing its way through the dense foliage. Black Swallowtail butterfly resting on a floating raft of leaves that I desperately wanted to take a photo of, but alas, was too slow.

We kept an eye out for wildlife amongst the treeline and in the water, while many other parkgoers were fishing or just enjoying some time at the beach area. If you’re looking for a completely quiet, secluded paddle, just keep in mind that the nearby motocross track can be heard from the main channel of the lake. 

If you are coming here to fish, then be aware of the thick vegetation throughout the lake. We saw many anglers using top-water and shallow running lures. 

I’ll keep it real: We only kayaked for about 2 hours of our 4-hour rental. We looped around the lake twice and floated gently as we paused for a quick Uncrustables break. Despite the shade from trees on the bank, it was another hot September day here in Missouri. We didn’t get started until about 10:00 A.M., so when the clock struck noon we decided to paddle back in order to keep this nice trip about the journey and not about the temperature. 

If I were to redo this trip, then I definitely would have come in closer to 8:30 A.M. when the rentals first opened in order to reduce the time spent out in the warmer hours. 

Day Bag

As I’ve shared before, what you bring in your day bag might vary slightly from activity to activity, but I consistently bring some variation of what you see below. For this particular trip, the waterproof pouch was especially handy for keeping my phone and other small essentials protected. 

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• Hydration Backpack- Water Buffalo Sherpa 22 L Hydration Backpack
• Waterproof Pouch
• Columbia Women’s Fishing Shirt
• Welly First-aid kit
• Repel 100 Insect Repellent 
• Cliganic Mosquito Bracelet 
• Think Sport Sunscreen
• Snacks: protein, something salty, and fruit
• Camera- GoPro Hero 12 
• Waterproof GoPro Case

Pack It Up

Would I rent from Finger Lakes again? Absolutely. For $20, it was an easy way to add kayaking to a day that otherwise wouldn’t have made sense for hauling our own boats. Although it wasn’t the most glamorous, far-traveled trip we’ve taken, I’m glad we allowed ourselves something that was both easy and enjoyable. A good outdoor adventure doesn’t need to be overly complicated. Sometimes the best adventure is the one that doesn’t require much planning at all, just a little willingness to make the easy option work.

MoGo Snapshot

🚗 Drive from Jefferson City: 42 min
🥾 Walking required: Minimal 
💧 Water access: Yes
🛶 Watercraft Rental: Yes
🐾 Dog-friendly: Surpringly, yes
🚻 Restrooms: Port-a-potties (spacious and clean!)
🎟️ Cost: $20-$30 for watercraft rental
⭐ Mo’s Rating: 8/10

~ Mo