Coordinator:   Joe Coker

Participants:  Joe Coker, Ken McDowell, Sophie Lopez, Karl “KI” Kerne

This year marked the 14th annual running of the Neches River Rendezvous. Originally started by Gina Donovan, it has become a premier paddling event on a gorgeous 10-mile stretch of the Neches, near Lufkin, TX. The Lufkin Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Lufkin/Angelina Chamber of Commerce do an amazing job of organizing!  As someone said, “They do everything except paddle for you!” and they do it very well.  The event is limited to 300 paddlers. Registration is required… this year the deadline was May 6. Cost is $35 for kayaks and $50 canoes which includes a meal ticket, T-shirt and shuttle service, plus an info packet with map and other goodies.

Boarding attendents

The staging site is the exclusive Temple-Inland Lodge at North Boggy Slough. Upon arrival, you are attended by a whole host of helpful volunteers! You go through a speedy check-in, your boat is loaded on a carrier, you board an air-conditioned van and off you go to the put-in, a short drive away. At that point your boat is delivered for you to the water’s edge where attendants in the water hold it while you board! I love valet service!!  Arrivals and departures are staggered at 30 minute intervals. No crowds. No hassles. So well done!  The paddle itself is a lazy 10-mile float along a beautiful, densely-wooded corridor…a few small riffles and some wood to avoid, but generally a clear path. Radio-equipped spotters are strategically positioned along the way for safety sake. OK for beginners. Dog and family friendly.  We had an 8:30am put-in slot so were off the water by mid-day and avoided some of the heat. The take-out is as easy as the put-in with in-the-water attendants to receive you and get your boat out. Others load the carriers. Again, air conditioned vans await to take you back to North Boggy Slough to enjoy wonderful hamburgers and peach cobbler for lunch. All good!

Sophie Lopez		Joe Coker		Ken McDowell		Karl Kerne

The Lufkin area is about a two and half hour drive from Houston. Thus, it makes things easier to go up the evening before. A favorite campsite is Ratcliff Lake, only a few miles from the Boggy Slough. Unfortunately, it is currently closed due to bad tornado damage.  Our second choice was Mission Tejas State Park at the north west corner of the Davy Crockett National Forest…a little further away, but very pretty, clean and historic. If you’re a Davy Crockett fan, you can hike through the woods along an old carriage road that he himself is said to have travelled!  Another benefit of Mission Tejas is they take reservations, and late arrival is no problem. We occupied the two sites by the small pond ($8.00 per site). Steaks for dinner, as usual. Nice!

The Neches River Rendezvous…watch for it next spring! 

Complete photo album: Here