Malanaphy Springs to Trout Run Park:
Arguably the most ignored section on the Upper Iowa River relative Decorah, this trip does have its dull moments and lots of development, but it has a lot to offer, too, by way of cool rock outcrops, fun riffles, awesome wildlife, mesmerizing springs, and the novelty of a country-city hybrid paddle.
Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Trip Report Date: October 19, 2023
Skill Level: Beginner
Class Difficulty: Class I
Gradient:
≈5′ per mile
Gauge Recorded on this Trip:
Bluffton: ht/ft: n/a | cfs: 75
Current Levels:
Bluffton: ht/ft: n/a | cfs: 474
Recommended Levels:
This was too low to recommend. You’ll want a minimum of 125 cfs to avoid the outskirts of Scrape City.
Put-In:
Bluffton Road bridge, Malanaphy Springs, Decorah, Iowa
GPS: 43.34508, -91.843
Take-Out:
Trout Run Park
GPS: 43.29092, -91.75884
Time: Put in at 11:00a. Out at 3:00p.
Total Time: 4h
Miles Paddled: 11
Wildlife:
Bald eagles, great blue herons, osprey, hawks, otters, soft shell turtle, turkey, muskrat, and deer.
Shuttle Information:
7 miles for bicycle or vehicle. This can be pedaled – it’s Decorah, after all – but it would be a lousy ride, given the roads.
Background:
Through the years, I’ve learned to respect water levels. Granted, a lot of rivers don’t have gages in the first place. Actually, most don’t. But it’s a real boon when one does. And when that’s further correlated by an authoritative guide(book) that offers a minimum level to run the river at, even better.
But sometimes pride gets the better of you, or being stubborn. There’s usually a prevailing spirit of “let’s just try this anyway,” as though things will magically work out for you and you alone, on that given day, despite a preponderance of evidence and a crucible of collective experience telling you otherwise. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve done this, I could adopt a gaging station from the USGS as something between penance and paying it forward.
We knew the river was low – no two ways about that. And we knew we’d likely scrape a lot. But as Michelle Obama said, “When they go low, we go high.” Or might be high to so cavalierly throw caution to the wind. If the lowest level is 150 cfs, why in the world would we paddle it at half that?
The short answer to a long story is we’d paddled stretches of the lower Upper Iowa River days earlier, had had a ball, and kept pushing our luck venturing further upstream. This was day four – also our travel day back home. It was the coldest day and also forecast to rain. So, again – why would we paddle this, given all those admonishments and premonitions? Because a trip like this was like playing with house money; it was a freebie. We had the time and inclination, and reasoned that the consequences would be marginal. Plus we’re admittedly OCD about completing logistics, and this section of the river linked our first trip with the subsequent ones we’d done the previous three days.
This will come as a surprise to no one that this section of the river – honorably mentioned by author Nate Hoogeveen in his commendable Paddling Iowa, but not detailed as an individual trip – possesses neither the scenery nor isolation as the more popular segments further up- and downstream. There’s no shortage of bluffs, but the rock outcrops are modest. As in so many stretches of the Upper Iowa River, agriculture has a heavy hoof-print and tire tread on the landscape. But the wildlife is excellent, and the riffles are lively (presumably really fun when there’s enough water to not wonder how much plastic your boat is sacrificing to the gods of the river). What might be this trip’s most salient draw is its uniqueness, as it begins in the country and ends up in the small city of Decorah – one of the most charming towns anywhere in the Midwest.
Overview:
The river access at Malanaphy Springs/Bluffton Road is OK and totally doable, but not ideal. There’s a bit of a steep schlep, and it’s muddy. Also, there’s very limited parking here, and the hiking trail to the springs is quite popular (and absolutely worth doing, fyi). Since there really isn’t roadside parking near the bridge, if the small lot here is full, consider launching from the next bridge downstream – immediately west of the intersection of Bluffton Road and Pole Line Road, which is 2.25 river miles but only 0.75 road mile. FYI, if you want to the springs from the river, you’ll need to paddle upstream about one mile.
This trip begins in a classic pool-riffle-pool pattern. I won’t belabor the point, but you really want to paddle this with much more water than we had! Here, as elsewhere on this trip, beautiful rolling bluffs frame the backdrop. About a mile down, the river heads right for the road where above the guardrail is a pretty set of rock outcrops with a house at its crown about 50′ above the water. Nice view to have in your living room. The river makes an abrupt left-hand bend, but to the right attractive Ten Mile Creek comes in, a quintessential Driftless trout stream. Following a few meanders with rock outcrop views discernible in the distance, you’ll pass by the excellent access at Pole Line Road on the right.
