Author: Ron Vader

INTRODUCTION

The water trail begins at Hogset Lake in Portage, Kalamazoo County and ends at Conservation Park in Three Rivers, St. Joseph County. I recommend dividing the water trail into six or seven individual trips. I will provide information on each segment. The primary waterways are Gourdneck Creek, Portage Creek, the Portage River, and the St. Joseph River. There are seven lakes to cross: Hogset, Gourdneck, Sunset, Barton, Kimbal, Portage, and Hoffman.

HOGSET LAKE TO SUNSET LAKE ON GOURDNECK CREEK

There are two access sites on Hogset Lake.

A short channel connects Hogset Lake to Gourdneck Lake. Gourdneck Creek flows out of the southeast corner of Gourdneck Lake.

Some stretches of Gourdneck Creek can become choked with lily pads in the warmer months of the year. Spring or fall are the best times to paddle this segment.

Kayaking Gourdneck Creek from Gourdneck Lake to Sunset Lake is mostly through cattail marshes. Sometimes, clumps of cattails break off from the cattail bed and float downstream, collecting in curves and narrow spots, blocking the creek. On my most recent trip, we fought our way through a blockage and it took us a half hour to go forty feet. Turning around and going back never entered our minds because quitting is for sissies. Be prepared!

The creek passes under a low clearance bridge at 23rd Street. The banks on the side of the road are steep. The streamside is thick cattails and brush. Portaging over the road is not an option. I slouched way down in my kayak and barely made it under the bridge. Another time, I had to get out of my kayak and wade it under the bridge. Water levels may vary.

After the bridge, it’s pretty much clear sailing. There may be some downed trees to contend with.

Gourdneck Creek flows into the north end of Sunset Lake. A mile-long bayou begins at the creek mouth and connects to the main basin of the lake.

The boat landing is in Sunset Lake Park, on the west side of the main basin.

SUNSET LAKE TO BARTON LAKE ON PORTAGE CREEK

There are two Portage Creeks in Kalamazoo County. The Portage Creek in this water trail is in the St. Joseph River watershed.

The first mile of this segment is not navigable. I still wanted to kayak it, so I did the next best thing. I launched my kayak at the MDNR Barton Lake access. I paddled across Barton Lake and upstream on Portage Creek as far as I could go. Then, I returned to the Barton Lake landing.

Head northeast across the lake from the boat landing to the mouth of the creek. The creek mouth is difficult to spot from a distance because all of the shoreline looks the same – cattail marsh. The stream is bordered by wetlands for most of this segment. The lower portion of the creek is wide with very little current.

A covered bridge spans the creek.

The creek passes through two large side-by-side culverts, but only one is navigable.

The creek gradually narrows as you go upstream and the current picks up speed. It’s not difficult to paddle against the current.

The point at which you turn around and paddle back to Barton Lake and the landing is up to you.

PORTAGE CREEK, FROM BARTON LAKE TO THE SILVER STREET BRIDGE

This segment begins at the MDNR Barton Lake access. From the boat landing, head southeast across the lake to Portage Creek.

The creek flows south, then east to 22nd Street. The culverts under the road are not navigable, so a portage is necessary. The water depth on each side of the road drops off quickly, so use caution when portaging.

Below 22nd Street, the creek heads northeast and passes through the north end of Kimbal Lake before intersecting the Silver Street (South 24th Street) bridge, south of Vicksburg.

There is no formal boat landing. The best place to take out is on the south side of the river, on the west side of the bridge. Parking is on the side of the road. If you are spotting a vehicle on Silver Street, be mindful of the “No Parking” signs. I didn’t get ticketed, but I can’t guarantee that you won’t be cited.

PORTAGE CREEK, FROM THE SILVER STREET BRIDGE TO PORTAGE LAKE

The Silver Street (South 24th Street) bridge is the beginning of this segment. The day trip ends at the MDNR Portage Lake access site. When I look back at this trip, it was a long day of paddling. I wish that I would have divided it into two trips. There are two places to access Portage Creek that are in the middle of the lengthy segment: the Y Avenue bridge and the YZ Avenue bridge. Either one of these two bridges is a good place to break the segment into two separate voyages. There are no formal boat landings at the bridges. Put-in, take-out, and parking are on the side of the road.

For most of this trip, the creek flows through cattail marshes. Places to get out of your kayak and take a break are few and far between. The creek heads northeast from the Silver Street bridge, then turns south to Portage Lake.

There are two side trips between the Silver Street bridge and the Y Avenue bridge. When the creek changes direction from northeast to south, a channel on the north side of the stream leads to Uptegrove Lake. Farther south, on the west side of the creek, a channel leads to Mud Lake.

Just north of Portage Lake, Portage Creek flows into the Portage River. The Portage River flows into the north end of Portage Lake. It’s a two mile open water crossing to the boat landing on the south end of the lake.

PORTAGE RIVER, PORTAGE LAKE TO NORTH FISHER LAKE ROAD

This trip on the Portage River begins at the MDNR Portage Lake access site. Head east from the landing. The river mouth is at the southeast corner of the lake.

The river corridor is wooded and the riverbanks are mostly undeveloped.

The current is slow and the depth ranges from one to three feet with some deeper holes. From Portage Lake to Parkville, the river is wide and mostly clear of obstructions.

In Parkville, the remnants of an old dam has created a small rapids.

Between Parkville and North Fisher Lake Road, there are a lot of fallen trees in the river. The last time that I paddled this segment, I didn’t have to portage any of the trees.

The next bridge past Parkville is the North Fisher Lake Road bridge, marking the end of this segment. The small landing is on the north side of the river, on the east side of the bridge. Parking is on the side of the road.

PORTAGE RIVER, FROM NORTH FISHER LAKE ROAD TO THREE RIVERS

The beginning of the final segment of the water trail is at the North Fisher Lake Road bridge.

The riverbanks are wooded and the river ranges from one to three feet deep with a few deeper holes. The current is slow.

There are many downed trees in the river to test your kayaking skills. The last time that I was on this section, I only had to portage trees once.

Downstream from the South Fisher Lake Road bridge, the river widens and divides into several channels. Keep an eye out for shallow water. Farther downstream, the channels combine into one.

Approaching Three Rivers, the Portage River enters Hoffman Pond, the backwater of the Boy’s Dam.

When approaching the dam, a small opening in the shoreline brush on the left marks the beginning of the portage trail.

A path leads to the dam. At the dam, a steep hill descends down to the river.

The river then winds through the city of Three Rivers and flows into the St. Joseph River. Head downstream on the St. Joe and pass under two bridges.

The trip ends at the Conservation Park boat landing on the left.

Congratulations! You have now completed the Portage to Three Rivers water trail!

Many kayakers consider Ely and Little Tom Lakes too small to bother with. If you combine paddling both lakes in one trip, you will find it to be a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. I did just that in early May of 2021 and it made for a fun outing. I revisited the lakes in June of 2024, so some of the photos show summertime foliage.

The two lakes are less than four tenths of a mile apart, but they are not connected. Both lakes can be accessed from Ely Lake Park, part of the Allegan County park system. The entrance to the park is on the south side of 116th Avenue, between 48th Street and 51st Street. The park is shaped like a “U” around the east end of Ely Lake. Campgrounds are on both sides of the “U” and a swimming beach is on the bottom of the “U”.

ELY LAKE

The boat landing is in the campground on the south side of the “U”.

The campground can be busy and noisy during the summer months, especially on weekends. I recommend kayaking the lake in the spring or fall, or on a week day. I visited the lake on a Thursday in early May and I had the lake and the park pretty much to myself. I paddled the shoreline all the way around the lake and found it to be very scenic.

LITTLE TOM LAKE

Access to the lake is a unimproved trail that begins in the Ely Lake Park campground on the south side of the “U”. The trail meanders through the forest for about a half mile and dead ends at the lake.

Little Tom Lake is remote. Most of the shoreline is swampy and is backed by woods.

A large wetland on the southeast side of the lake extends all the way to Crooked Lake. The swamp is not navigable.

There is a small marshy area on the west side of the lake.

From the landing, I didn’t think Little Tom Lake looked very interesting. My opinion changed once I got in my kayak and paddled the shoreline around the lake. I found it to be picturesque and well worth the visit.

ALLEGAN STATE GAME AREA

There aren’t very many coastal plain marshes in Michigan and Crooked Lake is the largest one in the state. Crooked Lake is regionally popular as a ecotourist destination. The reason for this popularity is the area’s biodiversity and rare plant life. I just think it’s a cool lake to kayak!

At 397 acres, Crooked Lake is quite large, but its water level fluctuates greatly. When the water table is low, the lake can dry up completely. I kayaked the lake in early May of 2021 and most of the water was a foot deep. The deepest spot that I could find was only four feet. Because of the shallow nature of the lake, it is choked with aquatic vegetation in the warmer months of the year, making it very difficult to paddle. Due to cold weather during spring of 2021, the veggies were not up yet and I easily paddled the lake. I thought the shoreline would be swampy and the lake bottom would be muddy. I was wrong on both counts. The shoreline and the lake bottom are hard packed sand.

Many thanks to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for closing the Crooked Lake public access with a padlocked gate. Maybe the access will be open when you visit the lake. It’s on the west side of 48th Street, between 116th Avenue and 113th Avenue.

The access that I found was not easy, but I was determined to kayak Crooked Lake. Besides, quitting is for sissies. I traveled a unimproved trail northwest from 113th Avenue, between 48th Street and 49th Street. The trail went through a logged off area of the forest that was loaded with slash piles. I parked when I could go no farther by vehicle.

The shoreline of much of the lake is lined with thick, impenetrable brush. For this reason, hike to the lake without your kayak and find a suitable spot to launch. This strategy will save you a lot of grief. You don’t want to be aimlessly wandering through the woods with your kayak, looking for a place to get to the water.

It was about a hundred yard walk amongst the slash piles and through a wooded area. When I reached the shore, I was greeted by lake scenery that was quite unlike anything that I had ever seen before.

I didn’t waste any time returning to the lake with my kayak!

Several years after I wrote this, I revisited the lake during summer. The trail that I used to access the lake was closed. The gate was open at the boat landing and the trail to the lake was in good shape.

Before you jump into your kayak, find a good landmark so you can find your access spot later. The shallow, weed-covered lake was flat calm. There is a blueberry farm on the south end of the lake. A large wetland is on the northwest end of the lake and it is choked with thick brush.

On the west side of the lake, north of the blueberry farm, an opening in the wooded shoreline revealed a vast swamp, also choked with brush. The rest of the shore is forested.

I saw ducks, geese and sandhill cranes scattered around the lake. The geese and the cranes were quite vocal. I thoroughly enjoyed kayaking along the shores of Crooked Lake. Sometimes, I think that photos speak better than words.

By the time I finished circumnavigating the lake, my stomach was growling. I had lunch waiting for me back at my Jeep. The thought of a sandwich, potato salad, and a cold beer made the difficult carry fast and easy. Go paddle the scenic waters of Crooked Lake! You’ll be glad that you did!

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!

Three Lakes lies between Richland and Galesburg on 35th Street, between FG Avenue and EF Avenue. The individual lakes that comprise Three Lakes are not formally named. For convenience, I will refer to them as East Lake, Middle Lake, and West Lake. Obviously, I named them for their geographical position. Three Lakes lies within the Gull Creek watershed, part of the Kalamazoo River watershed.

EAST LAKE

A small parking area on the east side of 35th Street provides access to East Lake. Water flows from Middle Lake to East Lake through a small culvert next to the access.

The shoreline on East Lake is undeveloped. No homes are visible from the lake.

There is a gently winding scenic bayou on the southeast corner of the lake.

Gull creek flows out of East Lake at the end of the bayou.

Gull Creek flows into the northeast corner of East Lake. The creek flows through an area of cattail marsh that is interesting to explore.

MIDDLE LAKE

Middle Lake is the largest lake of the Three Lakes chain. Access and parking are on the west side of 35th Street, on the wide shoulder of the road. There are only a couple homes on the lake, leaving plenty of undeveloped shoreline for paddlers to explore.

There is a small, shallow, unnamed creek that flows into the northwest corner of Middle Lake. It’s only navigable for a couple hundred feet, but it’s still fun to explore.

The mouth of the creek that provides access to West Lake is on the west end of Middle Lake.

WEST LAKE

West Lake is my favorite lake of the Three lakes chain because of its wild, remote location. The unnamed creek that takes kayakers from Middle Lake to West Lake meanders through a cattail marsh lined by woods. There was a beaver dam on the creek that had to be portaged. At the time of this writing, in early June 2022, the dam had been removed. Sometimes beavers will rebuild structures. Portaging beaver dams can be a challenge.

Due to the beaver dam removal, the water level on West Lake has dropped significantly, but it’s still a pleasure to paddle.

A small, unnamed creek flows into West Lake. It’s fun to explore, but I found it difficult to paddle due to shallow water, mud, and old beaver dams. It was easier to paddle the creek when the beaver dam in the channel was still in place. It’s still worth checking out.

Three Lakes is one of the best kayaking destinations in Kalamazoo County. Once you visit its scenic waters, I know you’ll agree!

I revisited the Three lakes chain in July of 2025. Beavers had bulit two dams on the creek between the middle lake and the west lake. Someone had removed a small part of each dam, but the two dams had to be portaged.

At the time of this latest visit, water levels had changed due to the beaver dams. The middle lake was lower and the west lake was higher. I was unable to paddle some of the small streams that flow into the middle lake.

The portaging and the changed water levels didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the lakes. The Three Lakes chain is still a cool waterway to kayak!

On its way from Gull Lake to the Kalamazoo River, Gull Creek flows through Graham Lake, Butterfield Lake, Three Lakes, and Howlandsburg Mill Pond. Only parts of the creek are navigable. All of the lakes can be paddled. This voyage follows Gull Creek through Butterfield and Graham Lakes. While kayaking this waterway, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. There’s usually mute swans present and at times they can be aggressive. I have seen deer, beaver, muskrats, herons, geese, sandhill cranes, and ducks while paddling this water trail.

Access to Gull Creek is on Greer Road, between 35th Street and 37th Street in Kalamazoo County. The landing and parking are on the side of the road at the Gull Creek bridge.

The trip begins by heading upstream from the bridge. It’s a short paddle from the access at Greer Road to Butterfield Lake.

Butterfield Lake deserves a shoreline cruise.

Head upstream on Gull Creek from the north side of Butterfield Lake. Sometimes, the creek is hard to find due to thick vegetation. From Butterfield Lake to Graham Lake, the creek travels through marshland. There is a rickety footbridge that crosses the creek in the middle of the swamp. You can go under the bridge by slouching way down in your kayak. If you can’t get low enough, you can always portage the bridge, but it’s kind of a pain because of the swampy shoreline. I usually get out of my kayak directly onto the bridge, pass my kayak under the bridge, and lower myself into my boat. I find that this process is rather awkward, but it works.

After negotiating the bridge, continue upstream.

I recommend exploring the shoreline of Graham Lake. Big carp can be seen in the shallows along the shore.

You can kayak upstream on Gull Creek from Graham Lake for a short distance, but fallen trees will block your way.

The creek is shallow here with a hard sand bottom, so it’s a great spot to get out of your kayak and take a break.

Head back downstream to Graham Lake.

Paddle over to Gull Creek and head downstream.

You’ll have to contend with that bridge again.

Head down the creek to Butterfield Lake. Cross the lake and paddle down the creek to the bridge and the landing.

The scenery and remote feel make this trip one of the best in Kalamazoo County!

The Prairie River is a tributary of the St. Joseph River. This stretch of the Prairie not only feels remote, but it is remote. The only time that you see or hear signs of civilization is when you are near a bridge over the river. Most of the time, it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere.

The river runs through an agricultural region. You don’t see very many crop fields from the river. Area farmers draw water from the river for irrigation purposes. The sound of the diesel powered pumps can be annoying, but fortunately they are few and far between.

The Prairie River is shallow. Most of it is one to three feet deep. The water is clear and the current is slow.

The shoreline and the land bordering the river is mostly wooded swampy lowland, but there is some wooded high ground.

All the obstacles in the river are trees and tree limbs. The obstacles are easy to maneuver around due to the slow current. The local watershed council and a canoe/kayak livery have teamed up to clear paths through fallen trees that were completely blocking the river. From a distance, some parts of the river look impassable.

When you get up close, you can easily see how to get through. I never had to portage an obstacle.

Keep an eye out for shallow water. There are a some spots where you might run aground if you’re not paying attention.

There are quite a few islands on this stretch of the Prairie River. The river is not navigable on both sides of most of the islands. I found that it was obvious which side of an island to paddle. When in doubt, I selected the side of an island that had fallen trees that were chainsawed.

If you posses basic kayaking skills, then you won’t have any problems on the Prairie. There are a few spots that will test your maneuvering talents.

I began my trip at the Centerville Canoe Park, on the north side of Centerville, on Clark Road.

I ended my trip at a canoe/kayak landing at the Sauganash Golf Club. A wide gravel path leads from the landing to the paved parking lot. The club is south of Three Rivers on Lutz Road.

The Prairie River is one of the more enjoyable kayaking destinations in southwest Michigan. Once you paddle it, I know you’ll agree!

This stretch of the Kalamazoo River is not for everyone. There are four sets of class I and class II rapids. These include whitewater and standing waves. If you are a beginner or an inexperienced paddler and you are unsure of your ability to handle rapids, then wait until you gain more experience before you tackle this portion of the Kalamazoo. These rapids are no joke.

I have kayaked these rapids twice and came out smelling like a rose both times. Luck was with me. Veteran paddlers with previous experience in rapids will have no problems. In the rapids, everything happens at an accelerated rate, so you must have fast reactions and be able to make sound decisions instantly.

If you are unsure about your ability to handle rapids, a scouting trip on dry land might be helpful. I was a little apprehensive about this voyage, so I decided to take a scouting trip. What could it hurt? Rapids number one can be seen from the Farmer Street bridge in Otsego. The other three rapids are west of Otsego. Rapids number two can be viewed from the highway M89 bridge deck. To see rapids number three, hike west from a small parking area at the end of 19th Street, on the north side of the river. There is a river access site at rapids number four on River Road, on the south side of the river.

The degree of difficulty of the rapids varies with the water level of the river. Higher water means greater difficulty. My first trip took place in mid-August of 2021 and the river level was higher than normal seasonal flow. Even though the river level was lower during my dry land reconnaissance, scouting still helped me to prepare for the rapids.

The voyage begins in the city of Otsego. There is a parking area on the east side of Farmer Street, north of highway M89. It is on the south side of the river. Follow the paved river walk east to a dock with a launch ramp.

Before you push off from the ramp, make sure that you are ready for action. The first set of rapids comes up very quickly. It’s right after you pass under the Farmer Street bridge and it spans the river from bank to bank.

If you position your boat in the middle of the river, then you should have no problem with these rapids. Large rocks just below the surface of the water can be a concern if you aren’t paying attention. The rapids ends before you approach the North Street bridge.

Between the North Street bridge and the M89 bridge, the river moves at a relaxing pace. The shoreline is wooded and the waterfront is mostly undeveloped.

As you approach the M89 bridge, prepare yourself for the second set of rapids, which begins immediately after you cross under the bridge.

I positioned my kayak in the middle of the river, between the two bridge supports. After you pass under the bridge, stay away from the two wing dams on your left.

This rapids will require some maneuvering to keep out of trouble. The river makes a right turn and the rapids will try to push your kayak toward the left bank, so paddle accordingly. Downstream from the right turn, the river settles down and you can breathe easier.

Continuing downstream, a boat landing is on the south side of the river. The vehicle entrance for the landing is on Jefferson Road, across the street from the Pine Creek Impoundment.

The west end of Jefferson Road serves as a dam of Pine Creek, forming the impoundment. Downstream from the dam, Pine Creek flows through two culverts under Jefferson Road and continues on to the Kalamazoo River. I paddled up Pine Creek from the river to view the spillway of the dam and take a short break. The gates were wide open and the lake had been drained.

The mouth of Pine Creek is a good spot to begin preparing for the third set of rapids. This rapids is the longest and the most difficult. I positioned my kayak on the south (left) side of the river, fairly close to the river bank. Some of the standing waves are quite big and you can’t miss all of them. Be prepared for waves breaking over the bow of your kayak. Some may wash into your cockpit if you don’t have a spray skirt. On one of my trips during high water levels, I took on a lot of water. I could hardly paddle with all that water sloshing around. I had to pull up on the riverbank and empty it out. A spray skirt would have come in handy. Lesson learned!

After the rapids, the river once again settles down to an easier pace. Paddling the rapids can be very intense, so it’s nice to be able to relax in between sections of whitewater.

The fourth and final set of rapids is easier than the last one. I recommend positioning your kayak in mid-river and you will come out just fine.

A boat landing is located on the south side of the river, at the tail end of the rapids, upstream from an island. The boat ramp is not visible from the rapids. Plan ahead and position your kayak accordingly if you plan on using this landing. The vehicle entrance to this access is on River Road. Update: The river is temporarily closed between this landing and Trowbridge Dam, so end your trip here. The river will reopen when dam removal and remediation is finished.

After the rapids, the river returns to a moderate pace. You’ll be able to enjoy the scenic woodlands that border the river.

As you are heading downriver, keep an eye out for a high bluff topped with travel trailers. When you round a bend at the base of the bluff, there is a small island that’s a perfect spot for a break.

Farther downstream, there is a golf course on the bank of the river. The river widens and the current slows to a crawl at the golf course and remains that way down to Trowbridge Dam.

Just before you reach the dam, the river splits in two around a large island. The channel that is south (left) of the island is a scenic area to explore. The south channel may be too shallow to paddle during low water levels. It was easy to navigate during my trip.

A short distance downstream from the island is Trowbridge Dam. A rope with buoys spans the river above the dam. There are signs that direct you to the gravel boat ramp on the south side of the river.

The easiest way to get to the boat landing by vehicle is to head south on 26th Street from highway M89, between Otsego and Allegan. After you cross the bridge over the river, take the first gravel drive on your left. This drive will take you to a parking area and the boat landing.

The Trowbridge Dam is scheduled for removal. From what I could gather, work begins in 2025. The stretch of river between rapids number four and the Trowbridge Dam could be closed. Check with the proper authorities when you plan your trip. Update: The river is temporarily closed between rapids number four and the Trowbridge Dam. End your trip at the boat landing located on the south side of the rapids as described earlier in this post.

ALLEGAN CITY DAM TO ECHO POINT LANDING

This trip is roughly six miles. Five and one half of those miles have little to no current. The current is slow for the first half mile. Because of the width of the Kalamazoo River and the size of Lake Allegan, kayakers can expect to be effected by wind. The combination of wind and no current means paddlers should be prepared to expend a lot of energy. If you tire easily, this trip may not be for you.

River access is at the Allegan City Dam. Head southeast on Mill District Road from its intersection with State Street and Water Street. Immediately after crossing the bridge over the old mill race, turn south. The dam and a small parking lot are at the end of the road. The shore at the boat launching area is lined with rip-rap consisting of concrete chunks and rocks. Use caution. Footing can be treacherous.

My friends, Dan and his son Tyler, joined me on this trip. Dan is a veteran paddler. This is Tyler’s first season as a kayaker and he has already proven himself to be a able paddler. We took this trip in early June of 2021 during drought conditions. The river level was low and the water was unexpectedly dirty.

The portion of the pool below the dam that is directly downstream from the spillway is dangerously turbulent and is to be avoided. At the tail end of the pool is a exposed rocky shoal. The only way around this rocky island is a shallow rapids on the north end of it. We pulled our kayaks up on the shore of the island and walked over to the channel to investigate.

We studied the rapids and the area downstream. It looked like we would run aground in the shallow water of the rapids. The force of the strong current below the rapids looked like it would push us toward a huge block of concrete that was in the river channel. There was a submerged obstruction just underneath the surface of the water between the block and the river bank. The obstacles looked unavoidable. We decided that it was too shallow and too risky for safe passage. We portaged over the island. Paddlers with more experience and better skills may find this short stretch to be challenging. Maybe the water will be deeper when you take this trip.

The river winds its way through a series of wide loops on its way to Lake Allegan. There are two bends on the first loop that are lined with rip-rap to prevent erosion.

Most of the city scenery is blocked from view by the wooded river corridor.

On the north side of town, the Grand Street(M222) bridge spans the river. About a quarter mile downstream from the Grand Street bridge, Trestle Trail Park and Jaycee Park are on the south bank of the river. There is also a pedestrian bridge over the river. The bridge was formerly a New York Central Railroad swing bridge.

West of the two parks and the bridge, a mid-river island was a convenient spot for a break. We beached our kayaks and had lunch on a sandbar.

Past the island, the river turned north and widened considerably.

On the day of our trip, this was the spot where the wind began effecting our voyage. For the rest of the day, the wind would dictate our course. It was blowing a steady 20 mph with gusts over 30 mph. We paddled out of the wind whenever practical.

The river forms a large loop around the Allegan County Fairgrounds. At the north end of the loop, the river divides into channels around several islands. I’m not sure how many islands there are, but I think there are five. You can’t see all of the islands from any one spot. We chose the southern-most channel around the islands, but any channel will do. Keep an eye out for shallow water.

After the islands, the channels combine to form one wide waterway all the way to Lake Allegan.

We entered Lake Allegan at the M40/M89 highway bridge over the Kalamazoo River. The lake is a reservoir behind the Allegan Dam, also called the Calkins Dam. The shoreline of Lake Allegan is developed, but most of the homes are spaced far apart.

The 1600 acre lake is six miles long.

The lake access that we chose, Echo Point, was less than half way across the lake, but it felt twice that long, paddling against that wind. The Echo Point boat landing is west of Allegan, on Monroe Road, on the south side of the lake.

For a longer trip, touring the whole lake, there is a boat landing next to the dam, on Allegan Dam Road, on the northwest corner of the lake. I chose to explore Lake Allegan on my next trip.

We found this trip to be tranquil and scenic. The combination of windy conditions and no river or lake current tested our endurance. We were tired but happy at the end of our trip. It was another segment of our goal: to paddle the Kalamazoo River from Albion to Lake Michigan. Completed segments have been posted. The remaining segments will be posted as we kayak them. If you replicate our journey down the Kalamazoo, you’ll see why it’s my favorite river. Several years after I wrote this post, we completed our Kalamazoo River journey from Albion to Saugatuck. It took eighteen individual trips. The memories will last a lifetime!

Gourdneck Creek offers some of the finest small stream kayaking in southwest Michigan. Kayakers can paddle the creek upstream from Gourdneck Lake to Oakland Drive and downstream back. No landing exists at the Oakland Drive bridge. There are two beaver dams to portage. The last half of the trip involves paddling through a series of dense lily pad fields. That part of the trip is best paddled in early spring before the pads come up or late fall after the pads die off. I kayaked the pad field section in June of 2020 and it was very tough going. I almost turned around several times but I decided to tough it out. The scenery upstream was worth it.

Your trip begins in the southern outskirts of the city of Portage at Hogset Lake. There are two ways to access the lake, both are off U Avenue. One is Prairieview County Park and the other is a one lane dirt road through Gourdneck State Game Area. A channel at the northwest end of Hogset Lake will take you to Gourdneck Lake.

Follow the west shore of Gourdneck Lake to the creek mouth and you are ready to begin. The creek is anything but straight. The first portion of the creek is bordered by wetland with a few scattered trees.

The scenery transitions to a mostly wooded area interspersed with wetland.

Next, you will enter a cattail marsh surrounded by woods.

The first of two beaver dams is relatively small but a portage is still necessary.

The second beaver dam is larger and must be portaged as well.

The portages over the beaver dams are not difficult. Remember to secure firm footing with every step while portaging a beaver dam.

After the two beaver dams, the creek enters a vast cattail marsh. If it is early spring or late fall, the paddling through the marsh is easy. In the summer, the stream in this section is a series of dense lily pad fields that will give you a workout. Good cardio!

The end of the last pad field looks like a dead end, a barricade of cattails.

It may take you awhile to find the creek channel but it is there. I wish I could give you landmarks to find the channel but there aren’t any. It all looks the same. Perseverance reaps rewards. Once you are in the channel, the creek gets very narrow in places.

The stream travels through a wooded wetland.

The creek then travels through the backyards of a small row of homes. You have arrived at Oakland Drive. I investigated paddling the creek past Oakland Drive to Justin’s Marsh, which is across Shaver Road from Big Sugarloaf Lake. There were too many obstructions, so I didn’t pursue it any further. I took a break and headed back downstream toward Gourdneck Lake. The return trip is easier, traveling with the current.

The thing I like most about this waterway is its pristine condition. This is nature at its finest.