Paddling near Colville, WA

Colville sits in Stevens County in northeastern Washington, surrounded by the Colville National Forest, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, and a scatter of smaller lakes and creeks. The dominant paddling draw is Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake—the 150-mile reservoir on the Columbia River—with launch points at places like Kettle Falls, Marcus Island, Daisy, China Bend, and French Rocks. Closer in, Colville National Forest lakes such as Little Twin Lakes, Lake Leo, and Lake Thomas suit canoes and kayaks, while North Fork Deep Creek provides a moving-water alternative for those wanting current.