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Kim Ray, of the organization Paddle with Care, stands near Utah Lake with a kayak with a paddle stick in hand on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025.

Courtesy Kim Ray

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Kayaking gear is shown near Utah Lake on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025.

Courtesy Kim Ray

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Kim Ray, of the organization Paddle with Care, looks out at Utah Lake with a kayak and with a paddle stick in tow on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025.

Courtesy Kim Ray

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Kim Ray has an affinity for Utah Lake and spreading the word about all that its ecosystem has to offer.

Ray, a Utah County resident who also advocates for the importance of life jackets and general water safety, leads the organization Paddle With Care,

The nonprofit organizes various events throughout the spring and summer, encouraging people to recreate via boat, kayak, canoe and other watercraft with proper safety gear.

In a first for Ray, this weekend she will set sail on a new challenge — dubbed the Utah Lake shoreline paddle. 

“(It’s) something that I’ve always wanted to do,” she said. “Utah Lake has a map on their website of over 30 access points. And I always wanted to just connect them (access points) from the lake instead of on the roads.”

Ray will launch from Utah Lake’s Lincoln Beach, near Spanish Fork, on Friday morning for a multiday adventure paddling the entire 24-mile length of the lake.

The plan is to paddle towards Goshen Bay, at the south end of the lake, then head north toward Saratoga Springs — on the western shores of the lake — before paddling east to the American Fork Marina.

Ray said the group expects to have the entire journey completed by Sunday evening.

Ray says while her main objectives are to help educate the community about water safety and Utah Lake’s natural offerings, it’s also about facing ones’ fears.

She has never paddled the length of the Utah Lake; and Ray admits that at first the idea seemed daunting.

“I am going to be nervous,” she said. “I’m going to be alone for part of it, and then I will be joined on day two by somebody else, and day three by another person.”

But that’s one factor that has her a little uneasy about the adventure. It’s not lost on Ray how unpredictable and treacherous Utah Lake can be at times.

As a shallow lake, the water can be sensitive to changes in the weather, making conditions tricky for boaters and people on other forms of watercraft, according to the Utah Lake Authority.

“I’m going to be facing so many personal fears,” she said. “When I was a child, I nearly drowned in the ocean, but I’ve always loved water. It’s never kept me away from water; it’s just always kept me very, very cautious around water.”

“Once you go out there with the mindset of having respect for the water and the land, I really think that helps massively,” she said.

Paddlers 18 and up with their own gear are welcome to join for parts of the trip, and everyone is invited to support the cause with either monetary or watercraft equipment donations.

Ray plans to also share the journey on the organization’s social media platforms for those who are interested.

She hopes the adventure will rekindle relationships between residents and Utah Lake and spark new ones.

“We want people to come out to the lake and have their own experiences before they take on the opinions of other people,” Ray told the Daily Herald.

The Utah Lake Authority, which occasionally partners with Paddle with Care for different events and initiatives to restore the public’s interest in the lake, is not directly involved in the upcoming paddle adventure but praises the effort.

“Paddle With Care is a wonderful partner of the Utah Lake Authority. Their emphasis on water safety helps make recreation on Utah Lake more accessible to everyone,” said Kelly Cannon-O’Day, communications and events manager for Utah Lake Authority, in a statement. “We hope everyone joins them for their event.”

Ray says the Utah Lake Shoreline Paddle underscores the organization’s commitment to promoting outdoor recreation and creating awareness around the lake’s accessibility to the public while encouraging people to pursue their passions without self-doubt.

“I really feel like getting outdoors is like natural medicine,” she told the Daily Herald. “I just want people to get outside. And I also want people to know, if you want to do something in life, just do it.”

For more information to follow along on the shoreline paddle, visit paddlewithcare.blogspot.com.