West River, Vt.
Vermont’s best whitewater run can be a zoo during the two days a year (the end of April and September) when the Army Corps of Engineers releases the waters of the Ball Mountain Dam. The rest of the year, it can get a little dry, but it’s still a scenic run through the Green Mountains with far less congestion. The river used to host national kayaking championship races. The upper reaches are runnable only by experienced paddlers with solid Class III skills, yet the stream widens and slows down as you head toward the Connecticut River, allowing novice kayakers to do their thing. Good swimming holes and fishing are found at various points all along the West, including Jamaica State Park, about 2.5 miles down the river from the dam.

Info: AMC River Guide: New Hampshire and Vermont (AMC Books)

Saranac Lakes, N.Y.
Guideboats, a little larger than rowboats, were once used to escort visitors on the network of waterways that form a vast web of blue throughout the Adirondacks. Today, 120 continuous miles of waterways are connected by many short portages, resulting in an almost endless combination of canoeing options. A favorite multi-day trip for AMC New York-North Jersey Chapter trip leader Henry Schreiber is the Saranac Lakes chain. Mountains hovering over 2,500 feet ring the lakes, often creating wind tunnels and currents that are a challenge to paddle against. Yet, this route is still ideal for the beginner to intermediate flatwater paddler in the summer. Camp on the many islands of Upper Saranac Lake and then follow the channel markers on the south end of the lake into a sinuous river. Here, a hand-operated lock system allows the canoes to pass through to Middle Saranac Lake. If you have extra time, skip the crowded Lower Saranac Lake and try the Upper West Branch of the Sacandaga River in the southern part of the Adirondacks. Herons are often found dining in the shallows of this lonely river.

Info: Quiet Water: New York (AMC Books)

Great Swamp, N.Y.
Every year on New Year’s Day, the New York-North Jersey Chapter makes the annual pilgrimage to Great Swamp in eastern Putnam and Dutchess counties. Less than 60 miles from Manhattan, the Great Swamp is the largest wetland in New York State. Come for a paddle in the spring months and you’ll savor the quiet of paddling though the red hardwood and Atlantic white cedar swampland. You’ll also spot some of the 180 species of birds that use the large natural reserve as their migratory flyway.

Pine Barrens, N.J.
At first glance, the pitch pines and deep forests of maples might remind you of a lost run in the northern frontier, especially since you rarely hear the hum of traffic. Then you notice the cedars, dunes, cranberry bushes hugging the shore, and the orange color of the water, tainted with iron, and you realize you must be in that sacred paddling ground in South Jersey, the Pine Barrens. Not far from the hustle and bustle of Atlantic City, the Pine Barrens rewards paddlers with a handful of rivers that snake through the heavenly forest. Quietwater paddlers can handle the Mullica, but you better know how to control that boat with all the hairpin turns and obstacles like overturned logs. You’ll be paddling through the red maple swamps of Wharton State Forest, an oasis in this bed of suburban development. An easier summer paddle is on the Wading River, from Hawkins to Evans Bridge. Bring food to picnic on the sand bars, but note that alcohol is illegal in the Pine Barrens and the law is strictly enforced.

Info: NJ Pine Barrens

Tohickon Creek, Pa.
Most of the year, a scenic 4-mile paddle through Bucks County on the Tohickon is a fun way to spend the day. Put-in at Ralph Stover State Park, near Pipersville, and be ready for some exhilarating drops as the creek eventually empties into the Delaware River at Point Pleasant. Also on the Delaware is the Lambertville Wing Dam, a whitewater play area for paddlers to practice their strokes in the eddies. For those looking for even more whitewater, the Tohickon gets wild the first weekend in November, when Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources releases water from the Lake Nockamixon Dam, creating a tantalizing Class III to IV run.

Info: Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation

Potomac River, Md.
At 383 miles long, the Potomac offers many options. Starting in April, paddlers congregate at the border between Bloomington, Md., and Keyser, W. Va., to try the North Branch section of the waterway. Releases from the Jennings Randolph Dam provide kayakers with 7 miles of rollicking good Class II and III water to pick their line. Heading east, paddlers convene on the 12-mile stretch of water between River Road in Seneca and the American Legion Bridge. This is a popular run in autumn, when the leaves start to change color. Take this section in chunks, from flat water to Class III rapids, depending on your level of expertise. Finally, more and more people are sightseeing in D.C. from inside the cozy confines of a canoe or kayak, paddling the Potomac past the Jefferson Memorial and the Capitol.

Info: American Whitewater

Boston-based writer Steve Jermanok writes regularly about canoeing and kayaking for The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine, Men's Journal, National Geographic Adventure, and Outside. His latest book is New England Seacoast Adventures (Countryman Press).