The river is shallow and riffly in a two-mile-long arc to the right before it passes under Pole Line Road again. Not the most interesting section of the river, as it’s relatively flat and predominantly agricultural. Before the next bridge, however, there is an attractive wooded ridge on the left. This will be complemented by another, event taller set of woods with coquettish outcrops behind the foliage. As the river gently bends to the left, a very pretty pasture can be seen behind you on the right, sloping up a hill. The topography will subside for a spell, but you might notice a couple natural springs here and there. Plus riffles rustle around one bend after another. The river will flirt with Pole Line Road a third time, but not cross it. Before you go under the Highway 52 bridge you’ll pass by another attractive bluff on the right hovering above the river together with a sexy stretch of exposed limestone “drywall” and shelves at the water’s edge. Together with an excellent access, they comprise beautiful Chattahoochie Park. To call it quits here would make a trip of 6ish miles.
Below the bridge the landscape changes as abruptly as a Hollywood stage, from country/agriculture to suburbia. You’ll see houses immediately, some pedestrian trails, and eventually various campus buildings that are part of Luther College. But for a subtle sashay left or right, the river unassumingly flows in a straightaway for ¾ of a mile to the next bridge at 5th Avenue. Approaching the bridge, the erstwhile quiet river snaps to it and drops through a fun run of Class I rapids. There’s an access on the downstream side, river-right. While unofficial, the banks here are gentler and there’s better parking that at the put-in. Or you could opt for 0.3-mile downstream, as all the land on river-right here is public – a combo of Will Baker Park and Pulpit Rock Campground. Need to pee, stretch your legs, or scamp up a bluff for a beautiful view of the river and city? Here’s the place. The river runs straight and bubbly for half a mile before making a 90-degree break to the left. Above you on the right is a beautiful bluff with hints of exposed limestone that wraps around the banks. In the leafless season, this should be stunning.
Past the picnic tables and the strangely named Dry Run (a venerable creek? a quarry discharge?), both on the right, the river arcs to the left around stunning rock outcrops and crumbling rubble. Frisky riffles lead you alongside a steep bluff with a trail high above you that parallels the river (more on this later). This is Phelps Park, inaccessible from the water but well worth checking out après-paddle. A straightaway leads to the next bridge at College Avenue. On its way there, the river drops in a series of engaging Class I rapids through a matrix of exposed rocks in the streambed. Not truly boulder gardens, these likely looked the way they did for us on account of the low water level. All the same, there will always be rapids here leading to the bridge.
After College Avenue the river once again totally changes. For starters, the current hits the brakes. More interesting, however, is the Upper Iowa makes a huge clockwise trajectory around town, though it hardly meanders. As the eagle flies, it’s less than a 1.5 miles from west to east, but the crescent-shaped path of the river is double that and then some. With the advantage of a bird’s-eye view (or a map), the river follows the curvature of a protractor from the left to the right. But you, on the river, don’t/can’t really detect that. Rather, all you see is a seemingly continuous tall ridge on your left and grassy banks on your right. Coincidence or conspiracy, it’s here where half a billion years ago a crater smashed into present day Decorah and left an impression 3.5 miles in circumference (which is absolutely bonkers, by the way). Decorah is not technically in the epicenter of this slingshot event from space, but the little city basically sits in the bottom of a bowl – its bluffs the pottery sides that surround it. This is part of the reason why you’ll see a levee on your right and not the quaint town itself (which also is on your right – on the other side of the levee that protects it from flash flooding).
Decorah is blessed with really cool geological features that draw tourists from afar (like us), several of which are lined up in a row for the next three miles. The first is Dunning’s Springs, some of the most dramatic (and photogenic) natural springs anywhere in the Upper Midwest. What you see from the river is the last hurrah of the falls – a half-dozen cascades 1-2’ tall spilling into the river. But to appreciate this magnificent cataract fully, you’ll want to hike up the bluff. It’s always busy – even on a cold and crappy Thursday afternoon in October in the rain – but the “valet parking” for kayaks and canoes is second to none!
Half a mile down the “rowed” is the renowned Ice Cave, which is another must-do that can’t be fully appreciated from the water. Being a cave and all, it’s hard to find good photos of what it’s like inside. But what makes it unique is the temperature inside is distinctly chilly, such that the moisture from percolation and runoff freezes to an extent that in spring and summer there will be a coating of ice from several inches to a foot thick. The usual apparel for paddling – sandals, shorts, and a light shirt – are none too conducive for an ice cave, so save this experience for after your time on the water. And be sure to have a flashlight!
The nondescript bridge at 5th Street comes next – the last bridge on this trip. There is an adequate access on the downstream side of the bridge, river-left, where also one can hop off the river trolley tour to take in a hike at the very pretty Palisades Park (or just check this out après-paddle). Some of the trails here are designated for mountain biking, and they’re considered some of the best. Alas, after this the best on the river has come and gone. There’s a riffle now and again, and of course the wildlife still offers rewards, but the natural scenery subsides. The bad news is the final mile is one eyesore after another – power lines, warehouse buildings, county fairgrounds. The bluffs recede out of view, replaced instead by scrubby banks. The good news is it’s only a mile til the takeout – and it’s an easy access. There’s no bridge, but you’ll either see parked vehicles, a kiosk, or the mouth of Trout Creek, all on the right. Take out at this little confluence, where it’s flat and gravely.
What we liked:
While not as scenic or secluded as some of the better-known stretches of the river, this trip down the Upper Iowa was awesome! The wildlife, riffles, rock outcrops, unique springs, and the changes in character every few miles or so make this well worth putting it in your paddling hopper.
Decorah is endowed with an abundance of recreational opportunities, some of them richly unique, others determined by vision and sweat equity. It’s never fair to compare one place to another – it often feels diminishing or even condescending. But it’s not an exaggeration to mention Decorah in the same breath as places like Moab or Asheville. Smaller for sure, and admittedly surrounded by crops and cows. But it’s a great place to bike, hike, paddle, listen to live music, eat good food, drink like a god, and shop/support local businesses. Yes, the chains of corporate America rattle even here in this quaint and picturesque place, but they’re all on the outskirts; downtown Decorah has the look, feel, and flow of what a downtown oughta.
On a personal level, this trip was a freebie. Scotty and I came to the area specifically to paddle three segments of the lower Upper Iowa River and did those in as many days. The night of day three was our last, so we treated ourselves in Decorah and walked our dinner from Old Armory BBQ across the street (College Drive) to Pulpit Rock Brewing. I realize I’m playing my hand here, but together these two establishments represent the Alpha and Omega for my belly. The brisket was excellent and our flight of beers was akin to The National song: “raise our heavenly glasses to the heavens.” We sat outside overlooking the river and listened to the riffles that we’d scrape through the following day. Indeed, you can see the brewery and BBQ from the water as you paddle under the bridge. It was a sweet memory to commemorate.
What we didn’t like:
The river was too low, plain and simple. Doable, yes – barely. But this trip would’ve been more fun with more water.
There are dull sections, sure, but A) they’re brief and B) worth the price of admission. Some paddlers might be turned off by the suburban segment near Luther College or three miles of seeing little more than a levee on the right-hand side. I get that. Maybe I’d have felt differently if I’d been alone. But Scotty and I laughed our asses off during this trip, even during (or precisely because of) the rain.
There was one precious moment I can’t keep to myself that began with childlike wonder but ended in adult horror. Scotty noticed two otters, which when confirmed made us giddy as all get-out. I mean who doesn’t love seeing otters, right? Well, I’ll tell you: turtles. At first, we dumb humans assumed that the otters were just being their cute, cartoon selves – frolicking, curious, holding hands, all that adorable otter stuff. Then we noticed something unusual along the bank that caught our eye, an odd blob of white. As we got closer we noticed a ghastly gouge of red streaking the white. (This whole sequence occurred in a stretch of riffles, so we didn’t have the luxury of lollygagging or sauntering.) As the riffles subsided we turned around, stopped paddling, and took in the scene. The otters had caught and half-killed a soft shell turtle – yes, the poor thing was still alive and hopelessly struggling – the “odd blob of white” its vulnerable belly. The otters somehow got it to the bank and did their darnedest to drag it up and onto the grass. I realize that otters gotta eat, too, maybe even feed a family. But… damn. Rest in power, dear turtle.
If we did this trip again:
I’d definitely do this trip again – but only with more water. Depending on the day and my druthers, I might paddle only half this by starting at Will Baker Park but using the same take-out at Trout Creek. Why? It’s essentially the best of the best, and the take-out doubles as the trailhead for the outstanding Trout Run Trail, one of Decorah’s many gems. Definitely worth doing in and of itself sometime – the whole loop is only 11 miles – but for paddle-and-pedal enthusiasts especially, one could do a bike shuttle solely on the trail. True, that would be more than double the distance of the paddling (4.25 miles), but it would make for a fun novelty.
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Related Information:
Upper Iowa River I: Kendallville to Bluffton
Upper Iowa River II: Chimney Rock Road to Malanaphy Springs
Upper Iowa River IV: Trout Run Park to Lower Dam
Upper Iowa River V: Lower Dam to Iverson Bridge Road
Upper Iowa River VI: Iverson Bridge Road to Kumpf Access
General: Decorah Tourism
General: Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
General: Upper Iowa River Watershed Project
Guide: Paddling Iowa by Nate Hoogeveen
Guide: Upper Iowa River Paddling
Outfitter: Chimney Rock
Outfitter: Hruska’s Canoe Livery
Outfitter: Hutchinson Family Farms
Outfitter: Randy’s Bluffton Store
Wikipedia: Upper Iowa River
Photo Gallery:
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