Brodhead to Avon: A surprisingly interesting and isolated stretch with a lot of sweet scenery and a couple unique features found nowhere else on the Sugar River, this long(isn) trip can be broken in two by using the convenient…
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★ ★ ★ ★
Luke’s Heights Lane to Big Falls County Park: A robust and haunting river on the cusp of the Chequamegon National Forest that features two sets of rapids in short order and riverbanks mostly undeveloped, this trip on the Jump…
Robinson Landing to Holt’s Landing: The first leg of the mighty and slightly mythic Flambeau River storming out of the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage dam, this trip begins with a bang and ends with a whimper while passing through an unspoiled…
Sparta to Bangor: A peppy, super-fun stream that begins around 30’ wide and gradually swells to about 50’. The water here is clear and clean, the bottom sandy and the current quite reputable. In the first five miles of…
Rockbridge to County Road AA: A wonderful stream that slowly meanders around the bluffs of Driftless Richland County, this trip will require the whole day to paddle but you’ll love it. Just don’t bother doing it in a canoe.…
Middle Eau Claire Lake to Gordon: Twenty-plus miles of clear water, easy rapids and tight bends provide ample adventure, solitude and beauty in northern Wisconsin. Healthy and clean, the Eau Claire offers good swimming on hot days and a…
Rolling Hills Road to Amherst: An endearingly narrow, intimate stream with crystal clear water, nice current, a couple of boulders to dodge and a sense of quiet solitude, the Tomorrow is a must-paddle tucked away in the gentle hills…
Horseshoe Bend Road to Buncombe Road: A stream in the heart of lead-mining country in southwestern Wisconsin, the Galena (aka Fever) River alternates between swift riffles and flatwater as it meanders around cow pastures, wooded hills and attractive rock…
Bear Lake Road to Dells of the Eau Claire Park: A lively section of an intimate river with exciting whitewater ledges, extensive boulder gardens and excellent wildlife all with hardly any development until the end. This short trip can…
Grandfather Dam to Lokemoen Road: A short trip alternating between flatwater and Class I-II rapids that begins at the end of the Wisconsin River’s single steepest section and quite possibly, where the coolest hydroelectric dam in the state is…
Portage to Dekorra: A mostly overlooked and underappreciated section of the Wisconsin River located after the rapture of the Dells but before the splendor of the lower 92 miles, this quick trip is worth a look. Rating: ☆ ☆…
East Canyon Road to South Apple River Road: Quite possibly the most beautiful stretch of river in all of Illinois (and definitely one of the best in the entire Midwest) the Apple River is rich with clear water, (or…
Bolton Road to Krape Park: A very satisfying creek with clear water, good flow, pretty hillsides, ridges, a number of quite attractive rock outcrops and an absolutely fascinating public park at the end complete with Art Deco bridges, matching…
Crawford Landing Road to Indian Village Road: A very short segment of the river that marks the natural border between southeastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi that is developed but still offers diversions into side channels, sloughs and alluring bayous.…
Hollandale to Blanchardville: An exhilarating trip on a skinny river that sneaks its way around one bluff and then another, many of them topped with pine-crowned cliffs, pockmarked boulders and gorgeous sandstone. When not so dramatic, there are oak…
Darlington to Red Rock: A very pleasant stretch of river that gets little to no attention but is quite worth paddling, the second half of this trip in particular. With small rapids at the very beginning, some hills midway…
Big Platte Road to Indian Creek Road: The final stretch of a wonderful river, this segment of the Platte has only a few of the riffles that the upstream sections are full of but the bluffs are no less…
Port Washington to Grafton: Take one part jade green water, one perfect launching site, innumerable cool dunes, plus one hike-in gorge and you have the makings of one very fun sea kayaking paddle. Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Trip…
Colored Sands Forest Preserve to North Meridian Road: Another in the unofficial “escape to Illinois” series for 2013. This final segment of the Sugar River is actually distinct from its usual connotations in Wisconsin. It’s sandy instead of muddy,…
Black River Falls to Melrose: A taste of North Country in west central Wisconsin and only two hours away from either Madison or Wausau, this trip on the Black River offers endless miles of sandbars and islands, perfect for…
Highway 45 to County Road M: A short and challenging but not totally intimidating segment of good whitewater in central Wisconsin, located between Waupaca and Stevens Point. This trip can be run twice or be done together with other…
River Falls to Kinnickinnic State Park: Hands down, one of the cleanest, clearest, most beautiful and exhilarating rivers to paddle in all of Wisconsin, the “Kinni” is just incredible, as it swiftly wends its way around one stunning bluff…
Sweet-Allyn Park to Dickop Street: With almost identical water levels as the first time we paddled the Turtle, we had a very familiar run down this creek that flows through the city of Beloit, Wisconsin. Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆…
Haskins Park to Highway 113: This very short trip down the muddy waters of the Baraboo offers a little excitement with its countless riffles and brisk current as it passes through its historic downtown and legendary museum grounds. Rating:…
Krouskop Park to Twin Bluffs Road: An extremely pleasant stretch that begins with a very fun splashy drop followed by shady sandbars and islands, good flow and lots of lovely rolling hills the whole way through. Rating: ☆ ☆…
Haymeadow Creek to Prairie Road: A truly beautiful little river that runs through the rolling hills of Lincoln County, alternating between wooded bluffs and low banks with plenty of pine trees (to make you feel you’re really up north),…
Highway 78 to Argyle: This section of the East Branch of the Pecatonica River is a tranquil, mostly slow-paced trip past preserved oak savannas, tallgrass prairie, lowland forests, southern sedge meadows and coquettish rock outcroppings in southwestern Wisconsin. Rating:…
Burnt Bridge to Goodman Park: In normal conditions, this stretch of the Peshtigo River is excellent whitewater wonder for intermediate-to-advance paddlers thick in the exclusive north woods of Wisconsin. Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Trip Report Date: September 2, 2012…
Osceola to Somerset Landing: A scenic last stretch of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway that’s surrounded by tall cliffs, rolling bluffs, sloughs, gigantic islands, a quaint retro railroad bridge and the cute-as-a-button river towns of Osceola and Marine on…
Rural to Shadow Lake Road: The Crystal River is just that, crystal clear and it’s as charming as the city of Rural that it flows through. It’s never very deep and you’re never far from civilization so it’s about…