In November of 2019, Morrow Lake was drained for dam repair. The draw down was improperly done and tons of sediment were washed down the river, creating a environmental nightmare. The exposed lake bed was soon covered with vegetation.
When the lake was filled in the spring of 2021, much of it was covered with aquatic vegetation.
By 2025, most of the lake has recovered from the draw down.
Let’s get to the start of the trip! Galesburg Community Park is located behind Galesburg City Hall on Michigan Avenue. The Kalamazoo River boat landing is at the south end of the park, at the end of a gravel road.
The river winds its way toward Morrow Lake at a moderate pace. The river corridor is wooded and there are only a few homes on the river bank.
There are two islands on this stretch of the Kalamazoo. The first one is so small that if you blink, you’ll miss it.
The second one is quite large and the river channels are navigable on both sides of the island.
Past the islands, the river travels under the 35th Street bridge. Downstream from the bridge, the river enters the delta region of Morrow Lake. The main river channel runs west through the north side of the delta to the main basin of the lake.
The many islands of the delta area are south of the main channel. The delta is a little over a mile long and is about a quarter mile wide. When exploring the channels around the islands, be mindful of shallow water. I ran aground several times.
There are three small islands that mark the end of the delta and the beginning of the main basin. One island is next to the north shore at the River Oaks County Park boat ramp. The other two islands are next to each other and next to the south shore. The channel between the north island and the two south islands is about two hundred yards wide. The channels around the two south islands are overgrown with vegetation.
This view is looking east from the main basin toward the channel.
The trip ends at either of two boat landings. The River Oaks County Park lake access is on the north shore at the east end of the main basin. The boat ramp is hidden from view by a small island. This is the north island that was mentioned earlier.
The MDNR lake access is farther west, on the north shore. The boat ramp is straight north from Rowe Island, the only island on the main basin. The photo was taken before the lake had recovered from draw down.
If you’re interested in a trip without vehicle spotting, launch your kayak at River Oaks, head east and explore the delta, and return to River Oaks. I have used this option a few times myself.
The entrance to River Oaks is on the south side of Highway M96, just west of Galesburg. Follow the park signs to the boat landing.
For the MDNR landing, head south on Rosemont Road from Highway M96, about halfway between Comstock and Galesburg. The boat ramp is at the end of the road, on Plaza Avenue.
KAYAKING SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN 