This trip on the Thornapple River is never very far from civilization. There are some homes on the riverbank and near the river. Roads are nearby and bridges span the river. Despite all this, I still found the river to be scenic and enjoyable. I went on a weekday in July and I didn’t see another boater until I arrived in Hastings.
There is a watercraft livery in Hastings, but they don’t always provide shuttle service. I felt extremely lucky to get shuttle service from them. If you’re interested in renting watercraft, then the livery is a good choice. The livery boat landings are off-limits to non-customers.
If you are providing your own car spotting, then Charlton Park is a good place to launch kayaks. Take Charlton Park Road north from highway M79. The Barry County park is on the north side of Thornapple Lake, on the east side of the road. Follow the park signs to the boat landing.
To begin, head west from the Charlton Park boat landing. The first mile and a half of the voyage has no current. Eventually, the river shows signs of current.
This part of the Thornapple is characterized by long stretches of slow current with water depths of one to three feet.
The slow stretches are followed by brief sections of shallow, fast, riffled water (not quite rapids). The water depth in these riffles ranges from a foot to only a few inches.
The riffles are visible from a distance, giving kayakers time to look for the best path through the shallow water.
It’s difficult to keep from scraping the rocky bottom in the riffles. No matter how hard I tried, I still got hung up a few times. Maybe water levels will be higher when you are on the river.
A mile and a half downstream from the Charlton Park Road bridge, the historic McKeown Road bridge spans the river at McKeown Bridge Park. The bridge was built in 1903 and was restored in 1975 for pedestrian use.
In all parts of the river, keep an eye out for large rocks and small boulders. They have a bad habit of showing up when you least expect them.
There are plenty of places to stop for a break. I pulled up on a gravel bar for lunch and a cool swim.
The final portion of the trip is in the city of Hastings. This section of the river is very popular with tubers. Tube traffic can be heavy at times.
Tyden Park in Hastings is a good place to end a trip. It doesn’t have a designated boat landing, but there are several places that will suffice. The wooded park is well kept with picnic shelters and modern restrooms.
KAYAKING SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN 