A gaggle of adventurers cruised Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in kayaks on Saturday.

Eight people embarked from Barry’s Landing on two-man kayaks provided by the National Park Service. Two people, with their own kayaks, joined the outing, said Jonathan Welde, National Park Service information technology and digital media employee for Bighorn Canyon and Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.

The trip was about 7 miles roundtrip from Barry’s Landing to Medicine Creek and back. Welde and Bighorn Ranger Shawn Williams were the guides.

Before boarding, Williams provided safety instructions, including how to safely board a kayak if the boater falls out.

There were no mishaps. A few of the boaters, new to the sport, struggled to steer and propel their kayaks, but they got their bearings and soon were sailing across the surface like pros.

Bighorn Canyon offers the free trips to provide people a chance to explore an attribute of the canyon they may not otherwise have the opportunity to discover, Welde said. 

The water undulated softly as though the waves were relaxing on a day off. The water blinked in the sunlight like countless shiny eyes winking, sharing a private joke with a friend.

Motorboats gave as wide a birth as possible in the channels as though cognizant of the fact that they create chop, making kayak paddling more difficult. Often, the kayaks glided over the waves like a sleigh drawn by a powerful horse team over ice.

“Take a break,” Welde said.

The kayak slows, riding the soft waves, allowing the paddler to absorb the majestic canyon. Vertical walls of stone loomed over the water as though the boats were traversing an endless medieval castle moat broken only by bends in the canyon’s watery topography.

The group took a stopover in the vicinity of Medicine Creek for a snack. Mothers, fathers and their children, rendered buoyant in life preservers issued by Williams, go for a dip in the cool waters. Parents and offspring alike laughed and splashed like children before boarding their boats for the final leg of the journey back to Barry’s Landing. Boats bobbed and paddled around the canyon’s bends composed of rugged stone of tan and red. In the distance, the Pryor Mountains rose like an island of granite, trees and grass.

Lauren Mitchell of Lovell was tempted to take a break in the cool lake. She eyed the water from her kayak.

With her life vest, she could enter the water and safely shinny back into the stable kayak, Welde said.

Mitchell hopped in, but only for a few moments, claiming the water is cold.

Like a well-oiled machine, John Fernandez and Tracie Fernandez of Meeteetse zipped along the lake, then took a breather. Both lay back to face the sky like sunbathers basking in its gentle rays. John had a big grin on his face; he was enjoying himself.

Toni Parker of Cowley brought her own boat. Hers is a sleek craft, and her practiced strokes made it appear as though the kayak was propelled by a soundless engine.

Soon the kayaks made the landing where they started. The boats were loaded on a trailer to be hauled away. The people departed too, but it’s likely the memories of an exhilarating mode of water travel will stick in their minds.

The Park Service has six kayaks on the north side of the park too. “It is also a healthy bonding experience for people, especially groups or families, because they are getting out and doing something new outside,” Welde said.

Another trip will be offered from Horseshoe Bend to Crooked Creek on Saturday, Aug. 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call 307-548-5406.