County Road A to Rib Falls: There’s something unassuming and subtle, but really engaging about this somewhat-secluded section of the Big Rib River. With many modest outcrops and plenty of gentle riffles, it makes for a scenic and fun…
Browsing Category
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Dickinson Road to County Highway H: A diamond in the rough if ever there was one, a wily and beguiling stream coursing through undeveloped thickets of gorgeous county forest, the South Fork of the Eau Claire will reward patient and…
90th Street to Zumbro River County Park: An accessible, beginner-friendly, and beautiful paddling experience in the driftless region of Rochester, Minnesota. This section of the South Fork of the Zumbro River is only a short drive from downtown, but…
Plum Creek Road to Wauzeka: An easy, pretty, and primitive trip, this final stretch of the meandering Kickapoo is not endowed with the spectacular rock outcrops and canyons as found in the popular Ontario to La Farge section –…
County Road E to Dam Lane: A very scenic stretch of a truly obscure stream, this trip on Mill Creek begins quietly in a beautiful swath of Driftless hills and finishes in a white-knuckled tumble down tricky rapids. Water…
County Road Q to River Road: As wild and wooly a ride as I’ve ever had, this stretch of the Middle Branch of the Embarrass River features exhilarating sequences of Class II rapids through obstacle courses of down trees…
Highway 64 to Willow River State Park: I want to avoid the “hidden gem” cliché here, but I won’t in singing the praises of this delightful stream with so much to offer, on the exurban edge of the Twin…
Deerskin Road/Forest Road 2199 to Rangeline Road: The Deerskin River is a wild and mostly undeveloped little gem that gently meanders through classic northern Wisconsin landscape over crystal clear water, a sandy bottom and around occasional glacial erratic boulders. It’s…
Short Cut Road to County Road U: When it comes to Wisconsin driftless paddles, the Grant is as captivating as they come with its twists, turns, riffles and rock formations. However, there’s currently one big caveat and by big, we…
County Highway E to Tesch Road: A short northcentral Wisconsin lightwater trip, (made even shorter due to the closure of the once popular put-in just upstream from this ad hoc access point) the New Wood River is wildly appealing…
Big Falls County Park to County Road QQ: A nearly wild setting with wooded hills, steep banks, and solitude surrounds the Eau Claire River here in one of its quieter, often over-looked segments. Quieter, that is, after you leave the…
Hamilton Falls Canoe Landing to Canoe Landing Forest Road: A relatively obscure jewel of a trip set in a truly beautiful landscape that is as rugged as it is rewarding, the North Fork cuts through a borderland of northern glaciated…
North Andover to Highway 81: The word ‘non-stop’ is defined as continuing without stopping or pausing, and Rattlesnake Creek provides an abundance of non-stop. This Driftless discovery has small stream characteristics and elusive charm including massive cliff walls, rugged…
County Road N to Oxbow Take Out: One of the most popular, albeit short, trips on the Pine River on account of its peculiar meandering and supreme ease of shuttle logistics, “the Oxbow” provides an ideal moving water-experience for…
Highway 139 to Chipmunk Rapids Campground: One of several Pine Rivers in Wisconsin, this Pine River in Florence County is notable as it’s one of the five Wild and Scenic Rivers in the state, and for paddlers, it does…
County Road J to County Road C: A dynamic trip on a magnificent little river that packs a lot of punch, this section of the Prairie River is indisputably its best, featuring a richly restored marsh which contrasts a…
Chaffie Hollow Road to Potosi Point Recreational Area: The final miles of the Grant River to its confluence-kiss at the Mississippi River, this trip has fewer rock outcrops and slower water than the two more popular trips upstream, but…
Prairie Du Sac to Wyalusing Landing: The Lower Wisconsin Riverway is beloved for its canoe and kayak camping opportunities on the islands and sandbars that dot the protected 92 miles from the Prairie Du Sac dam to the Mississippi…
S. County Line Road to S. O’Riley Road: A diamond in the rough of Rock County, Little Turtle Creek dazzles with crystal-clear water, steady current, lots of riffles, and a thrilling mix of prairies, pastures and forest. Good accesses…
Sunset Drive to Gramling Lane: Where the natural wild meets the wiles of exurban development, Scuppernong Creek quietly meanders past back yards and across small lakes, around natural springs, soggy bogs, cattail corridors, hemlocks and tamaracks, with stunningly crystal…
Club House Road to Ross Avenue: A wonderful section of a terrific river that embodies the best of “finding adventure in your backyard,” this stretch of the Eau Claire River courses through a mix of residential development, remote stretches…
County Road Q to Witek Road: A surprisingly viable paddling prospect when water levels are higher than normal, this Driftless Area trout stream tumbles and meanders past exposed rock outcrops, bluffs, pine relicts, and swaths of prairie. Accesses are…
Boundary Road to Kristof Road: An exhilarating section of the upper Plover River with spectacular boulder gardens, thrilling Class I rapids, and a gorgeous, mostly undeveloped landscape of thick woods. This trip does however, have a few tricky situations…
Touring Devil’s Lake in Devil’s Lake State Park: An extraordinarily short but delightful paddle within Wisconsin’s most popular State Park, this little adventure provides a different perspective to the towering bluffs of Devil’s Lake, and is especially appealing during the…
Kelly Road to West Pine Hill Road: The fabled lower section of Robinson Creek features no fewer than five Class II-III ledges through a series of two separate mini canyons. As such, this trip demands caution and care, and…
Preston Trailhead Park to Heron Road: A fantastic day trip on a narrow, often canopied river with plenty of delightful riffles, standing waves, and some very attractive outcrops. When you add it all up, it makes for a wonderful…
Cannon Falls to Welch: A bluff country paddle full of numerous riffles, gravel bars and island channels that cut through bluffed-valleys 300′ tall along the eastern edge of Minnesota’s Driftless region, this popular section of the Cannon River is…
Touring the Blue Heron Island Loop in Portage County: A circumnavigatory exploration of the backwaters and archipelagic cluster of wild islands surrounded by civilization, this trip is a perfect example of finding adventure (and solitude) in your own backyard,…
Touring Horseshoe Island in Door County: There are a lot of opportunities for paddling in Door County, but here’s a great half-day destination paddle to a crescent-shaped island that offers a short hike, as well as prime fishing within…