These three connected lakes are located on the north side of MN Avenue, between 40th Street and 44th Street, southeast of the city of Galesburg. Portage, Blue, and Long Lakes are best paddled in spring. They are still fun to kayak in the summer and fall, but large areas of the lakes are difficult if not impossible to access due to excessive growth of lily pads, reeds, cattails, and other aquatic vegetation. I visited the lakes in late April of 2021 and easily paddled wherever I wanted to go. There are some homes and cottages on the lakes, but most of the shoreline is undeveloped, leaving kayakers with plenty of natural coastline to explore. A satellite photo shows how Portage, Blue, and Long Lakes relate to each other.
One of the highlights of the lakes is the scenic Coldbrook County Park. The park borders a large portion of Portage and Blue Lakes and features a swimming beach, boat ramp, disc golf course, day use area, modern and rustic campgrounds, and modern restrooms. With kayaking and other activities, it’s pretty easy to spend a whole day at Coldbrook Park.
BLUE LAKE
The only public boat landing on Portage, Blue, and Long Lakes is in Coldbrook Park, on the south end of Blue Lake. Follow the park signs to the boat ramp.
The park swimming beach and a picnic shelter are also on Blue Lake. The shoreline is mostly marsh backed by woods.
PORTAGE LAKE
A large island of cattails is on the northwest side of Blue Lake, separating it from Portage Lake. Portage Lake is accessed by paddling west at the north end or the south end of the cattail island. The Coldbrook Park day use area is on the south end of Portage Lake.
A pedestrian causeway heads west from the day use area to the modern campground. A footbridge at the center of the causeway spans a short channel.
The channel leads to a small unnamed lake. This lake is the source of the Portage River.
At the west end of Portage Lake, there is an island that is host to the park’s rustic campground. The island can be accessed by a vehicle causeway on the south side of the island. The portion of the lake that is west of the island and west of the causeway is not navigable.
A long, wide peninsula on the north side of Portage Lake separates it from Long Lake.
LONG LAKE
On the north end of Blue Lake, there is a wide channel between the cattail island and a shoreline cattail marsh. Heading north from this channel will take you to Long Lake. To access Long Lake from Portage Lake, paddle east along the north shore of Portage Lake. When you get to the tip of the peninsula, turn north. The shores of the north and east sides of Long Lake are, for the most part, undeveloped.
There is a cove on the northwest corner of the lake.
Another scenic cove is on the northeast corner of Long Lake.
An opening in the shoreline cattails on the south side of the northeast cove reveals a narrow, picturesque waterway.
The south halves of Portage and Blue are the only part of the waterway that is bordered by public land, so plan accordingly when you kayak these lakes. If you like to get out of your kayak once in while to take a break, there aren’t very many places that are suitable.
The waters of Portage, Blue, and Long Lakes are fun to paddle and are definitely worth a visit!
KAYAKING SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN 