SAYLORS LANDING TO PADDLERS GROVE
This stretch of the Kalamazoo River is pretty mellow for the most part. It is wide and shallow with a mostly gravel bottom. The current is moderate with a few fast sections. There are some islands scattered throughout the trip.
My friend Dan and I chose Saylors Landing as our starting point. It’s southwest of Marshall at the Fifteen Mile Road bridge over the river. The landing is beautiful with a concrete boat ramp, a clean modern restroom, and picnic tables.
This trip is a little over twelve miles long, so plan accordingly.
There are over a half dozen sections of fast water throughout this part of the Kalamazoo. Some could be technically classified as Class I rapids. I thought that most of the rapids were mild and easy to paddle.
We came across an unnamed creek that flows into the river.
There aren’t very many downed trees and tree limbs to paddle around, so the river is suitable for kayakers of all skill levels. Keep an eye out for occasional large rocks and shallow water.
Paddling around an island required some maneuvering.
Our trip ended at Paddlers Grove, south of Battle Creek. Head north on Beadle Lake Road from I94. Take South River Road east from Beadle Lake Road. The park is on the north side of the road. This park is just as nice as Saylors Landing, with a clean modern restroom and picnic tables. The boat landing is a floating dock with a attached watercraft slide. I wish more river access sites were like this one!
This voyage isn’t particularly challenging, but the scenery makes up for it!
KAYAKING SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN 