Michigan whitewater - Paint River, Iron County

Iron county, Little Bull Dam to Horserace Rapids section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 



CLASS II(III)     2.8 miles
 
I just took a 30 mile trip down this river with a group of 6 and three canoes. I thought it was great overall. There are a few shallow spots where we had to get out of the boat and pull it through the water but otherwise the depth is good. As far as the quote ''pretty good campgrounds'' go, these were not easily found but can be set up in the less dense forests alongside the water. The stretch over the hemlock rapids is a bit difficult on the lower hemlock but the upper is an exciting though slightly wet ride. The overall current throughout the river is not too
    fast so some paddling is needed. Thats about it, this is a great river. The scenery is beautiful, and if your staying overnight the stars are miraculous, so enjoy the view. If your in the trees alot watch out for ticks, (they found me well) but other than that, enjoy the ride.
Says Blake Myers

The nature scenery of Iron County and the beautiful way the water current moves down the stream attract people from near and far. The put-in location is a reasonable drive from Iron Mountain, there's a road map further down the page with more info on that. This river system has a few good paddling stretches and the Little Bull Dam to Horserace Rapids section is one of them. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up
 
quick. This is a pretty short section so better bring some good walking shoes. Whitewater rafting and kayaking in this state is often easier than elsewhere, so better not forget that the rivers in this state are less demanding. Since you're on this site you are probably into whitewater rafting or kayaking, either way there are lots of good places for that around here. The Little Bull Dam to Horserace Rapids section of Paint River is 2.8 miles long and is a class II(III) section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. Getting your paddling muscles activated and a chance to spend some time outdoors will have you coming back for more.

Briefly about the general area:
It's always magnificent to check out Horserace Rapids; do put some time aside to spend at Little Bull Rapids if you're here at Paint River. At Paint River throughout the days of summer highs are in the 70's. For the period of the dark hours of summer temperatures plunge down into the 50's. Throughout the winter the highs are generally in the 10's while the cold winter nights at Paint River are in the-10's. Paint River gets a common amount of rain; during the month of August you get the most rain around here while February is generally the driest month.

Paint River, Little Bull Dam to Horserace Rapids road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: II(III)
Length: 2.8 miles
Average Gradient: 27 fpm
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 46.00502
Longitude: -88.26381

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 45.98987
Longitude: -88.27081

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Current weather conditions at Paint River, Michigan
WXPort

Local climate location: STAMBAUGH 7 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Budget Host Inn Iron Mountain, Iron Mountain
16 miles away

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites IRON MOUNTAIN, Iron Mountain
17 miles away
Conveniently located on US2/ 141/ M95 , the brand new Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites of Iron Mountain is proud to offer 100% nonsmoking accommodations. Our amenities include a heated indoor pool...

Budget Host Inn Iron Mountain, Iron Mountain
17 miles away
At a Budget Host Inn, the traveler enjoys consistent high standards at budget rates, plus the bonus of warm hospitality so traditionally associated with predominately family-owned and operated inns. C...



OTHER_INFO
  All Michigan Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Michigan.
Books about whitewater paddling on Paint River, Michigan
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Paint 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 Iron Mountain, Michigan-Wisconsin
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Iron Mountain, Michigan-Wisconsin, the metro area neareast to Paint River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Paint River.
 Whitewater Near Paint River:
Brule River, Florence County , 6 miles away, Class II-III - 3.4 miles long (Brule River Dam to Ryneers Road)
Pine River, Florence County , 8 miles away, Class II-IV(V) - 2.2 miles long (LaSalle Falls to Power Dam Road)
Pine River, Florence County , 10 miles away, Class I-II - 9.2 miles long (Goodman Grade to Highway 101)
Popple River, Florence County , 13 miles away, Class II-III+ - 11.2 miles long (Morgan Lake Road to Pine River)
Pine River, Florence County , 16 miles away, Class I-II(III) - 9.3 miles long (Chipmunk Rapids to Goodman Grade)
Paint River, Iron County , 18 miles away, Class I-III - 5.6 miles long (Hemlock River to Bates Amasa Road)
Brule River, Forest/Florence County , 20 miles away, Class I-II - 15.8 miles long (Highway 189 to FS2150)
Popple River, Florence County , 22 miles away, Class I-II - 10.2 miles long (Twin River Road to Morgan Lake Road)
Pike River - North Branch, Marinette County , 22 miles away, Class II-IV - 3.2 miles long (Twin Lake Road to Eight Foot Falls)
Pike River - South Branch, Marinette County , 23 miles away, Class II-III - 4.9 miles long (FR510)
 Ski Areas Near Paint River:
Norway Mountain, Michigan , 29 miles away, 500 vertical feet
Ski Brule, Michigan , 30 miles away, 500 vertical feet
Marquette, Michigan , 63 miles away, 600 vertical feet
Gladstone Ski Park, Michigan , 86 miles away, 200 vertical feet
Hidden Valley, Wisconsin , 99 miles away, 200 vertical feet
Porcupine Mountain, Michigan , 103 miles away, 641 vertical feet
Nordic Mountain, Wisconsin , 110 miles away, 265 vertical feet
Granite Peak, Wisconsin , 110 miles away, 700 vertical feet
Indianhead, Michigan , 120 miles away, 638 vertical feet
Sunburst, Wisconsin , 120 miles away, 214 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Paint River:
Pine Mountain Hotel & Resort, Iron Mountain , 14 miles away
Budget Host Inn Iron Mountain, Iron Mountain , 16 miles away
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites IRON MOUNTAIN, Iron Mountain , 17 miles away
Budget Host Inn Iron Mountain, Iron Mountain , 17 miles away
Comfort Inn Iron Mountain, Iron Mountain , 17 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Paint River:
Golden Eagle Park and Campground, Florence, 4 miles away
Keyes Lake Campground, Florence, 6 miles away
Bewabic State Park, Crystal Falls, 12 miles away
 Trails Near Paint River:
Lauterman Trail, Florence County , 19 miles away
 National Parks Near Paint River:
Isle Royale National Park, Houghton - MI , 58 miles away
 Golf Courses Near Paint River:
Spread Eagle Golf Course, Florence , 4 miles away
 Lakes Near Paint River

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