What To Do Here; Trinity River Adventure Inn: Cabins & Rooms~Kayak, Fish, Birding, Rafting and More with Steph Dutton & Heidi Tiura on the Trinity River in NorCal; Pet Friendly!



What to Do Here FISH~KAYAK~RAFT~HIKE~GROOVE... AND MAYBE GO WINE TASTING Questions? Email us or call Heidi and Steph at 530.778.3444 Home~Lodging~Reservations~Wonderful Meals~Back Talk~Directions~Store ~Updates (our newsletter) "The ride down the river was the best. This is heaven." Sandy Schupe/Manteca, CA Kayak with a Legend "Steph is such a patient teacher. I love your little boats and that they handle so well. Boating down the river with you both, and Bisco too, chatting, seeing the fish, looking at all the birds was so cool. What a beautiful trip and learning experience. I can't wait to do it again." Ginny Rice~Lewiston, CA Steph is the only person in the world to have paddled the Pacific Ocean from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada to Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. This 1600 nautical mile odyssey was called "BC to BC/'93" and it took nearly two months to complete. Now, he's turned his attention to more relaxing paddling. Year-round, you can learn basic and advanced skills from us in a fun and supportive way right in front of our cabin, then set out on the water. There's no age limit, nor fitness requirements other than general good health; we work with you at any level and are experienced in introducing people with disabilities to the water. “I think Steph and Heidi are the best people on the planet to kayak a river with. Admiring a river from the shore and actually being part of the river in a kayak are very different experiences. Being on a river requires intimate knowledge of currents, eddies and kayak-balance, none of which I had. Having my first river kayak adventure be with them was both exciting and very relaxing. I did fall in, I did listen to what they told me to do if that happened, and I got back into the kayak with their assistance and continued on the adventure. I would do it again in a second with them as my guides. Happy Kayaking!" Kirsten Carlson~WA” Although the upper Trinity isn't big white water, it packs some terrific fun and excitement. For novices who would prefer flat water, we have two gorgeous lakes just minutes away. Trinity Lake is California's second largest lake, second only to Lake Tahoe. Lewiston Lake is even closer and we think it's the prettiest. "Steph is an excellent instructor, explaining things clearly and concisely. I especially enjoyed learning [about ferry angles]. Thanks sooo much for the opportunity to hone old skills and to pick up some new ones." Judy Maben~Lewiston, CA We have all the gear you'll need. We use Ocean Kayak sit-on-tops because they're stable, easy to get into and out of and they're a lot of fun to paddle. We have a fleet of singles as well as two doubles, which work great for parents with kids (see right). For novices, or people who don't know this river at the particular flow (release rate from the dam), we HIGHLY RECOMMEND at least one lesson and guided trip so we can teach you well and make sure you know what you're doing. After that, you can rent boats and do more trips on your own. Kayak Lesson and Guided Trip: $75 adults/$55 kids under 12. Single kayak rental with all gear $35 half day/$50 full day; Double Kayak Rental w/ Gear $50 half day/$65 full day. Light wetsuit rentals $15. Choose from calm lake paddles or running the river. We usually put in at our place in Bucktail and kayak to our Steel Bridge location, or we can put in above the inn and ride the river back home. We see birds, fish and even river otters on these runs. That's our dog Bisco riding the rapids with Steph in the shot above on the right. Raft Rentals & Guided Trips Our 14' raft is chicken-proof. Whether you need more flotation and structure than a kayak provides or just want a lazy adventure, the raft is the answer. It can be set up to accommodate rowing or paddling and will hold 8 or more people. With the rigid frame and both sets of the upholstered seats shown here, guests can ride in comfort while being rowed (very nice birding platform). Or we can put in the cylindrical seats for paddlers. Either way, you can take along a huge cooler for food and drinks, either on the river or the lake. Dear Heidi and Steph, "Steph, the raft ride was a blast; we had never been on a raft ride before. I couldn't have enjoyed my first ride better." Gary and Sandy Shupe/Manteca, CA The raft can be rented for half a day or the full day: $125 half day/$160 full day, all gear included. A guided half day trip runs $225. As with kayaking on the river, taking a guided trip and learning how to paddle as a team, or row the boat solo, is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED before you take a trip on your own. $25 shuttle service for people/$50 equipment pick up. Light wetsuit rentals $15. Fish a World Famous River The 2007/2008 Winter steelhead season was incredible. Everyone agrees the Trinity rocked and by spring 2008, we were already booking for 2008/2009. The Trinity River is home to a fantastic array of fish, including salmon, steelhead, German Brown trout and rainbow trout. You'll be fishing a minute after hopping out of bed and grabbing a cup of coffee and we can have a hearty and abundant breakfast ready for you no matter what time you want to be on the water. Scroll down for a list of excellent fishing guides. Summer 2008 was excellent for big salmon at Bucktail Hole, a 2 minute walk down the river from us. We saw a 20 pound King pulled out as we paddled by in early July. Salmon spawn in the fall and steelhead are strong fall through January. Check out these recommended guide services: The Fly Shop (Redding, just off I-5): This is one of the big guns world wide for fly fishers. A class act all the way. 4140 Churn Creek Road, Redding, CA 96002 530.222.3555 www.theflyshop.com Sac River Outfitters: A popular outfitter whose guides often pick up their clients at our cabins and grab a cup of coffee. They love the vibe here. 1403 Edgewood Drive Redding, CA 96003 1.888.sacriver http://www.sacriveroutfitters.com/ West Coast Adventures/Zack Collins: Zack is our neighbor, a fellow member of the Lewiston fire department and a fishing fanatic. He knows fish and the Trinity like it was his own backyard, because it is! P. O. Box 251, Lewiston, CA 96052 530.778.3037/Cell 530.339.1137 Old Bridge Rafting & Guide Services/Scott Dias: Scott offers guided and self-guided fishing trips. He rents rafts as well as catarafts. P.O. Box 658 Lewiston, CA 96052 530.778.3436 www.oldbridgerafting.com Trinity Fly Shop: The article above says it all. On Lewiston Road about a mile from us. 530.623.6757. Read this San Francisco Chronicle article on the Trinity River steelhead fishery and more. Wine Tasting We have three excellent wineries in Trinity County. One Maple Winery is on Lewiston Road less than a mile from us. Owned and run by Kristel and Ernie Bell, One Maple has extensive picnic grounds. They charge $5 for tasting; you get to keep the big, nicely-shaped, etched wine glass and the wine is superb. 4271 Lewiston Road Lewiston, CA 96052 530.778.0716 Alpen Cellars is the oldest and a lovely ride up Highway 3 to the upper end of Trinity Lake. Owned and run by father and son Mark and Keith, Alpen Cellars will open any day for guests if called ahead. We love taking guests here on our motorcycles. VERY dog-friendly (Mark asked why the hell we had our two dogs and our guests' dog on leashes when we arrived recently). Tasting is free and at picnic tables under the oaks in the summer, and inside the old farmhouse by the wood stove in winter. Alpen Cellars has several award winning wines, including a Double Gold, which means it won a gold medal with all judges unanimous in their decision. Alpen Cellars~Trinity Center 530.226.9513 www.alpencellars.com Meredith Family Vineyard Winery Retail Store is located on Main Street (299) in the historic district of Weaverville, which is a must-see. Eat at La Grange Cafe across the street before or after tasting. Recent guests who are really into reds had a ball here and bought half a case of them to take to a family gathering. $6 charge for tasting; you get to keep the large etched glass. 530.623.2885 Hang Out With Your Dog "Our dog Kacie misses Bisco and Scupper, her two new friends." Gary and Sandy Shupe/Manteca, CA There are so few places where dogs can run free, but this is one of them. We've had several guests whose dogs had never been off a leash except in their own yards and maybe at a dog park. It is really fun to see them play with our dogs and run like crazy. We're safely located at the end of the road and we have a lot of territory for them to explore. Dogs stay free here. Please bring a dog bed with you, or use one of our dog-friendly quilts on your bed if you sleep together. Dogs that are sociable are welcome and have a great time running in the meadows, swimming and joining us on hikes. They even can learn to kayak and take a trip with you. We paddle with both of our dogs and they love it. Hiking Trinity County is heaven for hikers. There are wondrous areas throughout the county, but especially up in the Trinity Alps. Possibly the most popular hiking area up here is Canyon Creek. According to Dennis Lewon's Hiking California's Trinity Alps Wilderness, Canyon Creek is "one of the most beautiful slices of mountain country you'll ever walk through," thanks to the creeks, waterfalls, sweeping granite cliffs, sparkling lakes, spectacular views and "swimming holes of near-perfect proportions." But you only have to walk out the door of the inn and you have a wealth of opportunities to walk, hike or climb. Take a flat walk around the neighborhood to see and feed the deer. Scale the boulders that flank a pure mountain stream. One of our favorite hikes is a long, easy incline that takes us above the inn for a view clear across the valley to the distant mountain range. You won't see another person up there, but you will hear the piercing shrieks of hawks and you'll feel as though time has ceased its rapid pace. Hiking as we do with dogs reduces wild animal sightings, but we have white-tailed deer, black bears, mountain lions, foxes, jackrabbits and a lot more up here. We're naturalists, so we love observing, questioning and learning about the natural scheme of things. This has served us well running our whale watching cruises on the Monterey Bay, and at the inn. We've found interesting traces of wild animals on our mountain hikes. Sometimes it's footprints, other times it's in the form of their poop. A bear's scat found in the fall was filled with pieces of pine cone in the fall and smelled like fermenting grapes. I collected a large dead dragonfly that is typical of the thousands we see all summer. Its shimmering gold wings are impossibly thin. We think dragonflies are good luck, which is why I included one on our logos. Birding The birds found in Trinity County range from Canada geese to mergansers; osprey to goshawks; bald eagles to western bluebirds. This blueird wasn't banded, which means they are making a comeback. It was spotted with several more 12/2006. The bald eagle was photographed from our deck. We see an astounding number of buzzards when the salmon are spawning. They're huge and they congregate in one special spot where they feed on dead salmon. We often pull the carcasses up and throw them on rocks for the buzzards, although they appear to be pretty good at getting them on their own from shallower waters. One of our favorite birds has to be the heron. When we disrupt a heron on our river trips, they almost always fly downriver, so that we disrupt them again and again. Only one or two have flown upriver, but maybe it was just a fluke. There are kingfishers here as well and they work the river right in front of the cabin. Birders will delight in hiking the mountain behind the inn, because they'll see and hear so many species up there. Motorcycle Riding Whether you bring your own motorcycles or hop in our sidecars for a tour with us, you'll be impressed by the roads in Trinity County. They are all excellent for motorcycles; beautifully banked and lightly traveled. Even the road up from Redding is fantastic. It's one long series of S turns! We don't just have great paved roads; there are several dirt roads that go all the way over mountain ranges. Up at the top, you'll see the Trinity Alps. Far below are the valleys, lakes, rivers, creeks and lower peaks. Motorcyclists who arrive on bikes will appreciate the fact they need to bring so little with them. Sow's Ear, Alpen Glow and the Meadow are set up with shampoo, body wash, towels, laundry facilities and laundry soap, so you can travel light. We have an extensive tool selection for unexpected repairs and a compressor for tires. Shop or Create We are Ocean Kayak dealers and carry a nice line of boats for every need, plus paddles, life jackets (PFD's), paddling wear and accessories. We have a very nice line of clothing items including embroidered caps, Polar Fleece hooded sweatshirts, T-shirts and much more. The shirt shown below features an antiqued silkscreen design with an embroidered dragonfly. Go to our Store page for more info. Weaverville & Lewiston have a treasure trove of interesting shops and other attractions. You'll find antique shops, a large health food store, several coffee houses, wonderful museums, a supermarket, art galleries, unique gift shops and a lot more. There is a farmers' market on Wednesdays spring through fall where you can purchase heirloom tomatoes, homemade breads, herbs and fresh fruits. Come winter, cuddle up on the couch under a hand-knit afghan and act like you're reading (but really sleeping). We have cool crafts, such as knotting sailor's mats, making table top Christmas trees out of our wild Digger pine cones and digital photo scavenger hunts (you could win a T-shirt!). Do Nothing at AllThe serenity of the Trinity River area gives you the chance to relax and revive from the rushed world somewhere else. Sleep late. Enjoy our robust meals. Spring through fall, hang out in the lovely rattan furniture on the porch of Sow's Ear; the patio at Laughing Salmon or the Carriage House, the hammocks by the river or the large deck at Alpen Glow. In the winter, watch the world cool and slow and crystallize from within our cozy cocoons. We can't wait to introduce you to Trinity County. Questions? Email us or call Heidi and Steph at 530.778.3444 Home~Lodging~Reservations~Wonderful Meals~Back Talk~Directions~Store ~Updates (our newsletter)