Vantage Point

Gliding along in a kayak at water level, your focus dips from sky to tree to below the surface, and you can begin to feel submerged in nature.

“Being in a kayak on the river makes you have a different appreciation for the river and where we live,” says Moneen McBride, owner of Burning River Adventures.

The kayak and canoe rental business helps locals see the Cuyahoga River in fresh ways. On trips ranging from 2 to 6.5 miles, the current of the Cuyahoga River assists you down river, letting you take in the beauty and serenity of your surroundings. As you paddle along the river, you get a close vantage point of wildlife. Often, you can spot deer, turtles, otters and other creatures. If you’re lucky, you may see a certain national bird.

“We have had people see an eagle that is nesting along the river,” says McBride. “No one knows where the nest is, but it has been seen on certain stretches of the river.”

McBride likes to show newbies the ways of the river by giving tutorials on paddling and boat handling techniques before adventurers embark on their journey. Start with the 2-miler, she says, and when you advance to longer trips with swifter water, you can straighten your vessel and glide with the current.

McBride’s husband, Brad, grew up boating and canoeing along the Cuyahoga River. Eventually, the pair of lifelong outdoor enthusiasts decided they wanted to give the public the same thrill and excitement the river gave them. So they opened Burning River Adventures in 2015.

It is safe to say locals are thrilled, too, as Burning River Adventures opened a second location on the Mahoning River in Warren last year, and McBride transitioned to running the business full time.

She loves to see those who are hesitant return and share in the excitement she has for paddling the Cuyahoga Valley.

“On the river, you are completely surrounded by nature and forget that there are busy roads and highways,” she says. “It just gives you a different euphoria for the outdoors.”