Graue Mill to Plank Road Meadow: A very convenient paddle on a small creek in west suburban Chicago that flows through an oak forest nature preserve into the much larger Des Plaines River near the historic “Chicago Portage.” For…
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Kingston to Irene Road: A tale of two personalities on a long-ish section of the South Branch of the Kishwaukee River, a generally easy-going and beginner-friendly trip at first, before flowing through two forest preserves full of large amounts…
Nelsonville to Amherst: This short but popular section of the Tomorrow-Waupaca River located in Central Wisconsin is an easy-going paddle that begins as a charming and woodsy small-stream paddle at the put-in, and then transitions to wide marsh-like environs…
Dunnville to Durand: Combining the tail end of the Red Cedar River with a lower segment of the Chippewa River, this trip makes for a quintessential loaf float for a lazy summer day. While it’s not as scenic as…
County Line Road to Red Horse Bend: A simply solid Northern Illinois day float, this section of the Kishwaukee River is a delightfully appealing paddle with easy accesses to boot. While not particularly scenic, there’s enough unique features to keep…
Russell Road to Wadsworth Road: This section of the Des Plaines River is a sliver of an oasis located between a densely populated area of northeastern Illinois that flows through the open wetlands of a series of preserves. This trip…
Touring Lower Six Mile Creek: A delightful little jaunt in the Madison area, the lower half of Sixmile Creek offers a pleasant respite without the commitment of a long drive or shuttling (it’s a there-and-back outing), plus a wide…
Graf Park to Durango: A trip rich in potential but poor as dirt in reward, this upstream clip of the Little Maquoketa River can only be done at higher water levels (unless you enjoy getting in and out of…
Oxford to County Road A: With steady, reliable flows, water that’s cold and clear as gin on the rocks, a sinewy stretch through a marshy area, some tight turns and occasional obstacles of the wooden variety to keep you awake,…
28th Court to Poy Sippi: An appetite for trying as many Pine Rivers in Wisconsin as I can, and a mild late fall day, led me to this rarely explored river segment. Though offering few standout memories, it has…
Indian Creek Road to The Mississippi River: A relaxing “lake paddle” on the Platte River to the Mississippi is a great way to spend an evening enjoying nature’s creatures, the sounds of the wonderful outdoors, or enjoying a cold beverage while…
Highway 33 to County Road O: For all intents and purposes, this trip is the first chapter in the epic story of the historic Fox River in Wisconsin. Beginning at the famous portage that gave a city (and county)…
Touring Dorn Creek: A perfectly pleasant wetlands paddle that is predominantly surrounded by public land, Dorn Creek makes for an easy, tidy trip – without need for shuttling, even – that’s great for early morning before chores, a cocktail…
Al Tech Park to West River Drive: A fun and scenic trip featuring terrific accesses and excellent wildlife, together with a tranquil drift that’s fit for beginners, this overlooked section of the Wisconsin River has a lot to look…
O’Riley Road to Sweet-Allyn Park: Upstream from the most fun and interesting stretch of Turtle Creek lies a wooly (but not wild) trip on a rather wide and slow stretch. This quiet excursion (aside from some highway noise) is…
Highway 106 to County Road D: A birder’s paradise and paddler’s quagmire, this section of the Scuppernong is part of the Glacial Heritage Area and might be of interest to silent sport enthusiasts. Well, except when a jon boat…
Lake DuBay Dam to County Road HH: An often overlooked section of the mighty Wisconsin River, this trip doesn’t offer the rapids further north or the rock outcrops and wooded bluffs down south, but it does reward the paddler with…
Shantytown Road to Jordan Park: A long daytrip that’s not without its perks – wild-feeling woods, abundant wildlife, a boisterous boulder garden, spooky floodplains, gorgeous water clarity, and fun sandy undercut banks – but this stretch of the Plover…
Crossover Road to Highway 60: A run-of-the-mill name for a stream that you’ve likely never heard about – this obscure curiosity offers two distinctly different paddling environments and conditions in only six miles: the first half open and pastoral,…
County Road O to Banfield Bridge Recreation Area: This trip on the hitherto unexplored lower Little Platte River will reward paddlers with swift riffles and stunning rock outcrops in the beginning, a wild sense of solitude in the middle…
Sunny Ridge Road to Banner Road: An intimate stream hidden in plain sight buffeted by bluffs, rolling hills, and exquisite rock outcrops, with many riffles and diverse wildlife, this obscure branch of the Pecatonica River system offers a lot…
Token Creek Preserve Park to Daentl Road: A pleasant, intimate quietwater trip that starts in a beautiful bubbling natural springs environment with a couple quick riffles, then meanders about a spooky but cool landscape of dead trees, and then…
County Road E to County Road A: An extremely pretty trip with more bluffs and cliffs than you could shake a stick at – including what may well be the most striking sheer-faced rock wall on the Platte, rivaling…
Lee Road to Veterans Memorial Park: A breathtaking trip visually, surrounded by a picturesque glaciated valley of rugged rolling hills, virtually all of which is public land, the aptly named Spring Creek here in the gorgeous Lodi Marsh is fed…
Sheboygan Broughton Marsh County Park to Kiel: An odd duck of a trip if there ever was one, this section of the Sheboygn River begins below one dam and ends above another, with a big ‘ole flatwater, cattail-lined marsh…
Pecatonica River Nature Preserve to Trask Bridge Forest Preserve: A simple paddle that’s as pleasant as it is dull, where merely being on the water is more important than the surrounding landscape or fun rapids. This short jog on…
Riverview Park to Reek Road: We’ve paddled the Waupaca many times but never have we explored the section from downtown to Reek Road, which is the furthest access point one can paddle to before reaching the stagnant waters of…
Old County Road PB to Highway 69: With a lot of deadfall, climbovers, duck-unders, tree dodging, cow dodging, shallow spots, several very low cattle gates and a 100-yard tunnel, this trip isn’t for everyone. That said, for the courageous paddler,…
Schneeberger Road to Albany: A pleasant trip that begins in dense floodplain woods, courses though meadows within a wildlife area, and then skirts some rock outcrops before meeting up with the “big” Sugar River in a braided network of…
Oak Park Road to County Road O: A short but lovely jaunt that begins wonderfully and rewards the paddler with several glorious bluffs, exposed rock outcrops, as well as some riffles, but ends in a tangled obstacle course of…