Gliding across the water: Stand-up paddleboarding provides dynamic way to enjoy the water
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- Jared Lloyd paddles on his paddleboard through a channel at Causey Reservoir on Saturday, June 28, 2025.
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- Racers start the Great Utah Lake Stand-up Paddleboard Race at Utah Lake on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016.
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- Deanna Devey paddles on her paddleboard through a channel at Causey Reservoir on Saturday, June 28, 2025.
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- Steven Nyman floats down the Provo River on a stand-up paddleboard on Tuesday, May 20, 2024.
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- Paddleboarders race at Jordanelle Reservoir on June 17, 2012.
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- In this Dec. 31, 2013, file photo, a paddleboarder looks out over the Pacific Ocean as the sun sets off of Waikiki Beach, in Honolulu.
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- Mikayla Clark, 7, of Eagle Mountain, looks back toward the shore while resting on her stand-up paddleboard at Tibble Fork Reservoir on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, in American Fork Canyon.
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- Paddleboarders race at Jordanelle Reservoir on June 17, 2012.
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- Deanna Devey paddles on her paddleboard through a channel at Causey Reservoir on Saturday, June 28, 2025.
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- Jared Lloyd paddles on his paddleboard through a channel at Causey Reservoir on Saturday, June 28, 2025.
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- Brothers Steven, left, Michael, right, and Sam Nyman, back, make their way down the Provo River on stand-up paddleboards Tuesday, May 20, 2014.
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- Paddleboarders race at Jordanelle Reservoir on June 17, 2012.
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- Paddleboarders race at Jordanelle Reservoir on June 17, 2012.
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- Paddleboarders race at Jordanelle Reservoir on June 17, 2012.
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- Paddleboarders race at Jordanelle Reservoir on June 17, 2012.
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- Paddleboarders race at Jordanelle Reservoir on June 17, 2012.
“Is standing up scary?”
A young paddleboarder asked me that question as he sat on his board and I paddled past him at Tibble Fork Reservoir in June.
My response?
“It’s easier than you think.”
It has been almost exactly 13 years since I was introduced to stand-up paddleboarding (an activity that is shortened to the acronym SUP) at a race that took place at Jordanelle Reservoir in June 2012.
I recall watching in fascination as competitors churned rapidly through the water around the designated course while standing on what looked like surf boards.
Weeks later, my wife and I rented some boards to try it for the first time. That started us on the road of purchasing multiple paddleboards, using them at various locations in Utah and also trying out the activity in exotic places like Hawai’i, Florida and Victoria, British Columbia.
I’ve watched it go from being a novelty in Utah, something you saw a couple of people doing on local waterways, to an extremely popular activity.
I saw ample evidence of that growth in June when I visited one of the favorite spots for paddleboarders in Utah: Causey Reservoir in Weber County.
It’s a great location, since no motorized craft are allowed in the steep-sloped reservoir and it features four different channels that are great to explore on a board.
Clearly I’m not the only one to think so, since there were probably hundreds of paddleboards on the water (as well as kayaks and fishing boats). Parking is one of the biggest challenges since there is limited availability and it fills up quickly.
It many ways, the growth of SUP activities are merely the latest evolution in a method of transportation that has been around for centuries.
According to a blog post from GlideSUP.com (a stand-up paddleboarding company based in Salt Lake City), ancestral forms of the sport were practiced by ancient Polynesian cultures. People stood on large, sturdy boards and navigated the Pacific Ocean with elongated paddles for fishing, travel and wave riding. It was not just for recreation but a part of daily life.
In the 20th century, Hawaiian surf instructors stood on their longboards and used paddles to maneuver to take pictures of tourists learning to surf at Waikiki on Oahu. It gave rise to “beach boy surfing,” a precursor to stand-up paddleboarding.
In the 2000s, the activity exploded in popularity, thanks to its accessibility and versatility.
“It’s simple, accessible and quiet,” said Ken Driscoll, the founder of Glide Paddlesports and the administrator of the SUP Utah Facebook group. “You don’t need a motor, wind or a lesson. You’re standing, which gives you a better view. You can paddle on almost any body of water. And it’s easy to throw a board in the car and be on the water in minutes.”
Paddleboard technology has evolved, resulting in equipment of various shapes, sizes and materials.
“Inflatable technology has come a long way in the past few years, with modern boards with woven or woven drop-stitch cores that feel like a hard board,” Driscoll said. “Having a stable, solid platform under your feet makes standing up that much easier, and inflatables are great because you don’t need a rack to carry them and they are easy to store.
“That said, we can do so much more shaping a hard board. We can add concaves, change the rail shape and add a V to the tail, so if you want maximum performance then you can’t beat a hard board.”
Different paddleboard shapes also make a difference in what type of experience you have on the water, Driscoll said.
“If you want an all-around board, a board with a round nose is perfect,” he said. “It offers a nice wide shape that helps with stability, but at the sacrifice of speed. A pointed nose gives you the best glide and speed, so it’s great if you want to cover distance and go fast. The flipside is that a pointed nose is generally on a more narrow board so you sacrifice stability when standing still. Once you get up to speed, the board becomes more stable.”
With more people being interested in the sport, the demand for paddleboards has provided opportunities for people like Driscoll and JJ Haglund of Lehi.
Haglund and his family moved to Utah in the mid-2010s and decided to give paddleboarding a try.
