Michigan whitewater - Escanaba River, Delta County

Delta county, Boney Falls Dam to CR420 section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS II(III)     17 miles
 
I have floated the Escanaba River years ago. We always did it in early spring to take advantage of the high water of spring run off. In June our church kayak club ran the river, and found the water flow was way down. In some spots it barely covered the rocks in the river. Two weeks later our son and a friend tried it and they ended up pulling out and walking as the flow was so low. recommend those wishing to make the run to check out: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mi/nwis/uv?04059000

river flows below 1000 cubic feet per second will leave the river
    low. High flows of course gives more white water in the rapids!

Also for a bit shorter trip you can put in at Burnt Camp access sight which is about a mile SE of Cornell on County Road 426.

On the Boney Falls put in watch for Bald Eagles as there are currently three
nest pair backing their home on the backwater of the dam. They love to fish the river lower river which is a great trout steam. Also along the river are whitetail deer, black bear and many different birds. Says Charlie Myers

Whitewater rafting and kayaking in Michigan is often easier than elsewhere, so keep in mind that many of the rivers here are not very demanding. The put-in location is a reasonable drive from Escanaba, as you can see on the road map further down. This section of Escanaba River in Delta County is 17 miles long and has been
 
determined by American Whitewater to be a class II(III) section. There are plenty of other sections in this river system that can be paddled as well. The wonderful Michigan scenery and the cool fresh water are reasons enough to come here and paddle. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. A bit of exercise and a chance to spend some time outdoors are great reasons to come. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking around here you won't find a large number of other spots. There's camping available near Escanaba River. If you have the time you can make this a two day trip, so go ahead and pack your camp stove.

Briefly about the general area:
The yearly rainfall here at Escanaba River is about average; through the month of September you get the most rain around here, and the driest month of the year is February. All through the summer months here at Escanaba River, high temperatures commonly reach the 70's. For the period of the dark hours of summer temperatures drop down into the 50's. The wintertime comes with highs in the 20's while Escanaba River night low temperatures through the wintertime are in the 10's.

Escanaba River, Boney Falls Dam to CR420 road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: II(III)
Length: 17 miles
Average Gradient: 10 fpm
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 45.98042
Longitude: -87.27045

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 45.83998
Longitude: -87.09096

Paddler input for Escanaba River, Michigan:

Submit Input:
Your Name:
Write or Paste Input here:

Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines




Current weather conditions at Escanaba River, Michigan
WXPort

Local climate location: MARQUETTE 20 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Super 8 Escanaba, Escanaba
9 miles away
This 90 room motel is located conveniently off US 2 and US 41 in beautiful Escanaba, MI. The motel offers such amenities as Free High Speed Internet Access, Free SuperStart Continental Breakfast with ...

Americas Best Value Inn Escanaba, Escanaba
9 miles away
Americas Best Value Inn is conveniently located off of US-2/US-41 in beautiful Escanaba, Michigan. Whether visiting for business or pleasure, Escanaba has something for everyone. We are located within...

Comfort Suites Escanaba, Escanaba
10 miles away
The Comfort Suites of Escanaba is an all-suite facility located less than one mile from the beaches along Lake Michigan. The hotel features an indoor water playground, fitness room, tanning parlor, fr...



OTHER_INFO
  All Michigan Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Michigan.
Books about whitewater paddling on Escanaba River, Michigan
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Escanaba River, Michigan.
Find a whitewater outfitter in Michigan

Whitewater Basics
If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.
Outdoors Recreation Near Escanaba, Michigan
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Escanaba, Michigan, the metro area neareast to Escanaba River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Escanaba River.
 Whitewater Near Escanaba River:
Ford River, Delta County , 10 miles away, Class II-III - 7.75 miles long (Highway 2 to Highway 35)
Escanaba River, Marquette County , 11 miles away, Class I-II - 10 miles long (Highway Camp Ground to Boney Falls Basin)
Escanaba River, Marquette County , 20 miles away, Class I-II - 19 miles long (Gwinn to River Road)
Chocolay River, Marquette County , 25 miles away, Class I-II(III) - 2.2 miles long (Highway 41 to Cty Road BH)
Escanaba River - East Branch, Marquette County , 28 miles away, Class I-II(III) - 2.25 miles long (Section 20 Bridge to O'Neal Creek confluence)
Escanaba River - Middle Branch, Marquette County , 30 miles away, Class III-IV - 0.9 miles long (Cataract Basin Dam to powerhouse)
 Ski Areas Near Escanaba River:
Gladstone Ski Park, Michigan , 11 miles away, 200 vertical feet
Marquette, Michigan , 33 miles away, 600 vertical feet
Norway Mountain, Michigan , 48 miles away, 500 vertical feet
Hidden Valley, Wisconsin , 88 miles away, 200 vertical feet
Homestead, Michigan , 97 miles away, 320 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Escanaba River:
Super 8 Escanaba, Escanaba , 9 miles away
Americas Best Value Inn Escanaba, Escanaba , 9 miles away
Comfort Suites Escanaba, Escanaba , 10 miles away
Best Western Pioneer Inn & Suites, Escanaba , 10 miles away
Econo Lodge Escanaba, Escanaba , 10 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Escanaba River:
Brevort Lake Campground - Hiawatha National Forest, Escanaba, 10 miles away
Camp Seven Lake Campground - Hiawatha National Forest, Escanaba, 10 miles away
Carp River Campground - Hiawatha National Forest, Escanaba, 10 miles away
 National Parks Near Escanaba River:
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Munising - MI , 46 miles away

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions
Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater