Looking for some class 2-3 michigan white water.
Most is in the upper peninsula.
You might access the American Whitewater river database. americanwhitewater.org
You can’t get full AW info unless you’re a member, but joining is good for them, good for you, good for all of us.
In the lower peninsula
There is class II in various places. And short WW runs are being constructed in several places. But class III is pretty much non-existent except in spring run off when conditions are not safe. Where are you going to be?
Tough to find
– Last Updated: Feb-08-12 7:51 PM EST –
People wait for major rain events and take chances
with the woody debris issues on the Clinton or
will play on the Huron at Delhi Rapids or perhaps
play in the rocks on the Shiawassee in Chesaning.
Clinton near Rochester
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLiJo0YchcI
Ann Arbor recently put in a little kayak "run".
http://shiawassee-river.blogspot.com/2011/12/view-dam-alternatives.html
http://bit.ly/ShiRocks
Pretty slim pickings
Maybe the Bear River in Petosky
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqdw3qVFrd8
michigan white water
the only thing i saw on american ww was a low level class 2 in mount pleasant im in the grand rapids area.
just moved back from alabama and really miss the rivers
michigan white water
– Last Updated: Feb-08-12 8:15 PM EST –
anybody have any paddling plans?
Bear River
Can be fun at times. In Spring can be dangerous class IV-.
maybe the Pine River near Baldwin
I was 17 and with a church group. When I came home my father wanted to know which river we had been down. He wasn’t very happy when I told him, but he did say that it was okay since I made it back safe.
In those days it seemed like lots of white water, rocks, log jams, and very fast. So exciting, but then I’d never been in a canoe before.
good luck
– Last Updated: Feb-09-12 3:23 PM EST –
The "Big Mitten" is too flat and sandy to have the grades and geology necessary for good stretches of whitewater (I lived in GR and paddled in West Michigan for 8 years).
In the time it would take you to drive from GR to the rivers in the UP, you could drive to southwestern or north central Pennsylvania -- plenty of great streams and canyons here. Within 8 to 10 hours you could reach the Youghiogheny, Red Moshannon, Buffalo Creek, Anderson Creek, feeders to the West Branch Susquehanna, Conemaugh river and dozens of others.
There are a number of facets of "Bland Vapids" that make life worth living, from Schuler's book store to WYCE, but handy white water is not one of them.
If you seek a pleasant peninsula …
I did not want to say anything bad about Michigan, but honestly there is really very few whitewater spots. Delhi rapids lasts about 5 seconds.
Western Michigan does get some really nice storm waves on the Lake. If you are a transplant I would learn something about storm surfing to get your class III -V fix. Keith Wikle who posts here from time to time could tell you where to start.
There is a short set of quick rapids by
– Last Updated: Feb-11-12 12:44 AM EST –
a park in Alaska (MI) on the Thornapple River at Ruehs Park/68th St. SE, but it also is only about a 5-10 second ride. One can surf the water here also.
There are some above this area but not the fun of those by the park.
White Water
The Bear River in North West Michigan has a nice 2 mile run.