Lyndon Station to Wisconsin Dells: Gorgeous sandstone bluffs, huge rock walls, labyrinthine islands, slot canyons, nooks, crannies, caves and tourist kitsch; this paddle just about has it all. Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Trip Report Date: October 13, 2013…
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Paddle Report
Sister Bay to Garret Bay: An absolute gem of a sea kayaking experience on crystal-clear jade green waters, enormous bluffs with excellent rock formations, beautiful vistas and even a visible shipwreck right at the takeout, this trip will be…
Janesville to Beloit: Beginning in the heart of one city and ending at the beginning of another, this segment of the Rock is not as industrial as one might think. Indeed, there are a few miles on this 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…
Serena to Wedron: Good current, sandy bottoms and beautiful sandstone rock formations lining the entire way, the Fox River down here in Illinois looks nothing like its originating self up in Wisconsin by Waukesha. The two snags, however, are…
Walking Iron Park to Blynn Road: Black Earth Creek is known more as a Class I Trout stream than it is for canoeing and kayaking. The good news is that it’s navigable, the bad news is that’s it’s not…
Lemonweir to Cliff House Road: More a maze than amazing, this winding, kinky river nonetheless offers a beautiful sandy bottom and clear water, lots of sandbars, some good wildlife, a few impressive rock formations and a genuine hardwood river…
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…
County Road X to County Road EE: This section of the Sugar is the kind of water you paddle more for escape, than for excitement or unique features. It’s a pretty, clean and accessible stream that flows through a…
Spring Valley to 770th Avenue: A real charmer of a river that works its way southeast to the Chippewa River, cutting through beautiful hill country and lush farmland, while offering crystal clear, fish-friendly and riffly water. A very thirsty…
Oregon to Dixon: An otherwise huge river featuring slaloms of large islands to take cover from powerboats and provide a sense of intimacy to better focus on several eye-catching rock formations, the Rock is worth the trek. Rating: ☆…
5 Mile Road to Horlick Dam: This popular section of the Root River flows through Racine (the French word for root) on its way to Lake Michigan. It’s two-halves are distinctly different. The first half is pretty, curvy and…
Lime Kiln Park to Thiensville: An exhilarating start with riffles and a Class I drop beside a rock wall that remains intimate and pretty for the next few miles before becoming a much deeper, wider and slower river with…
Estabrook Park to Bruce Street: A return to one of our favorite river trips, this final section of the Milwaukee River offers a unique mix of environmental and urban with sights natural and human-made along the way. The higher…
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: ☆ ☆ ☆…
Sheridan Springs Road to Wagner Park: A tale of two very different experiences on one river. The first beginning with “game-on” maneuvering in fast Class I rapids that ends with a hackles-raised Class II+ drop under a bridge. The…
Lone Rock to Muscoda: A normally beautiful stretch of the lower Wisconsin River with tons of sandbar islands, rolling bluffs and a couple of rock outcroppings, that in high water is a bit adulterated. Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ Trip…
Elder Lane to Twin Lake Road: A repeat trip of this tiny stretch done after heavy rainfall and though the water was up, the deadfall was down, making for an unpleasant return. Rating: ☆ ☆ Trip Report Date: June 13,…
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:…
Waterloo to Portland: The final leg of the underscored but surprisingly impressive Maunesha River, this trip is unfortunately too deterred by logjams and deadfall to recommend to the weekend paddler. Rating: ☆ ☆ Trip Report Date: May 18, 2013 Skill…
Dakota to Highway 22: A popular river for paddling, as well as fly fishing, the Mecan River is a clear, sandy-bottomed and twisty trout stream flowing through the beautiful pines of Central Wisconsin. Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ Trip Report…
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: ☆ ☆…
Busseyville to Lake Koshkonong: A trip not for the faint of heart due to constant obstacle-maneuvering, deadfall and corners, including a few blow-downs which require portaging. The trips ends in a way-finders dream though, through flooded woods and a…
Ensche Road to Buckhill Road: Comfortably runnable only in spring or after sustained rainfall, this is an enjoyably bubbly stretch of the river that swerves around bluffs, hills and cliffs. It begins in Wisconsin, where the river is called…
Fair Street to County Road V: A somewhat grueling paddle prone to a lot of logjams that will need to be portaged but an otherwise charming little creek in a lovely environment of rolling hills, the highlight of which…
Cambridge to Hoopen Road: A convenient bike-shuttle on CamRock trail and a nice little post-paddle diversion at CamRock Café & Sport makes for a great day trip on the Koshkonong if the water level is right and it’s free…
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:…