The Au Sable River is 138 miles long and the watershed covers 1932 square miles. The mainstream forms in Frederic Township of Crawford County, flows through Ogemaw County, and empties into Lake Huron at the communities of Oscoda and Au Sable in Iosco County. The Au Sable is Michigan’s most famous trout stream.
My friend Dan is always looking for an excuse to go up north kayaking. When I mentioned a trip to the Au Sable, he was immediately on board! As you can see, sometimes he likes to relax while paddling. The Au Sable will do that to you.
We decided on a eighteen mile trip from Grayling to the Wakeley Bridge. There are three canoe/kayak liveries in Grayling. We chose Carlisle Canoe Livery for car spotting. Our trip was advertised at five and one half hours of paddle time. Our leisurely pace and stops for breaks stretched our trip to seven hours. Our voyage took place in early September of 2024 and we had the river to ourselves. This section of the Au Sable is an easy paddle. Basic kayaking skills are all that is needed. Please be courteous to the fishermen.
We started our trip at Carlisle’s on a warm sunny weekday morning. The portion of the Au Sable that we kayaked was clear, wide, and shallow. The current varied between slow and moderate over a mostly gravel and rock bottom with some sand. Trout habitat structures have been placed in some sections of the river. The shoreline is forested and dotted with homes and cottages. The dwellings generally did not stand out, but blended in with the wooded riverbanks. Erosion control has been placed along the river’s edge where needed.
What you can expect as you travel downstream: I75 spans the river shortly after leaving Grayling. Burton’s Landing State Forest Campground is eight miles downstream from Grayling. Keystone Landing State Forest Campground and the Whirlpool Access are next. Continuing down river, Stephan Bridge Landing is thirteen miles from Grayling. Wakeley Bridge Landing marks the end of the trip, eighteen miles from Grayling. All of the landings feature vault toilets. The two campgrounds have potable water.
The Au Sable River isn’t particularly remote, but it has that middle-of-nowhere feel. The scenery rivals any Michigan river. This was my second trip on the Au Sable and I’ll keep coming back for more!
KAYAKING SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN 