Kayaking

Yellowwood Lake Kayaking

Yellowwood State Forest • Nashville, Indiana

Paddling Details
Water: Yellowwood Lake
Lake Size: 133 acres
Experience Level: Beginner Friendly
Launch: Boat ramps at north & south ends of lake
Motor Traffic: Electric trolling motors only
Kayak Rentals: Available seasonally
Fishing: Yes – Indiana fishing license required
Swimming: Not permitted
Setting: Forested lake
Address: 772 Yellowwood Lake Road, Nashville, IN 47448

IAN Destination Preview.

It's been a while since I've had a kayak on the water, so I'm not going to pretend I've personally paddled Yellowwood Lake yet. But if I'm picking a place to get back into kayaking, this one is near the top of my list.Yellowwood Lake sits inside Yellowwood State Forest and covers about 133 acres. What catches my attention is that this isn't a lake where you're trying to paddle while speedboats are buzzing past you all afternoon. Motors are limited to electric trolling motors, which should make this a much quieter place to explore from a kayak.The setting is really what sells me. You're surrounded by Yellowwood State Forest, with the shoreline giving you plenty of places to slow down and look for wildlife instead of treating kayaking like a race from one end of the lake to the other. That's much more my speed. Give me some quiet water, woods, wildlife and nowhere in particular that I have to be.There's also a practical reason I'm choosing Yellowwood for this first kayaking feature: you don't even need to own a kayak to try it. Indiana DNR lists kayak and rowboat rentals at Yellowwood, so somebody who's curious about paddling doesn't necessarily have to spend hundreds of dollars on equipment before finding out whether they enjoy it. Rentals are seasonal, so I'd call ahead before making the drive.For somebody new to kayaking, or somebody like me who's been away from it for a while, Yellowwood looks like a pretty inviting place to knock the rust off.

IAN Verdict: Yellowwood Lake looks like a great candidate for a relaxed Indiana paddle, especially for beginners, families, anglers, or anyone who would rather hear birds and paddles hitting the water than boat motors.

And this one gets a special designation:IAN Status: On My Paddle List

Official Paddling Info →