A Floating Classroom: Lake James State Park’s Big Canoes

Paddlers work together to propel a Big Canoe across Lake James, practicing the cooperation at the heart of the program.

Maybe you’ve seen them on Lake James: two long white canoes packed with paddlers who, when starting out, comically knock their paddles against each other’s, but eventually learn how to push hard against the breeze in synchronized effort. 

These are the Big Canoes, reminiscent of Native American craft used a thousand years ago and donated by Dedicated to Our Community, a service organization of middle and high school students, and the Friends of North Carolina State Parks.

Today, some would argue that no visit to Lake James State Park is complete without stepping onto a boat. NC State Parks’ leadership felt the same way and decided local schoolchildren should have this opportunity. 

The park’s longstanding, small fleet of canoes had proved impractical for the task, especially when dividing up a class of 28 students amongst five or more canoes, so a more workable solution was sought.

And so, in a twist of fate, the same year that Hurricane Helene chewed up the park’s beach and boat docks, two 29’ Langley clipper boats arrived at the park, ready to be crewed by up to 14 students each. The two Big Canoes were christened The Wandering Glider and The Race Runner. NC State Parks educational staff has rotated them between Lake James, Lake Norman, and Morrow Mountain state parks, providing a safe and fun way for an entire classroom to explore those waterways together.

Schools in Parks Specialist Katie Gray started at Lake James State Park in March 2025, and the Big Canoes program has proven a perfect fit for this former high school science teacher. Katie grew up on the water of the New River, and during a two-day canoeing trip with the school’s outdoor club, she realized that water-based outdoor education was her true calling.

Since her start with NC State Parks, Katie has played an essential role in providing 30-plus Big Canoe programs for over 1000 students and adults at Lake James alone.

Students take to the water through the Big Canoes program, combining outdoor discovery with lessons in teamwork.

To request a Big Canoe program, teachers can contact either Katie Gray or Ranger Michael Greene.

At the park, students are instructed on safe paddling techniques and educated about ecosystems and the history of Lake James. The programs are frequently and happily interrupted by students pointing out the play of light on the water or an amazing bird sighting, building memories to last through their school days.

Katie emphasizes that a Big Canoe program’s benefits are not limited to easier logistics. As students learn how to paddle, they also learn how to communicate, listen, and work together—or else the heavy boat goes nowhere. 

Likewise, the students gain new perspectives, looking towards the shore, noting the difference between state park and private land use, and marveling at the beautiful and unexpected in nature.

These moments may never come again, so staff at Lake James State Park are grateful to be able to share them in the Big Canoes.