Sunset Lake

Sunset Lake is about 15 miles south of Kalamazoo in the Village of Vicksburg.  It's a long narrow lake with access at Sunset Lake Park.  It's a short carry from the street to the little beach in the park.

Lakeside homes line the shore near the park.  Paddling north, the docks and houses give way to cattails and trees.  The Vicksburg Recreation Area preserves a section of waterfront on the east.

Sunset Lake had plenty of seaweed, algae, and duckweed.  I'd recommend visiting early or late in the season when the vegetation is lighter.  We did watch an airboat spraying copper sulfate to control the algae, so it may clear somewhat as the chemicals work.

Sunset Lake connects to Gourdneck Creek which eventually leads to Gourdneck Lake.  We didn't explore the creek this afternoon.

Sunset Lake Park
339 Page St
Vicksburg, MI 49097

 

 

 

Paddle boarding at Ramona Park, Portage MI

My daughter was interested in trying standup paddle boarding (SUP) this summer and there are plenty of places to try it in West Michigan.  South Beach in South Haven has a rental spot right on the beach but, when we visited last week, Lake Michigan was really cold (only little kids would stay in the water) and, on an earlier trip, it was much too windy. (Kiteboarders were literally flying.)

I wanted a smaller, calmer, and preferably warmer lake.  Kzoo Kids suggested Ramona Park in Portage, which had the added advantage of being much closer to home.  Park admission was free for Portage residents ($10 per car for non-residents) and board rental was $12 for an hour.

Getting into a standing position on the board was easier than I expected and staying upright wasn't too hard.  I fell off in the first minute but stayed on the board after that.  Perhaps I should have read some Stand Up Paddle Board instructions before we went, but it felt okay figuring it out on our own.

We started by paddling with the wind, which was really easy.  The breeze was strong enough that we'd move along nicely, even without paddling.

The breeze, of course, worked against us when we turned back.  I had been paddling for a few minutes before I realized I was making no progress at all.  To actually go forward required much faster paddling or kneeling down on the board to cut wind resistance.  Kneeling was much less comfortable, but it did work.

That's pretty much how we spent our hour-- great paddling downwind, then struggling upwind.    Overall it was reasonably fun.  My daughter really enjoyed it and I'd do it again, but perhaps on a calmer day.

Quietwater Symposium

Yesterday was the 19th Annual Quiet Water Symposium at Michigan State University's livestock Pavillion.  It offered a full day of exhibitions, speakers, and raffles focused on canoes, kayaks and related activities.

I was really impressed by the craftsmanship on display in the handmade boats.

 While it was not as fun as an afternoon on the river, it did point to warmer days ahead when the waters are not frozen.

Prairie River

The Prairie River was a fun paddle.  The water was clear and shallow, so we could see a variety of fish.  It wound through bottomland forest with plenty of Silver Maples and Sycamores.  (It should have some gorgeous fall color soon.)  Shallow roots and wet soil meant a lot of deadfall across the river, so we needed to frequently maneuver around obstacles.  This made the trip more challenging than many other local rivers, but it didn't get frustrating and we never had to get out of the kayaks to go around or over a barrier.  (Thanks to Liquid Therapy outfitters who cut openings to keep the river runnable.)

The Prairie River is about a half hour drive south of Kalamazoo.  We paddled from Centreville to Lutz Rd just south of Three Rivers, about six miles, in three and a half hours.  Hoshel Canoe Park, about halfway through this section, off Hoshel Road, looked like another good place for a put-in or take-out.  Most of the river feels very natural, with only the occasional house visible.  There were a few farms, some with industrial-sized irrigation pumps, but mostly it was woods.  There were some spectacular patches of Cardinal Flower in bloom. 

Centreville put-in
(small park, just north of Centreville, plenty of parking)
550 Covered Bridge Road
Centreville, MI 49032
Lutz Road takeout
(on the left, downstream of the bridge; roadside parking)

61298 Lutz Road (County Highway 126)

Three Rivers, MI 49093

[addresses are approximate] 



Boat rental and spotting are available from
Liquid Therapy
221 S. Main Street
Three Rivers, MI 49093
269-273-9000

Three Mile Lake

Three Mile Lake is about 25 miles west of Kalamazoo, just off of I-94.  It's a mid-sized lake (176 acres) with an unusual shape-- kind of a curving T-- which means you can't see the whole lake from any particular spot.  (Michigan's DNR provides a map [pdf].)  A shallow channel connects to Little Three Mile Lake. 

Threemile Lake came to my attention since it is one of the few lakes with motorboat restrictions.  We visited on a hot afternoon and lots of people were cooling off in the lake at the boat launch.  Houses lined the eastern shore while the western shore was pretty much undeveloped.  There were a few noisy jetskis and waterskiers (since the speed restrictions don't go into effect until evening.)  Little Three Mile Lake was quieter, with just a few people sunning on their docks.  We saw three Sandhill Cranes among the lilypads on the smaller lake and a couple of Great Blue Herons.

DNR public boat launch

64000 41st St

Paw Paw, MI 49079
[address is approximate.]
 

Kalamazoo River (Comstock to Parchment)

On Labor Day weekend, we wanted to go kayaking but kept procrastinating until it was too late for an out-of-town destination.  Since we still wanted to get on the water, we decided to try a stretch of the nearby Kalamazoo River: from Comstock to Parchment.  Comstock has a few different river access points and without planning it, we tried two of them.  We dropped a kayak at Merrill Park and then left a car on Commerce Lane in Parchment.  Driving back to the start, I took a different route and ended up on the wrong side of the river.  Because of construction on the River Street bridge, we would have needed to make a long detour to get back to Merrill Park.  Instead, we launched across the river at South Wenke Park and ferried the kayak back.

As I expected, this section of the Kalamazoo River was more industrial than the river between Parchment and D Avenue.  The first mile or so was mostly natural, with just a few buildings visible from the water.  As we approached Kalamazoo, we paddled past the former Georgia Pacific paper mill site, where the EPA is capping a landfill designed to keep PCBs out of the river.  Sights along this stretch of the river included Kalamazoo's sewage treatment plant, a Grand Elk railyard, and various other industrial buildings.  Numerous bridges crossed the river and in places the shoreline was walled with oxidized steel.  Despite all of this, there was a surprising amount of wildlife: turtles, ducks & geese, kingfishers, a half dozen Great Blue Herons, and even a pair of Osprey.

From the river, we saw progress on the construction of a new segment of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail, as well as the existing trail to Mayors Riverfront Park.

We paddled about 5 miles on the river in less than two hours.  While not wilderness, the float was certainly interesting and we enjoyed seeing another aspect of Kalamazoo. 

Merrill Park
5845 Comstock Ave
Comstock, Michigan 49048

South Wenke Park
5800 Kings Highway
Comstock, Michigan 49048

[addresses are approximate]

Duck Lake State Park

Duck Lake State Park is about 2 hours from Kalamazoo, on Lake Michigan north of Muskegon.  The park protects about half of Duck Lake's shoreline and the woods beyond.  Most of the rest of the lake is developed with private homes although Fruitland Township maintains two small parks on Duck Lake.  At around 300 acres, the lake is relatively small; I was able to paddle the circumference in about an hour at a very leisurely pace.

The park offers a canoe and kayak launch, down a short woodchip trail from the main parking, or a concrete boat ramp with its own parking lot.  A separate parking area serves a picnic shelter and a small beach on Duck Lake.  The park doesn't have a campground. 

A low spillover dam separates Duck Lake from its outlet into Lake Michigan.  It's easy enough to lift a kayak over the dam and continue paddling.  The stream gets very shallow as it crosses the beach and it's easier to get out and wade.

The beach on Lake Michigan was the most popular attraction in the park when I visited.  A boardwalk leads from the main parking lot under the Scenic Drive bridge and over the dunes to the beach.

