The nation’s rivers connect mountains to sea, communities to natural places, and people to wildlife. America’s Wild & Scenic River system recognizes these values. Paddling America provides descriptions for paddling and exploring 50 Wild and Scenic Rivers across the country. Woven throughout the river descriptions will be small anecdotal sidebars touching on the history of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, the adventurers themselves, and tips for paddling. Each chapter will contain one map, specifications in accordance with paddling guidelines including GPS coordinates, put-in/takeout information, an overview of the paddle, miles and directions, full-color photos, and sidebars.

Susan Elliott, a river restoration scientist and whitewater kayak instructor, contributes to outdoor adventure publications such as Canoe & Kayak Magazine, Rapid Magazine, and Columbia Gorge Guide, and has contributed to guidebooks and instruction manuals, such as The River Gypsies Guide to North America and Bartlett Book of Garden Elements. She has worked on and explored rivers in Peru, Ecuador, India, China, Mexico and the U.S. She has recently completed a Master’s of Science degree in River Engineering. Adam Elliott, a photographer and whitewater rafting guide manager, has had his worked published in Outside Magazine China, Canoe & Kayak Magazine, Pacific Northwest Paddler’s Guidebook and more. He served as a logistics coordinator and photographer for National Geographic’s Monster Fish episode on Brazil’s “River of Doubt.” He guided river trips through the Grand Canyon, on the Salween and Upper Mekong for the last 20 years and now explores and photographs rivers all over the world. Adam and Susan currently live in their 1994 Coachman Catalina “road home,” based in White Salmon, Washington.