Michigan Canoeing

[Chip]

I'm going to Michigan, dang it! Leaving next week.

I've joined the West Michigan Kayaking and Canoe meetup. Judging by photos, they are heavily kayak oriented, but probably nice people who have local knowledge of rivers, so I'm going to join them at a Rendezvous next week.

Speaking of Rendezvous, I'm planning to take my kevlar Rendezvous. I'm wondering if that is a bad choice, like if I'm going to be bouncing off a lot of rocks, it'd be nice to be in a resilient hull. Well, they made the Rendezvous to be an all-purpose canoe, so let's see. I prefer rivers with current, but not looking to paddle rapids.

Great article Glen posted.

Anybody have thoughts on Pictured Rocks? I'm wondering if there's an outfitter there that is open after Labor Day and will rent me a sea kayak, as I'd be nervous on Superior in a boat that can take waves over the gunwales.

I'm a big fan of Two Hearted ales and was disappointed to learn the brewery is not near the Two Hearted River, which I have desire to paddle.

The Huron and AuSable are two other rivers I hope to paddle, just because they are so famous.

The Manistique is on the short list, but I'm not looking for rapids.

Craigs Lake SP is on my list.

Do most outfitters stay open after Labor Day?

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I'm going to Michigan

Why not? Go for it, Chip!

"Life’s but a walking shadow,
"A poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more . . . ." — William S.

You've asked interesting questions. Not sure you'll get answers, but at least you'll have them when someone else asks in the future.

Have a good trip!

 

[Chip]

Do people canoe on the waters at Pictured Rocks?

Should I pack my drysuit?

 

[stevet]

Yes, IF you have lots of open water experience….superior is COLD even in summer and I would wear a drysuit by this time of year. Pick a calm day that is likely to stay that way.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Do people canoe on the waters at Pictured Rocks?

Should I pack my drysuit?

Yes, IF you have lots of open water experience….superior is COLD even in summer and I would wear a drysuit by this time of year. Pick a calm day that is likely to stay that way.

I agree with Stevet.

I scouted the put-in areas near the Pictured Rocks in August many years ago, and Superior was like an angry storm-thrashed ocean, crashing and bashing into the shore and cliffs. I didn't dare paddle in such dangerous waters alone, or probably even with a group. In fact, the entire southern shore of Superior was in that condition for all the days I drove along it, and I opted not to paddle in the lake at all.

 

[Chip]

Dry suit packed. Hope I can hit a benign weather window.

 

[Chip]

I'm so glad I went to Michigan! I know I only scratched the surface, but it is a great place for outdoor lovers and except for one upset drift boater guy the people are friendly and nice. I'm indebted to Foxyotter and a couple folks from West Michigan Kayak and Canoe meetup, who all went out of their way to make sure I had a fun visit.

Here's a summary of the trip.

Rivers
Manistee (Tippy dam)
Little Manistee
Pine
Pere Marquette
Platt
Two Hearted
Manistique
Black
Sturgeon
Ausable

Bars
Red Neck Yacht Club, Wellston
Oak Grove Tavern, Irons
Art’s Tavern, Glen Arbor
Joe’s Friendly Tavern, Empire
Platt River Inn, Honor
Taquemenon Falls Brewery, Paradise
Lake Superior Brewing Company, Gran Marias
Roy’s Place, Manistique
Christy’s Bar, Manistique
Jolly’s Bar, Germflak
Cheboygan Brewing Company, Cheboygan
Pinehurst Inn Bar & Grill, Indian River
Paddle Hard Brewery, Grayling

Great first day: WMKC and Foxyotter were incredible and the Little Manistee was charming, intimate, and intimidating. I estimated the current at 4mph. It’s a small twisty stream with snags in the water and overhanging forest growth. There were many gravel shoals where the water was only inches deep. This river demanded maneuvers and I couldn’t do them very well because there wasn’t enough water to get the paddle to bite. WKMC had a dozen boaters paddling with us. There were numerous out-of-boat incidents. One guy was grateful to Foxyotter for jumping out of his canoe and pulling him up for air. Foxyotter reassured the swimmers, “don’t worry, it happens to everybody.” Then, to prove his point, he took a dip. Since he was already wet, he demoed the "Michigan submarine boat recovery" for me. The weather was clear with pleasant temperatures. Great first day.

Many great rivers in northwest Michigan. Each paddling day, I liked that day’s river the best.

The good weather continued as I moved over to Sleeping Bear National Sand Dunes. Having been to some spectacular sand dunes in Namibia and the US, I didn’t expect to be impressed by Michigan’s Dunes. But I loved it at the dunes. The bicycling, hiking the dunes, and canoeing the Platt were very enjoyable.

When the weather soured to a four-day blow with strong wind and rain varying from intermittent spit to hard rain, I headed to the UP. Visited Taquemenon Falls and road my bike around Sault St. Marie. Did some riding near Brevoort Lake, but less than I hoped—trail issues. I worked my way up to the Mouth of the Two Hearted River State Forest Campground. The weather was cold, rainy, and windy, and I was going to skip the Two Hearted in favor of doing laundry. But, the Two Hearted looked so charming when I looked at it from Reed Green Bridge, I unloaded the boat and started paddling. It rained, but I loved the Two Hearted, and the last couple miles through dunes and burned ghost forest, with the roar of lake surf and the wind whistling among the dead trees, were wild and beautiful.

I proceeded to Grand Marias that night, where the wind was ripping, rocking the van like as if I had teenagers jumping on the bumper, blowing who-knows-what and generally making a ruckus. Grand Marias doesn’t have a laundromat, so I ended up in Manistique, were I cleaned up and visited the most memorable bar of the trip. It was open-mic night at Roy’s Place and a good crowd of old timers were sipping to some fine local musical talent. Proprietor Bill has run Roy’s for 30 years and keeps the prices reasonable. The Manistique River was lovely, too. It was wider and clearer and slower-flowing than some of the other rivers, but is very wild.

I met up with WMKC again at Clear Lakes CG. We paddled the Black River and the Sturgeon. The Black was another fast-flowing, very tight stream. The water level was less than my canoe would have liked. It was beautiful, but was a lot of work to beat down. The Sturgeon man have been even faster than the Black. Over four, approaching five MPH. There was enough water to cleanly paddle it and the river channel is well trimmed. We only did a short section, but what we did was nothing but fun.

There were two more rivers I wanted to paddle: the Huron and Ausable. I was told the Huron was too low. In Grayling I hired a shuttle from Penrods and paddled Grayling to Stephon Landing. I loved the Ausable and see why it is famous. But great gosh, there must be a lot of boaters when all the outfitters are operating full tilt. I encountered only two groups of paddlers and a few fly fisherman, which just completed the iconic fly-fisherman, poster shots. The Ausable is a pleasant width stream, extremely well trimmed, moderate current, clear water, more wildlife than other rivers, and great access.

Next day I spent biking around Anne Arbor and concluded my trip to Michigan.

It'd be nice if I posted some pictures, and one day I hope I will.

Meanwhile, many thanks to all who offered insights on good places to paddle. Obviously, there were a lot of places I didn't get to, but I scratched the surface on Michigan and would like to paddle there more.

 

[ErktheRed]

Very cool! Glad you enjoyed it here. I wish I would’ve reached out, I would’ve loaded my canoe up and met up with you. You hit many good spots, and did a pretty grand tour of the state. In my opinion, you also came at a good time. It might be windy, colder, rainy/snowy but the colors are good, the traffic jams are non existent, the temperature can be decent, and a hot meal with a cold brew next to a brick oven with some local music…. Not too bad

 

[Foxyotter]

That is a heck of a tour Chip. Sounds like you got a good taste of Michigan with the weather, fishermen and varied rivers and all. If you ever come back let me know I would dedicated more time to explore some rivers, islands and or bars. Chip your just my kind of crazy and hope our wakes shell cross again.

 

[stevet]

You hit some great spots! What a great tour. Makes me long for many of those again. Pics would be super! Congrats. Personal faves are Manistique, Two Hearted, and a section of the Mason Wilderness Tract which IIRC is on the Pere Marquette. Ann Arbor is a pretty cool town and if you get back look up Ron Sell at Unadilla Boatworks for info.

Welcome to Unadilla Boatworks

click on photo to read my blog

www.unadillaboats.com

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Chip, just got round to this thread, and I'm glad you had a great, if not Superior, trip! Thanks for the report.

It'd be nice if I posted some pictures, and one day I hope I will.

Yeah, but we all have our priorities, and I've never seen a trip report with a list of these:

Bars

And how doubly relevant:

Paddle Hard Brewery, Grayling

 

[JCH_Ski]

I just happened upon this thread from a year ago- sorry to reopen it, but……there was talk of the AuSable, so I’m here to share!

