I have visited South Haven hundreds 0f times over the years with my wife, Colleen. We enjoy visiting the Lake Michigan beaches and hiking the numerous pathways in the area. A walking tour of the riverfront and the downtown area is also one of our favorite pastimes. I have spent countless hours catching fish from the waters of South Haven. I often wondered what it would be like to kayak the Black River through town and paddle the channel out into Lake Michigan. Perfect conditions came together in early October. The busy boating season would be over, so river traffic would be light. The weather forecast was favorable: eighty degrees and sunny with light winds. I loaded up my kayak and headed to South Haven!
The Black River, from the Blue Star Highway bridge downstream to the Lake Michigan channel, is lined with marinas and condominiums with boat slips. There are a few single family homes on the river also. The amount of recreational boats on this waterway is staggering. It would be difficult to guess how many there are. There must be a thousand pleasure boats docked on the river. Kayaking through some of the marinas can be a entertaining part of your trip. Touring the marinas during heavy boat traffic is not recommended.
The canoe/kayak landing on the Black River is a really nice set-up.
In South Haven, turn north on Dunkley Avenue from Dyckman Avenue. That intersection is fifty feet east of the drawbridge. When Dunkley Avenue turns east, go straight, north, on Wells Street. Wells Street turns east and on that curve is the loading/unloading area. The dock is one hundred fifty feet from that curve. Free parking is east of that curve. Modern restrooms are north of the parking area. During my latest trip in August 2025, the modern restrooms were locked. There are portajohns in the boat landing area.
It’s time to get started! Now that you’ve got your kayak in the water, which way do you go? Upstream or downstream? If Lake Michigan is part of your trip, I recommend going downstream first. Usually, as the day progresses, the winds get stronger and the boat traffic increases. It’s much safer to head to Lake Michigan earlier in the day. Be sure to observe the rules of navigation when paddling the waters of South Haven.
As you head toward Lake Michigan, the first of many points of interest that you will see is the Dyckman Avenue drawbridge.
Downstream from the drawbridge, on the north side of the river, is the Michigan Maritime Museum, home of the fishing tug, Elsie J, a small marina, and the sailing ship, Friends Good Will.
The museum constructed a new building recently and I highly recommend a visit.
West of Gull Lake Marine, on the north side of the river, is a large basin full of boat slips that is part of the North Municipal Marina.
The rest of the North Municipal Marina and the South Municipal Marina are downstream from the basin.
The entrance to the channel to Lake Michigan is just west of the two municipal marinas.
On the day of my voyage, the swells in the channel were running one to two feet. Out in the Big Lake, the swells were running one to three feet. Offshore swells are farther apart and less steep than near shore waves. In the photos, the lake looks calm. When sitting in a kayak, it isn’t. On the day of your trip, I recommend driving to the beach and checking the channel and lake conditions before you launch your kayak. Don’t get caught in rough water that you can’t handle!
Once out in the open waters of Lake Michigan, you can enjoy the scenic views of the shoreline and the lighthouse.
When you head back upstream from Lake Michigan, there is still a lot more to see. On the south side of the river, before you get to the drawbridge, you will pass by the South Haven Yacht Club, the Harbor Inn motel, and two floating restaurants: the Idler and Admiral Jack’s.
There are very few places to stop and take a break. As you travel upstream from the drawbridge, I suggest stopping at the boat landing to stretch your legs.
The following photos trace my route up the Black River from the boat landing to the Blue Star Highway bridge.
I didn’t paddle past the Blue Star bridge, choosing to return to the boat landing instead. If you want to see more of the Black River, I recommend taking a trip down the south branch of the river, from the Family Landing near Bangor to South Haven. I have kayaked that stretch of the river and found it to be scenic. However, there are portages over or around fallen trees. I have published a post with info and photos of that trip.
My five mile trip on the waters of South Haven was everything that I thought it would be. It was a memorable trip and I hope that your trip will create some fond memories for you!
KAYAKING SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN 