Author: Ron Vader

RIVER FRONT PARK TO D AVENUE

River Front Park is a small linear park between the Kalamazoo River and Commerce Lane in Parchment. On the north end of the park, steps and a boat slide lead down a small hill to the river’s edge. A deck overlooks the river next to the boat landing. Parking is on the side of the road. No restrooms.

This trip is suitable for all skill levels. The river is wide with a sand and gravel bottom. The current varies between slow and moderate. The depth ranges from a foot deep to over six feet deep. The last time I kayaked this stretch of the Kalamazoo River was in late September of 2025. Water levels were extremely low.

Downstream from the landing, around a couple of bends, the old Hercules plant is on the right riverbank. Just past the factory, a railroad bridge spans the river.

The current pushes trees and tree limbs against the bridge supports, forming logjams. I found two open passages under the bridge. The rest were blocked. Maybe more will be open when you make your trip. It’s quite possible that you might have to portage.

After a long straight stretch, the river splits in two around the 0.4 mile long Glenn Allen Island, a nature preserve.

Both channels around the island are navigable.

I arbitrarily chose the west channel.

The West Street Drain flows into the west channel. Back in the day, the drain was home for brook trout. The bridge in the center of the photo is for the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail.

A look upstream at the north end of Glenn Allen Island:

Islands are always fun to paddle around and explore.

A shell bar alongside an island provided a nice spot for a break. Shoals made of small mussel shells are quite common on some parts of the Kalamazoo River.

Passage around some of the islands was impossible.

Spring Brook (trout stream) flows into the river from the east.

The Kalamazoo Nature Center features 1100 acres with plenty of hiking trails and a deck overlooking the river.

The river flows through the wooded countryside with long straightaways in between gentle curves.

At the end of the trip, two islands that appear as one island are immediately upstream from the D Avenue bridge.

I recommend taking the east (right) channel around the islands. The current is a bit faster around the islands and down river to the landing.

The boat landing is on the east side of the river, 300 feet downstream from the bridge. No restrooms.

This access is on private property. The property owners have been allowing access to the river for many years. Their kindness and generosity toward boaters and anglers allows everyone to enjoy this scenic river. Please respect their property. Fees are one dollar per boat and one dollar per vehicle. There is a collection box on a small deck at the rear of the home, by the garage. Fees are subject to change.

The Kalamazoo River flows through downtown Kalamazoo on its way from Comstock to Parchment. Before you recoil in horror at the mere thought of a urban kayak trip, let me assure you that you are in for a pleasant surprise. The river corridor is lined with trees that block out most of the city scenery. There is some traffic noise and industrial noise. Two locations on the river were very loud and annoying: a metal shredder at a recycle plant and a wastewater treatment plant. The Kalamazoo River Valley Trail (KRVT) parallels the river and crosses it three times. The river is wide and the current varies between slow and moderate. It is suitable for paddlers of all skill levels.

The trip begins at Merrill Park in Comstock. The park is on the corner of Comstock Avenue and River Street. Restrooms, a picnic shelter, and parking are all on site. I revisited this stretch of the river on a weekday in early June of 2026 and I saw no other boats on the water. The water level was low and the river was clear. After launching, take the channel on the left.

There is a short stretch of fast water beginning right at the boat ramp. The river shortly returns to a more tranquil speed. The river heads due east.

The Sprinkle Road bridge crosses the river and an island.

Both channels around the island are navigable. I chose the south channel.

Continuing downstream, Davis Creek flows into the river from the south.

Paddling up Davis Creek is a interesting little side trip.

Next up is the M96 Kings Highway bridge followed by a partially wooded shoreline.

At a abandoned railroad bridge, a monster logjam appears to block progress down the river. However, safe passage can be found on the far right end of the bridge. Many thanks go out to the volunteers who cleared the way through the logjam. Their hard work is appreciated.

A gravel shoal made a nice spot for a break with a view upstream of a KRVT bridge and the railroad bridge

Heading downstream, the river is bordered by a Grand Elk Railroad switchyard on the right and Mayors Riverfront Park on the left. The park is home for the Kalamazoo Growlers baseball team and it also has a boat landing. The Mills Street bridge is way off in the distance.

Between the Mills Street bridge and the Michigan Avenue bridge, the river curves to the north for the rest of the trip. The Red Arrow Golf Course is on the left.

Downstream from the Michigan Avenue bridge, the Amtrak railroad bridge spans the river. Portage Creek flows into the river on the left. Another KRVT bridge crosses the creek.

Upstream from the river, Portage Creek flows under a Michigan Avenue bridge. The creek is a nice side trip, but it’s not particularly scenic.

Next to the Amtrak bridge, Arcadia Creek dumps into the Kalamazoo River.

The river continues its northerly flow and passes under the Gull Road bridge.

Downstream from the Gull Road bridge, a short narrow channel on the left leads to a small lake in Verburg Park. The park has a boat landing on the lake that is vehicle accessible from Patterson Street. Verburg park is not very scenic, but it’s still worth a brief look.

Approaching the channel from the lake to the river:

Next up is the Patterson Street bridge.

Between the Patterson Street bridge and the Mosel Road bridge, the river is bordered by the Kalamazoo Wastewater Treatment Plant on the left and a ugly power line on the right. I photographed the better looking parts of this section of the river and ignored the rest.

The last bridge before the end of this epic voyage is Mosel Road.

North of the bridge, River Front Park is on the east bank of the river. The trip ends at the boat landing on the north end of the park.

I didn’t like the boat landing. The steps were too far away from the water’s edge. The uneven surface below the steps made it difficult to pull a kayak up to the boat slide. I found it almost impossible to use the boat slide by myself. In retrospect, I should’ve used the old landing, which is about fifty feet upstream. It wasn’t a very good way to end a great trip. Overall, it was a beautiful afternoon on the river!

Update: After my trip, I contacted the City of Parchment. Improvements to the landing are in the planning stages.

FORT CUSTER STATE RECREATION AREA

The entrance to Fort Custer State Recreation Area is on highway M96, just east of the village of Augusta. Eagle Lake is the largest of the four lakes within the recreation area. The lake features two basins connected by the narrows. The dam and its spillway tower are on the narrows. The east basin has a large island. The east and west basins are separated by a long peninsula. A hill runs the length of the peninsula. The east basin is home to a long, sandy beach with modern restrooms. A swimming area compliments the beach. Picnic shelters are behind the beach on top of a hill.

The boat launch area is on the northeast corner of the east basin. Follow the park signs to the landing.

With the exception of the dam, the beach, and the picnic area, the shoreline is all wooded.

If you are a stealthy paddler, expect to see lots of fish in the shoreline shallows. Most of the fish are carp, but bass and bluegills are also present.

Just south of the boat landing, on the east side of the east basin, is a good sized cove with a small stream flowing into it.

A little farther down the shoreline is another smaller cove.

A small unnamed creek flows into the cove.

Continuing south along the east side of the east basin, a wide channel separates the egg-shaped island from the mainland.

The island doesn’t see much foot traffic. A steep hill drops down to the water’s edge on the north side of the island.

On the south side of the island, the hill gently slopes down to the shoreline.

On the southeast corner of the east basin, there is a large, lily pad covered cove with a stream running into it.

I have tried paddling this cove several times, but I kept running into water that was too shallow to float my boat.

The south end of the east basin, especially south of the island, looks completely covered by lily pads and other aquatic vegetation.

On this part of the lake, shoreline shade prevents vegetation from growing, leaving a water trail for kayakers to follow.

In order to get from the east basin of Eagle Lake to the west basin, paddle through the narrows, located on the northwest corner of the east basin.

As you head into the west basin, there is a point on the right.

The tip of the point is a great spot to stop and take a break. This is also my favorite swimming hole.

The west basin is a great body of water to explore. A cove on the southeast corner offers a nice view of the lake.

There is a scenic point on the south shore.

On the northwest corner, a small cove offers a splendid view.

The narrows will take you back to the east basin of the lake and the boat landing.

Kayaking Eagle Lake is great way to spend a day!

Plainwell has two city parks with boat landings on the Kalamazoo River. I have used both landings on different occasions. Either one is a good choice. Darrow Park is on the west side of the river on Hicks Street, south of M89.

The next three photos follow the Kalamazoo River through Plainwell from Darrow Park to the 10th Street/Main Street bridge.

Two islands are immediately downstream from the 1oth Street bridge. Fannie Pell Park is south of the first island. I started my trip at the Pell Park boat landing.

The friendly folks at Plainwell Kayak Company spotted my car at the landing in Otsego for a reasonable fee. They also rent kayaks.

The Plainwell Mill Race flows into the Kalamazoo River next to Pell Park

Downstream from Pell Park, the old paper mill dominates the scenery.

Just past the mill, the river splits into four channels around three islands.

The south (left) two channels are recommended for safe passage.

Continuing downstream, the river flows straight west to the US131 bridge.

Under the bridge, light rapids are waiting for kayakers. Choose between two channels, one on either side of the center bridge support. The left photo is the north channel viewed from downstream. The right photo is the south channel viewed from upstream. Both channels are rocky and shallow.

The former site of the Plainwell Dam is about a mile downstream from the US131 bridge. The dam was removed and the river was restored to its original course. When the backwater of the dam was drained, the contaminates of the exposed lake bed and riverbank were removed. The result of all this is a mile of river with swift current and some light rapids.

Downstream from the old dam site, the river slows and divides into many channels, creating a bunch of islands. “Spreads” is a common term for this feature. I recommend exploring around the islands of this partially wooded lowland. There’s always a chance that some of the channels might be blocked by fallen trees, so be prepared to turn around and seek another channel.

Eventually, all the channels of the spreads combine to form one channel.

After the spreads, I explored a small channel that branched off to the north.

The Gun River flows into this channel, but it wasn’t navigable. I continued down the channel.

After an easy portage, the channel rejoined the river.

This side trip was cool!

When the USG Mill (formerly Otsego Paper Mill) comes into view, you will be close to the end of your trip. The Jewel Street boat landing is on the south side of the river, 500 feet upstream from the Otsego City Dam. If you go over the dam, then you missed the landing.

On this trip, the Kalamazoo River was right next to the busy Plainwell-Otsego commercial corridor. The scenery on the river made me forget about the hustle and bustle that’s just a short distance away.

These two areas are conveniently located about halfway between the two cities of Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. Yankee Springs State Recreation Area is 5200 acres in size. The adjacent Barry State Game Area consists of 16,784 acres. There is plenty of room to roam. It’s big enough to get lost in. I have been turned around in the area more than once. That’s a fancy way of saying that I got lost, but I somehow always managed to find my way. Most people, myself included, refer to the two areas as one, Yankee Springs. The area is mostly forested with a mixture of hardwoods and softwoods. Yankee Springs is laced with unmaintained county roads and unimproved trails that are fun to drive. Hiking trails and mountain biking trails are plentiful. The centerpiece of the area is the beautiful Gun Lake. With the exception of the recreation area, the lakeshore is fully developed. Boat traffic can be heavy at times. The Gun Lake shoreline, including islands and channels, is 24.4 miles in length and provides kayakers with endless hours of enjoyment. There are two campgrounds in the recreation area: the Gun Lake Unit and the Deep Lake Unit. The list of lakes to kayak is long.

If you are driving a considerable distance to get to Yankee Springs, you may want to paddle more than one lake in a day trip. Due to the small size of most of the lakes, you can easily kayak several lakes in a day while still maintaining a leisurely pace. I never like to hurry when kayaking. As I revisit the many lakes and some small streams, I will post photos and text about each location. I hope these posts will compel you to kayak this area. I think you will enjoy Yankee Springs as much as I do.

YANKEE SPRINGS

This lake is easy to get to. Take Norris Road north from M179 for about a mile. The boat launch is on the west side of the road. The MDNR access site is primitive.

The Baker Lake shoreline is mostly marsh backed by woods. Most of the lake is bounded by public land and there is one home on the lake.

I paddled a short channel to Mud Lake.

Once there, I paddled a creek that goes to Chief Noonday Lake.

I was stopped by a beaver dam and thick brush. I turned around and headed back to Mud Lake.

After touring the rest of the Mud Lake shoreline, I paddled the channel back to Baker Lake.

I finished by cruising the rest of the Baker Lake shoreline back to the boat launch.

Baker and Mud Lakes are always a fun destination!

YANKEE SPRINGS

Williams Lake is a little known waterway and attracts very few visitors. That’s why I like it. To get to the lake, take M179 east from Briggs Road. Look for a “Chief Noonday Outdoor Center” sign on the side of the road. Head south at the sign on a unimproved trail.

The trail will take you to the primitive access site.

The site and the surrounding area is home to the biggest pine trees in southwest Michigan. Other stands of these huge pines can be found throughout Yankee Springs. At the landing, under the shade of the forest canopy, is one of my favorite spots to take a lunch break. Right in the middle of the access site is a huge maple tree and next to it is a pine tree of equal size. They grew so close to each other that they fused together, appearing as one tree! You never know what you’ll see when you spend time in the outdoors!

Williams Lake is shaped like a U. The bottom of the U is narrow and makes Williams Lake look like two connected lakes. The boat launch is located on the north side of the U, so I explored the north basin first.

I then paddled through the narrows, which is home to a beaver lodge.

I ended up on the south side of the U (the south basin).

At the west end of the south basin, I explored an unnamed creek.

The creek finally got too narrow for my kayak, so I turned around and headed back down the creek.

When I was back on the south basin, I went to the narrows.

I paddled through the narrows, back to the north basin and the boat landing, ending a scenic trip.

YANKEE SPRINGS

The directions to McDonald Lake are easier than they sound. A unmaintained county road heads south from M179, just east of the Norris Road intersection. There is a house with a white fence on the corner. At first glance, the road looks like the driveway to the house, but it is a public road. It’s more like a trail than a road.

When you come to the North Country Trail signage on the left, there will be a McDonald Lake signpost and a side trail on the right. The side trail will take you to a small parking area. Immediately past the parking area, the trail makes a hard left. Next, turn right on a unimproved trail that ends at the bottom of a hill, next to the lake.

I paddled McDonald Lake when I first began kayaking, many years ago. The boat landing featured a rickety-looking dock next to a small sliver of water that was more mud than water. It was difficult to get into or out of a kayak, using the dock. I encountered more difficulty paddling to and from shore.

Fast forward to May of 2026 and the dock has been removed. Launching and landing at the access looked to be more difficult than it was before. I knew that the lake bottom at the landing was deep mud. I imagined myself sinking up to my waist in the mud. It was not an appetizing thought.

Since I had already kayaked Otis Lake earlier in the day, I decided not to kayak McDonald Lake. The landing simply did not look good. Kayakers with agility, coordination, and strength would find the landing to be adequate. It’s just not for me. Why spoil a good memory. McDonald Lake is still a beautiful body of water to explore. Views from a kayak out in the lake are better than the photos taken from shore.

This urban trip is within a Kalamazoo city park called Spring Valley Park. The park is on the north side of Kalamazoo and has two entrances on Mount Olivet Road and one entrance on Brook Drive. The pond is in the center of the park and is circled by park roads. There are restrooms and a picnic area on site. The park is well kept. A tiny part of the landscape has city scenery.

Spring Valley Pond is an impoundment of Spring Valley Creek. The west part of the pond is the main basin.

The east part of the pond is a long narrow appendage of the main basin.

There is a pedestrian bridge at its narrowest part.

The dam is located on the west end of the main basin. Downstream from the dam, Spring Valley Creek continues on its way to the Kalamazoo River.

There is no formal boat launch, but there are many parking areas around the lake with water access. I used a parking area on the south end of the main basin.

I kayaked the pond in August of 2020 and, like so many other waterways this time of year, some parts of the lake had excessive aquatic plant growth.

I was still able to easily paddle around the brushy shoreline.

Spring Valley Creek flows into the pond at the east end of the narrow appendage.

I went up the creek for a short distance before I was forced to turn around by fallen trees.

I ended my trip by returning to the main basin.

If you don’t have a lot of time, but you still need your kayaking fix, then a leisure paddle around Spring Valley Pond is for you.

LEVEL PARK/OAK PARK TO FORT CUSTER STATE RECREATION AREA

The origin of this trip is in the communities of Level Park and Oak Park on the west side of the city of Battle Creek. Kalamazoo River access is at a bridge on a road that appears to have two names: Custer Drive and Clark Road. The access is on the south side of the river, on the east side of the road. A two-track trail that is between the guardrail and the woods will take you to a small parking area and a short footpath downhill to the water. A better landing is directly across the river, on the north side of the river, on the east side of the bridge. The trail to the riverbank isn’t the greatest. I recommend hauling your kayak in a truck or a SUV if you plan to use this access. You will paddle under the bridge to begin your trip.

My friend Dan, a accomplished paddler, made the trip with me.

This stretch of the river is wide with slow current and is easily paddled by kayakers of all skill levels. Almost all of the shoreline is wooded. We tried to explore around the many islands, but we were turned back by log jams, downed trees, and shallow water.

There are plenty of sandbars that invite you to take a break. We stopped for lunch and continued on with our voyage.

There are only two bridges to paddle under and they are on the last leg of the trip. The M96 bridge and a railroad bridge are right next to each other.

Downstream from the two bridges is a section of riffled water with a few boulders.

This part of the river forms the western boundary of Fort Custer State Recreation Area. Continuing downstream, the park boat landing is on the left (east) side of the river. This river access marks the end of the trip.

The vehicle entrance to the recreation area is on the south side of highway M96, just east of the village of Augusta. There are park signs that will direct you to the boat landing.