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.
Rapids number four is near the end of this long straightaway.
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.
The river was calm and serene just before entering rapids number four.
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.
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.
Looking downstream from the island.
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.
Looking northeast from Echo Point.Looking west from Echo Point.
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.
Hogset Lake, seen from the channel from 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.
In early summer of 2021, I kayaked a stretch of the Kalamazoo River with my friends, Dan and Tyler. We traveled the river from Allegan City Dam to Echo Point on Lake Allegan. It looked like Lake Allegan was in need of further exploration, so I set out in mid-July 2021 to check it out.
Lake Allegan is an impoundment of the Kalamazoo River. The Calkins dam, commonly referred to as the Allegan Dam, is located on the northwest corner of the lake. Public land borders the lake on each side of the dam. There is a boat landing east of the dam, on Allegan Dam Road.
I used the MDNR Echo Point Access Site on the south side of the lake, on Monroe Road, west of the city of Allegan. It is centrally located near places that I wanted to explore. Public land borders the lake on both sides of the boat ramp.
Echo Point, next to the boat ramp.
Most of the land bordering Lake Allegan is residential private property. Many of the homes are set back from the water’s edge. Most of the homes are spaced apart from each other. This gives the shoreline a more undeveloped feel. This makes for a pleasant coastline cruise.
The 1600 acre lake is six miles long, so wind and waves can be a factor when kayaking, especially wind coming from a westerly direction. I kayaked the lake on a weekday and there was no boat traffic.
Some kayakers may not like Lake Allegan because of the poor water quality. The water looked dirty and sub-surface visibility is limited to less than three feet. Some portions of the lake were partly covered with small pieces of floating organic goop. In other words, don’t plan on going for a swim. The lake had no odor other than the usual “lake smell” that you get from all waters. I found that the water quality was a very minor distraction and it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the lake.
One of the features of Lake Allegan is Dead Fish Cove. It is located on the north side of the lake, northeast of Echo Point. There are no dead fish.
There are two channels of Dumont Creek that flow into the north end of the cove, forming an island in between the two channels. The west channel is only navigable for a short distance, but it is worth checking out.
The east channel is much more scenic.
You can paddle it to the north side of the island, where the creek splits into the two channels.
The channels are shallow in spots and you will have to search for water deep enough to float your boat. Upstream from the fork in the creek, the water is too shallow for further exploration. This short stretch of Dumont Creek turned out to be the most scenic part of my trip.
Heading back downstream on the east channel to Dead Fish Cove.About to enter Dead Fish Cove from the east channel.
About three quarters of a mile west of Dead Fish Cove, the shoreline curves north into a cove.
Approaching the curve north. The land mass on the left is one of three islands.
In the back of the cove, I explored a small unnamed stream flowing through a swamp. Even though it was only navigable for a short distance, I found it to be scenic and worthy of a visit.
The three islands on the lake are not named, so I will refer to them as Small, Medium, and Large. The islands are located about three quarters of a mile northwest of the Echo Point landing. The islands are all uninhabited.
Small island is separated from the mainland by a shallow, narrow channel. I found Small Island to be a uninteresting clump of vegetation.
Medium Island has swampy lowland and some high ground with a few large trees. Much of the shoreline is lined with brush.
I found Large Island to be the most interesting of the three islands and I spent most of my time there. The north end had some swampy lowland.
The north end of Large Island, left, isn’t very far from the north shore mainland, right.
The rest of the island was heavily wooded high ground. Much of Large Island featured steep banks down to the water’s edge.
The west side of Large Island is on the right. Medium Island is on the left. In the middle, Small Island blends in with the north shore mainland.
On the east side of Large Island, I found a spot that showed signs of visitors. I stopped there and took a break for lunch under the shade of a huge oak tree.
After lunch, I hiked a short, wide path up the steep bank that led to a informal campsite, complete with a rock campfire ring and half of a picnic table. There were two footpaths that led into the woods from the campsite. I didn’t hike the trails, choosing to explore with my kayak instead.
Looking south, from my lunch spot on the east side of Large Island.
After my lunch break, I continued paddling around the island. On the southern tip of the island, I discovered a vertical cliff rising up from the shoreline. That point also gave me a nice scenic view of the west end of the lake.
By the time I finished seeing everything that I wanted to see, it was late afternoon and time to head back to the landing. With a stiff breeze at my back, it seemed to take very little time to reach the Echo Point landing, ending another scenic day on the water. I thoroughly enjoyed kayaking Lake Allegan: Dead Fish Cove, Dumont Creek, the unnamed stream, and the islands. I hope you get a chance to explore Lake Allegan. If you do, you’ll be glad that you did!
When I first visited Saugatuck in the 1970’s, it was a sleepy little village with practically no visitors besides some boaters. Now it is a year round tourist mecca with throngs of people. It’s still a enjoyable place to visit. Taking a stroll downtown should be part of your visit.
Your kayaking adventure includes Kalamazoo Lake, Kalamazoo River, and Oxbow Lake. This is a round trip. Launch and take out are at the same spot. I used the Union Street boat launch on Kalamazoo Lake. It is located on Blue Star Highway just southwest of the Blue Star Bridge over the Kalamazoo River. A replica lighthouse is next to the landing and serves as a good landmark. Fee is seven bucks as of June 2020.
Downtown Saugatuck is straight across the lake from the landing.
If you don’t mind a longer trip, there are two landings upstream between the Blue Star Bridge and the I-196 Bridge: Wades Bayou and Schulz Park.
My trip began on a weekday in early June of 2020. I lucked out. There was no boat traffic so I paddled due north across the middle of Kalamazoo Lake. If boat traffic is heavy, I recommend paddling the shoreline of Kalamazoo Lake as much as possible. The Kalamazoo River flows pretty much in a northerly direction through Saugatuck and points downstream. When you enter the Kalamazoo River from Kalamazoo Lake, observe the rules of navigation and paddle on the east side of the river.
Boats of all shapes and sizes line the water’s edge on both sides of the river. The village waterfront is an interesting mix of bars, shops, restaurants, lodging, and businesses. A chain ferry crosses the river and it has the right-of-way over all vessels, including kayaks. Once you leave the business district, the river takes on a more rural character.
Hills go down to the river’s edge. Beautiful homes are perched on the sides and tops of the hills. Boats are docked in front of the homes. Saugatuck takes on a entirely different look during the colder months of the year. The following photos were taken from shore on a winter-like day in early April.
Fast forward to summer! Just before the river makes a slow curve to the west toward the river mouth, there is a swampy area on the west side of the river. This is where the channel to Oxbow Lake begins.
The channel is easy to spot and heads west through the swamp to Oxbow Lake. The lake was formed when a new river channel was constructed in 1906. The ends of the old river channel drifted shut with silt and sand and the lake was created. The only development on the lake is the small Oxbow School Of Art. Much of the land surrounding the lake is parkland and nature preserve, so it has a remote feel. On the east and south sides of the lake, steep wooded dunes come right down to the water’s edge. Some of the wooded dunes are over 200 feet tall.
Looking west from the south end of the lake. Lake Michigan is on the other side of the dune in the middle of the photo.
The north and west sides of the lake are characterized by wetlands and low dunes.
Parts of the lake are lined with dead birch trees, victims of high water.
There is a home on the southwest end of the lake. It was originally a lighthouse. The lighthouse was destroyed by tornado in 1956 and was rebuilt using some of the original materials salvaged from the 1859 structure.
This scenic body of water nestled in the dunes is a true gem.
Sadly, all trips must come to an end. After you paddle back to the river, you have the option of heading downstream to the river mouth and Lake Michigan. Otherwise, head south, upstream, towards the village. Paddle on the west side of the river. I shared the river with the stern paddle wheeler “Star of Saugatuck”.
As before, exercise caution with the boat traffic. I was concerned that paddling against the current on the return route would be difficult. My fears were unfounded. The current was negligible, practically nonexistent next to the shore. I lucked out and had a stiff breeze at my back on the way across Kalamazoo Lake and I didn’t have to paddle much across the lake to the landing. I hope you have as good of a time as I did on this adventure.
Big Fish Lake is located just east of Orangeville, south of Gun Lake. To get to the lake, take a two-track trail north from West Guernsey Lake Road, between Enzian Road and Norris Road. The primitive boat launch is on Orangeville Creek, a tributary of the Gun River.
If you go downstream, You will arrive at a lake simply called Mill Pond.
Looking downstream from the landing.
The lake is created by a dam. Below the dam, a two-track trail travels from the road down to the edge of the creek and emerges on the other side of the creek. The trail then continues on up to the road. This spot is locally known as “car wash”. Mill Pond has a fully developed waterfront and is worth a look.
A short paddle upstream on the creek from the landing takes you to Big Fish Lake.
Orangeville Creek, looking east toward Big Fish L.
The lake is surrounded by state land, Barry State Game Area. The lakefront has no development. Tamarack Creek flows into Big Fish Lake on the south end.
I have not paddled up the creek past the West Guernsey Lake Road bridge, but I think it is only navigable for a short distance. Months after this was written, my friend, Dan, kayaked up the creek, all the way to Tamarack Lake. He had a hard time fitting under the bridge. Heading straight east across Big Fish Lake from Orangeville Creek, you will find a creek mouth on the east shore. This narrow, winding, unnamed creek will take you through a cattail marsh to Horseshoe Lake.
Horseshoe Lake consists of two connected bodies of water. I will refer to them as the south basin and the north basin. The first lake that you come to is the south basin.
It has one home that is barely noticeable.
The stream connecting the south basin to the north basin is short, narrow, and lined with water willow.
The north basin of Horseshoe Lake is undeveloped.
A tiny pond is adjacent to the far end of the north basin of Horseshoe.
After you return to Big Fish Lake, head north along the east shore.
Looking west from the east shore of Big Fish L.
At the northeast end of Big Fish Lake, there is a short channel through a cattail marsh leading to Lime Lake.
This lake is only about 20% developed, all in one portion of the lake, so there is plenty of wild shoreline to explore.
At the north end of Big Fish Lake, a steep hill goes down to the water’s edge. A trail goes down the hill and where it meets the water is a good spot to take a break and go for a swim.
The west shore of Big Fish Lake, viewed from the north, is primarily cattail marsh.
At the northwest end of Big Fish Lake, there is a large shallow pond back in the cattails that is fun to explore.
After cruising around the perimeter of the pond, I called it a day and paddled back to Orangville Creek and the landing. It’s easy to spend a whole day exploring Big Fish Lake and the surrounding lakes!
Lower Crooked Lake is located southwest of the village of Delton. It is bounded by three roads: Milo Road, Norris Road, and Parker Road. Part of Parker Road sits on a narrow causeway that separates Upper Crooked Lake from Lower Crooked Lake. A really nice boat launch is located on the southwest corner of Lower Crooked. It is a Prairieville Township park and the fee is seven bucks (fee subject to change). The lake consists of two connected bodies of water. I’ll call them the south basin and the north basin. The connector is called the narrows and it is a mile long. There are about six homes on the lake, all on the south basin. There is a private campground next to the boat launch, but it never shows much activity. Almost all of the property surrounding the lake is owned by Michigan State University and is called Lux Arbor Reserve. In summer, some areas of the lake are choked with aquatic veggies. It’s still fun to visit the lake in the warmer months, but some parts of the lake will not be easily accessible.
The south basin features two islands and many coves to explore.
On the south basin, I paddled through some brush and found a good sized lake. It doesn’t have a name.
The narrows is the easiest way to travel between the north basin and the south basin.
A cove can be accessed from the narrows by a wide channel. It’s not easy to explore this cove during summer because of the excessive aquatic vegetation.
There is a alternate route between the north basin and the south basin. It involves paddling through three separate, unnamed lakes.
Some of the passages from lake to lake are narrow channels that cross submerged two-track trails.
Other passages are through thick brush.
Some of these passages can be very difficult to find. Some are hidden. I have a hard time finding some of them.
I last paddled the alternate route in June of 2020, when water levels were very high. I didn’t have to get out of my kayak to complete the route. During years of low water levels, I would advise NOT to take the alternate route. The lake to lake passages would have to be portaged, not paddled. The portages would be on private property and they are posted, no trespassing. During low water levels, the area is patrolled by a security vehicle. You will get caught. I know, because I got caught. The security guard let me go with a reprimand. Lucky me!
The north basin of Lower Crooked Lake is shallow and completely covered by lily pads.
There are a few small spots of open water. This huge pad field looks impassable but it is actually quite easy to paddle and explore.
Lower Crooked Lake will give you hours of kayaking enjoyment, so visit it soon!
Swan Creek Pond is an impoundment of Swan Creek. The dam is on the north side of the lake. 118th Avenue sits on top of the dam. The spillway is under the 118th Avenue bridge. The lake is surrounded by Allegan State Game Area, formerly known as Allegan State Forest. Back in the day, there was a state forest campground, Pine Point, on the lake. It became a Allegan County park. Now, all that is left of the park is the primitive boat launch. The entrance to the landing is on the west side of 44th Street, between 118th Avenue and 117th Avenue.
After some research in January of 2022, I found that the dam was slated for removal. Details were unavailable because the removal was still in the planning stages. I was told by a MDNR representative that removal could begin in 2023. I checked again in 2025 and the removal is still in the planning stages. I don’t know how this will effect kayaking on this scenic waterway. I advise paddling it soon, before it is gone forever.
I haven’t visited Swan Creek Pond in several years so I decided to give it a try in July of 2020. You can imagine my surprise when I found the lake covered with duckweed, algae, and other aquatic vegetation!
I thought about going to the nearby Lake Allegan instead. After consideration, I decided to stay with Swan Creek Pond. I was glad that I did. The vegetation did not cover the whole lake. Although the water surface on parts of the lake was not very scenic, the beautiful heavily wooded hillsides surrounding the lake made up for it.
The mostly hardwood forest is interspersed with huge pine trees.
The lake is shaped like a T. The top of the T is parallel to the the dam and 118th Avenue.
The top of the T, looking east. Just left of center, the treeless portion of the shoreline is the dam. The tiny speck of sand to the right of the dam is the landing.
The boat launch is at the east end of the top of the T. The west end of the top of the T is a long cove with a unnamed creek channel flowing through it.
Looking west, from the top of the T.
I headed west in the top of the T, up the unnamed creek channel. The channel is easy to follow and is covered with floating slop.
The slop gradually gives way to a clear creek channel.
There is a beaver lodge just off the channel, on the north side. My progress ended at the beaver dam.
I next headed south along the stem of the T, following the Swan Creek channel.
Small waterways branch off the main creek channel and are fun to explore.
I followed one shoreline waterway for a long distance.
I returned to the Swan Creek channel and continued south. Swan Creek gradually emerges from the pond.
Some parts of the creek are wide and shallow with a sand bottom.
You will have to walk your kayak through some of these shallow spots. After the shallows, the creek gets narrow and will require some maneuvering.
Soon, downed trees will block your way. I did not try to go any farther. It looked futile.
I headed back downstream toward the landing.
The scenic beauty of this waterway is unsurpassed.
The entrance to Fort Custer State Recreation Area is on the north side of M96, east of the village of Augusta. The park is known for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. The campground is modern, with restrooms and electricity. The Kalamazoo River flows through the park. The boat landing on the river is a good place to begin a trip to Galesburg or end a trip from Battle Creek. The recreation area is also popular for its four lakes. The lakes drain into the Kalamazoo River. Eagle Lake has a excellent boat ramp, picnic shelters, and a swimming beach. The other three lakes share a common access area. Whitford and Lawler Lakes are on the south side of the access. Jackson Hole Lake is on the north side. Park signs will direct boaters to each lake.
Whitford, Lawler, and Jackson Hole Lakes Access site, viewed from the Jackson Hole Lake dam.
Some parts of these four lakes are not easily accessible in summer because of excessive aquatic vegetation growth. There is a post with photos and info for each of the four lakes.
KAYAKING SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN 