Plan a Paddling Trip with Google Earth Pro

Add Placemark

At the top of the software, you will notice a ribbon of tools and features, with this first icon being the “Add Placemark” tool.

The Add Placemark tool is a familiar feature for those have used a pin on Google Maps or Apple Maps. However, what you may not be aware of, is that you can organize your pins by stylizing them. Google Earth gives you the option to choose from a selection of icons or upload your own.

So mark away! I use this tool to mark potential camping locations and access points. All the Placemarks you create will be saved for your next trip!

Path Tool

In my opinion, the path tool is the definition of “trip planner”. This nifty feature allows you to trace out your route whether on a lake or a river. You can find it close to the Add Placemarks tool.

When creating a path, notice the “Measurements” tab. This feature will allow you to see your path’s total mileage with your choice of unit. You can use this to get a rough estimate on how much time your paddling trip will take to complete. To calculate that time, use the total distance from your path and divide it by an average speed. A lot of conditions and variables can determine your average speed, but these are the conservative average speeds I use for myself:

• Average Kayak Speed = 3 mph
• Average Canoe Speed = 2.5 mph
• Average Paddle Board Speed = 2mph

Also, don’t forget to stylizes the paths you have created. With each path you create, you can change the color, the path’s width, and the opacity to meet your organizational needs.

After you have created a path, you can make any changes to it or check the measurements again. Simply find the path on the left-hand side under “My Places”, right-click it and select properties. This works for the Placemarks as well.

If you right-click your path, you may also notice an additional cool feature called “Show Elevation Profile”. This will allow you to see the elevation gradient on the path you have created. We wouldn’t want you paddling down a waterfall after all.

Historical Imagery

Historical Imagery is a neat feature that allows you to view a potential paddling trip from older satellite photos. It is the clock icon that can be found on that same ribbon as the other two tools.

Rivers can change over time and the current satellite photo you’re looking at may have been taken during high water. So this tool can help you see features you might have missed.

I use this feature for scouting out potential camping locations. I first look at an area that has a lot of sandbars and then I like to see if that’s historically true. Of course, this is no guarantee, especially with changing water levels, but it does allow me to formulate a game plan. Still, always plan for flexibility!

Street View

Street View is a Google Maps feature that allows you to see a 360-degree camera’s perspective of a specific point in the road. You will not find this tool on the ribbon but instead, you will see an icon of a person on the satellite image. If you have used Street View on Google maps before, it works the same way. Simply, drag the person icon to a road and the road will be highlighted blue if it has a 360-degree photo that you can view. 

For paddling, this is a great feature that allows you to potentially see the body of water from a bridge or a road next to it. This allows you to get a visual of the area and scout an access point.

Now you might be ready to plan out your paddling trip!

I hope you find these features useful. If there is a Google Earth feature than I missed and you love to use, reach out to me and let me know!