Duck Lake State Park

4650 N Scenic Dr

Fruitland, MI 49461
(address is approximate)

Recreation passport (or daily fee) required.

West Lake

West Lake, in Portage just south of Kalamazoo, doesn't have a public boat launch, but kayaks and canoes can put in at the channel at Lakeview Park and enter West Lake through a tunnel under Oakland Drive.  The shores of West Lake are mostly developed, with only a small natural section of shoreline protected by the West Lake Nature Preserve.  That area does have some interesting bog life, including pitcher plants.  The rest of the lake is mostly homes with docks, most with both a pontoon boat and a speedboat.  West Lake can be a great spot for sunsets.

West Lake: 335 acres

Sugarloaf Lake

Sugarloaf Lake in Portage, just south of Kalamazoo, is a reasonably large lake for paddling and has a substantial amount of undeveloped shoreline (protected as part of the Gourdneck State Game Area).  The southwest shore does have several houses.  A public boat launch, off Shaver Road, provides access and parking.

A winding channel connects to Little Sugarloaf Lake.  Little Sugarloaf appears more developed, with homes and docks along one shore and US-131 visible along the other shore.

Sugarloaf Lake
10764 Shaver Rd.
Portage, MI
(address is approximate)

Hall Lake

Hall Lake in Yankee Springs State Recreation Area, about a 45 minute drive north of Kalamazoo, offers opportunities for hiking and paddling.  We walked the Hall Lake Trail on a hot summer day and enjoyed the cool shade of the woods.  The trail started at the intersection of Gun Lake Road and the dirt road for the Long Lake Outdoor Center and then skirted the western edge of Hall Lake, sharing the route with the North Country Trail, and then loopsedback to the trailhead.  The entire loop took just under an hour to walk.  In winter, the Hall Lake trail is part of the Yankee Springs ski trail.

After our hike, we put our kayaks in at the Hall Lake boat launch (a few hundred yards east on Gun Lake Road).  The lake was small but mostly natural.  There were no structures along the lake, just the occasional car visible on the road.  Three small islands added interest.  A Great Blue Heron fished in the shallows while Turkey Vulture circled overhead.  The lake itself was too small to make the drive worthwhile but it combined nicely with some of the parks other attractions.

Kalamazoo River (Parchment to D Avenue)

For some reason, whenever I thought of paddling the Kalamazoo River, I would drive east to Fort Custer and float the stretch from that recreation area to 35th Street.  I never really considered canoeing from Kalamazoo.  The river's industrial heritage, particularly its paper mills near Kalamazoo, may have contributed to my neglect, although most of the factories have closed and the sites cleaned.

This afternoon, we paddled a section of  the river just north of the city limits, starting in Parchment  (near the Mosel Avenue bridge) and ending about 5 miles downstream just past the D Avenue bridge.  The trip took us about an hour and a half.

The riverbanks were wooded for most of the trip, with only a few buildings and two railroad bridges near the start.  Otherwise it was very natural.  The Kalamazoo River Valley Trail parallels the river for this section and the Kalamazoo Nature Center protects a good portion of the west bank.  We passed turtles sunning on logs, muskrats and geese, and a big Blue Heron.  The highlight was a Bald Eagle that flew right over us.

There's plenty of free parking along the river on Commerce Lane in Parchment.  The boat launch at D Avenue is privately owned and welcomes canoes and kayaks and charges a small fee.

The Kalamazoo River is a Michigan Heritage Water Trail and may eventually have signs labeling historic sites.

Kalamazoo River opens

Nearly two years after the 2010 oil spill, most of Kalamazoo River re-opened.  Some submerged oil remains in the river and clean-up efforts continue, but public health officials have declared the river safe for recreational uses.  Both the oil company and the clean-up efforts have been subject to substantial criticism.

The stretch of the Kalamazoo River between Fort Custer Recreational Area and 35th Street (near Morrow Pond) had been one of my favorite local places to paddle.      

