Belchers Creek
by Teri Rocco
April 14, 2025
In what was a first paddle of the season for many, seven of us headed out on to Belchers Creek on Monday April 14. I've run this trip for the past few years, but this time, it was a completely different paddle. Hydroraking was done last year to rid the creek of massive amounts of invasive plants. This completely changed the feel of the paddle making it more of an open creek with a bonus side paddle through a marshy area (an area you couldn’t get to before). We were even able to get all the way to the dam at Pinecliff lake, which has been impossible for the past couple of years due to a tree across the creek.
Along with the cleaning up of the creek, kayak vending machines were added (see photos). In two locations along the creek, you can use your phone to pay for a rental, then open the door and pull out a kayak. It’s almost like a potato chip vending machine, but for kayaks.
Plenty of birds accompanied us on our trip including ducks, songbirds, vultures, cormorants, and a nesting pair of swans. The trip took a full two hours. Longer than in the past due to the extra area to explore.
You can read about the hydroraking project on this web page and see before, after, and progress videos (birds eye view by drone) at the bottom of the page: https://www.gwlc.org/hydroraking.
Teri