I just paddled the AuSable from Grayling to Oscoda (out into Lake Huron) last week. I’ve done various sections of the first half many times, but this was my first time past Alcona. I took 4 days to do the 120 miles, averaging 30 miles /roughly 7 hours per day. The first 10 miles or so are fairly narrow, shallow and twisty, and it gradually widens as you go. Then you get to the first of 6 ponds, with portages around dams, so it varies a lot.

On Monday my husband dropped me off in Grayling with my canoe - the put-in is by the state police post - and I paddled the 33 miles to my family’s cabin, about 1/2 mile below the Parmalee Bridge. The second day, I started from the cabin and paddled to The Gabions, which is a nice, quiet USFS campground. Only one other site was taken, on the opposite side. We have a tiny camper (think small teardrop size, but a box in shape), and hubby and our dog met me there. One dam to portage that day (6 total for the river: Mio, Alcona, Loud, Five Channels, Cooke and Foote dams, with as many ponds, which are more like lakes). Day three was 30 miles, to a USFS campsite about 4 miles into Cooke Dam Pond. That 4 miles was tough, because of the afternoon headwind. Then I skipped a day, and we stayed over at that campsite, due to the stormy forecast - turned out to be a good decision. We didn’t have cell service for a couple days, so updated forecasts were not available. The last day I did the last 23 miles (25 by my map, but I think I picked a better line on the pond sections).

The first half of the river has a lot of cabins and homes, quite a few parks and access points, and some campgrounds. There can be tons of tubers and rental kayaks and canoes, music blasting, people drifting along, staring at their phones, etc, but mostly from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening, and then it gets peaceful again. Once you get past the whirlpool (roughly 4 miles below Parmalee), the last of those tubers are done, and it’s quiet until Mio. Also a lot less cabins. At Mio the tubers ramp up again until maybe McKinley, with a couple of put-in and take-out spots. Then it’s really quiet until almost Oscoda!

The thing I kind of knew, but didn’t fully realize, is that most of the river runs through the Huron National Forest. It’s wonderful! tons of wildlife, very few humans. Starting around 68 miles in, there are about 100 Forest Service campsites over the course of 48 miles - some have vehicle access, some are walk-in, and a lot (most?) are either boat-in only, or have both boat and vehicle access. The majority appear to be individual, and not clustered into campgrounds.

Anyway, yes, the first half can be pretty crowded, especially on the weekends, but I barely saw anyone for most of the time I was paddling. Choose your timing wisely! Weekdays are best. Mornings are absolutely the best! If you paddle in the morning, you won’t see anyone else except an occasional other canoe loaded with gear, or some fishermen. Noon seems to be when it starts getting busy, but that didn‘t even happen between McKinley and the last few miles before Oscoda.

The wildlife was fantastic! One day I saw 9 herons, 5 or 6 otters (all together, playing in the water and on shore), and many other critters. Several mink, muskrats, a lotta loons, swans, turtles, eagles, and I can’t even remember what else. It was hard to keep paddling sometimes.

Now I’m searching for a good map of the Manistee, if anyone has any suggestions. I used “A Map Guidebook to the Au Sable River” from Wild Waters Maps for this trip (got it on Amazon), and it was wonderful - showed every campsite, what type of access it had, every landing, mileage, brief portage descriptions, and a ton of other information, plus had a downloadable version that showed where I was at the time. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have one for the Manistee.

 

[billconner]

Very nice report! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Chip]

I just paddled the AuSable from Grayling to Oscoda

Nice TR. I was very impressed at how nice the Ausable was. You’ve confirmed, I need to go back there and take a multi-day trip

Now I’m searching for a good map of the Manistee, if anyone has any suggestions. I used “A Map Guidebook to the Au Sable River” from Wild Waters Maps for this trip (got it on Amazon), and it was wonderful - showed every campsite, what type of access it had, every landing, mileage, brief portage descriptions, and a ton of other information, plus had a downloadable version that showed where I was at the time. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have one for the Manistee.

The Dennis and Date Canoeing Michigan Rivers devotes several pages to the Manistee, including identification of campgrounds, put-ins, some maps, and typical guide book stuff. Let me know if you have trouble finding it.

 

[Foxyotter]

JCHski nice report on the Au Sable. You have definitely peaked my interest in the Au Sable river. One big difference between Manistee and Au Sable is that much of the Manistee allows for stream side dispersed camping. There are many campgrounds along the way but there are many spectacular stream side rustic camping spots.