  

Eagle Lake

Eagle Lake in Fort Custer Recreation Area is about a 20 minute drive east of Kalamazoo.  Motor boats are restricted on the lake, which makes it a good destination for canoes and kayaks since there are no jetskis or speedboats flying past.  The swimming beach is the most popular feature at Eagle Lake.  It has a concession stand, restrooms, and a big picnic area.  A disc golf course is laid out along the shore.  There's a boat launch with parking, beyond the beach area.

The lake itself is reasonably sized and features an island near the far shore, which makes a good paddling destination.  The lake is an impoundment and in places you can tree stumps underwater.  This afternoon, fish were jumping out of the water, although I didn't notice any of the many anglers catch one.  The Kingfishers and gulls seemed to have more luck.

Eagle Lake does have eagles, although we didn't see any this trip.

Midwest Canoe Trails

Midwest Canoe Trails
by John W Malo
1978

This guidebook gives short descriptions of over 100 rivers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario. While it's over thirty years old, and much of the rental information is out-of-date, the rivers are still there.

"In all probability there is no region in the world that offers so much canoeable water over such an extensive area and so readily available to millions of people as does the upper Midwest of the United States and the contiguous province of Ontario, Canada."

The guide lists 44 rivers in Michigan, and describes about half of them.

"The water trails of the Wolverine state knew the birchbark canoe long before they floated the bateaus of the French explorers. Indians, voyageurs, settlers, loggers, and, now, recreationists have enjoyed the state's moving waters, which have retained much of their integrity to this day."


Canoe Trails near Kalamazoo

1. Kalamazoo River
"The portion of this river that offers the best canoeing experience is from Allegan (Routes 89 and 40) to Saugatuck. There are well-developed state forest campgrounds in the county and numerous other places along the bank for unrestricted camping. The river flows between high banks and forests with many large trees."

2. Paw Paw River

3. Thornapple River

4. St Joseph River
"This southwestern river is born at Sturgeon Lake near Colon at Route 86, where you can put in. You will meander over a lot of Indian trail water as you cruise this river, which flows through agricultural country."


5. Flat River

6. Grand River
"Add the Grand River, which rambles for 185 miles in scenic beauty through seven counties, to your collection, and you will be able to boast of the experience of canoeing the most crooked river in Michigan. The river also meanders through four cities-- Jackson, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven before it enters Lake Michigan."

7. Looking Glass River

8. Red Cedar River

9 Maple River

10. Muskegon River
"This River rises in Higgins and Houghton lakes in Roscommon County and flows southwesterly for 227 miles to its terminus at Lake Michigan."

11. White River

12. Pere Marquette River
"For a hundred miles the Pere Marquette River is a fast trout water with many quick turns along its wooded course."

13 Pigeon River (Indiana)
"This stream in northeast Indiana from Mongo to the Michigan state line is a twenty-mile cruise with four well-defined portages." "Spring is the time to float this river, for the canoeist will be treated to meadows in bloom and trillium covering the banks and fields in milky white panoramas for miles along the way."

This book is out-of-print. Some used-book sellers may have copies available. I found one at my library.

Rocky River (Three Rivers)

Three Rivers, a town about half an hour south of Kalamazoo, offers several choices for canoe trips. Last fall we tried the St Joseph River; yesterday, we paddled the Rocky River. Compared to the St Joseph River, the Rocky was narrower, shallower, and twistier with a better current.

We started at a bridge on Null Road in a suburban area northwest of town, where the river took us through a mix of manicured lawns and natural areas. Downstream, farmers were irrigating their fields with river water. We saw Blue Herons, muskrats, turtles, frogs and a Kingfisher and we watched a colorful Goldfinch take a bath at the river's edge. About two hours into the paddle, we came to the dock at Brewster's where we stopped for a cold beverage.

Near the end of the river the current picked up, with a few rapids. We scouted the whitewater from a footbridge in the city park and decided to portage. We did watch three boats run the rapids, none successfully. The water was shallow enough that the paddlers were able to just stand up and start again.

From there, the river ran through Skidmore Park where we saw an emu in the small zoo. Then a series of riffles led to the Saint Joseph River. The end of the trip was directly across the river at the Conservation Park boat ramp.




Boat rental and spotting are available from
Liquid Therapy
221 S. Main Street
Three Rivers, MI 49093
269-273-9000

Thornapple River

The Thornapple River, less than an hour from Kalamazoo, is one of my favorites. It's an easy river to paddle with shallow water and plenty of woods and wildlife.

Our paddle from Charlton Park to Hastings took around two hours on a beautiful Sunday afternoon with turtles sunning on logs and cedar waxwings flying overhead. The river was wide and slow at Charlton Park, since it's the end of Thornapple Lake. Downstream, past the cottages, the river narrows and you can drift with the current between wooded banks. That section was popular for innertube floats. We did pass several groups on the river, but it was only crowded in one short section.

Canoes, kayaks, and innertubes are available from
U-Rent-Em Canoe Livery
805 W. Apple St.
Hastings, Michigan 49058
(269)945-3191

Michigan Rivers Less Paddled

Michigan Rivers Less Paddled: The Rivers, The Towns, The Taverns
by Doc Fletcher
2009

Michigan Rivers Less Paddled is a sequel to Canoeing in Michigan by the same author. This book describes another twenty-one rivers throughout the state, including several near Kalamazoo.

Southwest Michigan Rivers

1. Thornapple River
"The river has a national reputation as a fine smallmouth bass stream. The suggested river trip is right in the middle of some of the river's best fishing..."
Start at Charlton Park Bridge/Rivergate Campground; end at U-Rent-Em Canoe Livery in Hastings
3 hours
Skill level: beginner
Town: Hastings
Tavern: Olde Towne Tavern Co.
Canoe rental at U-Rent-Em Canoe Livery

2. Dowagiac River
"The river feel was rustic (even more than most rivers), the water flowed quickly down long straight-aways, the many logs just above and just below the surface kept us alert and on our toes, and the trees leaning in from each bank formed a canopy above us, acting as a coolant on a hot summer day."
Start at Doe-Wah-Jack livery; end at M62 Bridge
2 hours
Skill level: intermediate
Town: Dowagiac
Tavern: Wounded Minnow Saloon
Canoe rental at Doe-Wah-Jack's Canoe Rental

3. Kalamazoo River
"Without protective tree cover, the winds and sands coming off of Lake Michigan quickly eroded Singapore into ruins. By 1875, the town was vacated (many residents moved to The Flats, i.e. Saugatuck) and completely covered over by sand drifts. Today Singapore is buried beneath the dunes."
Start at Ottawa Marsh (128th & 46th Roads); end at Old Allegan Road (at 58th St)
3 hours
Skill level: beginner
Town: Saugatuck
Tavern: Wally's Bar & Grill
Canoe rental at Old Allegan Canoe

4. Rocky River
"The view looking north from the bridge is sweet: the Rocky white water flows beneath a foot bridge, cascading down a series of rocks before wrapping around a grassy island." [Portage suggested here.]
Start at Null Road Bridge; end at Liquid Therapy ramp (across St. Joe River)
2 hours 25 minutes.
Skill level: intermediate
Town: Three Rivers
Tavern: Brewster's
Canoe rental at Liquid Therapy

5. Grand River
"The Grand's Indian name is 'O-wash-ta-nong', meaning far-away-water, a name well-suited to a 260-mile long river."
Start at Tompkins Road; end at Grand Adventures livery.
2.5 - 3 hours.
Skill level: intermediate
Town: Jackson
Tavern: Archey's (in Onondaga)
Canoe rental at Grand Adventures

6. Rogue River
"For thousands of years before the Europeans arrived, the Rogue was the main transportation route linking Native Americans in the Grand Rapids area with their cousins near Newaygo."
Start at 12 Mile Road Bridge (at Friske Road); end 100' before Rockford dam
2 hours
Skill level: beginner
Town: Rockford
Taverns: Rogue River Tavern; Grill One Eleven
Canoe rental at Powers Outdoors

7. Looking Glass River
"Deeply beautiful reflections off of the river's surface, as the water gently ripples over rocks, treat you to a visual paradise throughout."
Start at Lowell Bridge; end at Wacousta Canoe Livery
3-4 hours
Skill level: intermediate
Town: Portland
Tavern: Duke's Cajun Grill (aka Duke's Canoe Club)
Canoe rental at Wacousta Canoe Livery

Available from Amazon, or directly from the author and from other booksellers and libraries.

Canoeing & Kayaking in Southern Michigan

Adventure Guide to Michigan
by Kevin & Laurie Hillstrom
1998

I've written about this guidebook's regional destinations and bike trails earlier. Here are some recommendations for canoeing & kayaking in southern Michigan from their section On Water:

South Michigan Rivers

1. Dowagiac River
M-62 bridge to Kinzie Road Bridge (off M-51) above Niles Dam: mellow, less than 50 feet wide, good for beginners.
Below Niles Dam to US-31 bridge or to St Jospeph River : quicker current, more challenging.

2. Flat River
from Greenville Dam: a peaceful afternoon float. Camping in Langston, Flat River, & Lowell state game areas (with permit)

3. Grand River
"Michigan's longest river is an ideal testing ground for beginners."
dozens of access points.

4. Huron River
Numerous campgrounds, busy in places.
Good paddling starts at Proud Lake St. Recreation Area & passes through several lakes. Delhi rapids are popular with kayakers (but can be portaged).
Huron River.net


5. Raisin River
An endless series of twists and turns earns it "The world's most crooked river"
Several access points, starting at Swain Park in Brooklyn.

6. Rogue River
Good paddling starts at Sparta. Top-notch from Rockford to the Grand River.

7. Shiawassee River
Near Michigan's thumb, "the Shiawassee is ideal for familiy outings or showing the ropes to novice paddlers."
Numerous access points from Bryon down. Prime take-outs at West Gary Bridge & Fergus Road.

8. St. Jospeph River
Wide and deep. Many dams & impoundments.
Good canoeing starts below Tekonsha.

9. Thornapple River
Midsection "offers undemanding floats through attractive woodlands."
Access near Thornapple Lake: Nashville Dam, Thornapple Rd., Barger Rd., Charlton County Park.
Take-out at Irving Dam.

See it at Google books, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

Kalamazoo River opens

Parts of the Kalamazoo River affected by this summer's oil spill have been re-opened. I've seen several groups of canoes and kayaks enjoying the fall colors on the river between Mozel Avenue in Parchment and D Avenue.

The river remains closed, however, between Battle Creek and the Morrow Dam. When I visited River Oaks County Park last weekend, booms were still in use and the boat ramp area was fenced for the clean-up crews. Apparently the clean-up is now focused on dredging for oil that sank into the riverbed.

River Country Journal reports the opening of the section of the river near Plainwell that had been closed for PCB clean-up.

update: Most of the river re-opened in June 2012

St Joseph River (Three Rivers)

Fall can be a great time to paddle Michigan's rivers. Last weekend, we tried the Saint Joseph River at Three Rivers, MI. The river is wide and the current barely perceptible, making it easy for beginners. Leaving town, there are a few small factories and an old railroad bridge. Then the river passes through tree-lined banks, with the occasional set of cabins punctuating the woods. After passing Constantine Rd (second bridge) the river opens up even more, weaving around large marshy islands-- a very pretty section. We saw plenty of turtles basking on logs, a few Great Blue Herons, and a group of Mute Swans.

The 5 mile trip from the Conservation Park boat ramp to Withers Road (third bridge) takes about 2 hours. If you want a longer time on the river, there's a take-out at the Constantine dam 2 hours further downstream.

We rented equipment from Liquid Therapy
221 S. Main Street
Three Rivers, MI 49093
269-273-9000