“We found someone who was renting boards out of their house and we thought it would be fun,” Haglund said in a phone interview earlier this week. “We went up to Tibble Fork Reservoir in American Fork Canyon, which has beautiful views of Mount Timpanogos. We fell in love with it. It was great to have a lake where you didn’t have to worry about motorboats where we could hang out on the beach and go paddling.”
After renting a few times, Haglund got a board of his own as a birthday present and started going to places around Utah and across the country.
“We loved the portability, particularly with inflatable paddleboards,” Haglund said. “You can just roll them up and take them wherever. We’ve gone to Lake Powell and St. George. We’ve even checked them as luggage and taken them to Hawai’i.”
He said that’s where some of his most memorable paddleboarding experiences occurred.
“We took them to Kauai one year and I saw some dolphins just swimming offshore, so I just paddled out,” Haglund said. “I had all these dolphins surrounding my board. That was pretty incredible.
“Another time we took it to Oahu. The paddleboard that I bought has a Polynesian-style sea turtle image on the bottom of it, so we used to joke that it attracted turtles. In Oahu, it actually did. We had these turtles check us out and pop up. Those are probably my top experiences, just seeing the wildlife in Hawaii.”
Haglund and his family now provide paddleboards for rent as well as other paddleboarding information at jjspaddleboards.com.
The business has given him the opportunity to introduce stand-up paddleboarding to many people who haven’t done it before. He said he gives some very simple tips to get them started.
“The only tip we give people is if they’re worried about balance, then start on their knees or they can sit,” Haglund said. “You don’t have to stand, even though it’s called stand-up paddleboarding. You don’t have to be great at balancing to do it. Really, anybody can do it.”
Driscoll explained that understanding a couple of fundamentals can help you get more comfortable paddling.
“Use a leash and wear your personal floatation device (PFD),” Driscoll said. “If the wind kicks up and you are not wearing you PFD, you can be knocked off your board and the wind can take your board out of reach very quickly, which is why having a leash is important.
“Start on your knees. Stand up when it feels stable. Look at the horizon, not your feet. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and paddle straight by switching sides every few strokes. Most beginners try to turn the board every stroke without realizing it.”
In all my years paddleboarding, I don’t recall ever falling off. I’ve been knocked to my knees by waves or wind, but I’ve always managed to say on my board.
And it’s a good workout as well.
Driscoll’s website talks about how 11 different muscles are regularly used during paddleboarding, from the legs to the core to the arms and shoulders.
He also believes that it’s an activity that has big positive mental health benefits as well.
“As I get older I really like the quiet of the outdoors,” Driscoll said. “Being on the water is such a good way to unplug and get away from real life for awhile. My favorite moments are either surfing river waves in white water, or early mornings when the lake is glass and you can explore with nobody around.”
Driscoll (www.glidesup.com), Haglund (www.jjspaddleboards.com) and many other online resources have tips and recommendations about stand-up paddleboarding and the best places to go (see below).
Our favorite places to explore
Haglund, Driscoll and I all have our favorite places to go paddleboarding. Here are a few to consider (although, if you get hooked you’ll probably end up finding your own top spots):
Beginning paddleboarders
Tibble Fork Reservoir, American Fork Canyon
It’s location in American Fork Canyon near Utah Valley means it often gets crowded, but it’s a great place to get comfortable on a paddleboard. No motorized craft are allowed and it has just the right amount of water to provide a chance to move but without ever being too far from shore. If there are too many people, head up the dirt road to Silver Lake Flat Reservoir.
Red Fleet Reservoir, Vernal
While the main body of the reservoir in eastern Utah has plenty of motorboat traffic, paddleboarders can head north from the boat ramp and find a nice channel to explore. The beautiful red rock makes for a gorgeous setting and you can even paddle across to check out the dinosaur tracks.
Causey Reservoir, Weber County
With no motorized craft allowed and beautiful canyons, it’s no wonder this is one of the favorite places for paddleboarders. It stretches for a mile or so in different directions, so there are a lot of places to explore. It also has spots that are popular for cliff-jumping. Since the water is cold and very deep, personal floatation devices are required to be worn (not just on the craft like at other locations).
More experienced paddleboarders
Lake Powell
With its myriad of canyons, the enormous reservoir is a great place to get on a paddleboard and go exploring — but beware of the challenges. Summer heat, exposure, other watercraft and overextending yourself are risks to keep in mind, but with caution and preparation there are beautiful rewards awaiting.
Provo or Weber Rivers
Paddling in moving water is different than on lakes and reservoirs, but it can be a lot of fun as well. Going upstream requires much more effort but can be possible, depending on the current. Riding with the flow can be a relaxing way to spend time in the canyons. Driscoll noted that wearing a leash on moving water can be dangerous, so just wearing a personal floatation device is recommended.
What to know before you go
Here are some important regulations to be aware of from the Utah Department of Natural Resources related to stopping the spread of invasive species:
1. For paddleboarding specifically, each user is required to take an annual education course before launching their watercraft anywhere in Utah. You can find that course at https://dwrapps.utah.gov/wex/dbconnection.jsp?examnbr=514681.
2. Paddleboard users (and anyone with a watercraft) should clean, drain and dry their paddleboard after each use.
3. Paddleboarders are required to stop at any open aquatic invasive species stations that they pass if the station is operating.
You can find all those rules at stdofthesea.utah.gov.
