5 Wisconsin Rivers To Paddle This Summer

With summer in full swing, Wisconsin’s numerous waterways are calling out for a paddle trip. From the Namekagon in the north, traveling down the Kickapoo to the south, there are enough rivers in Wisconsin to keep you occupied all summer long.

Timothy Bauer, author of the blog Miles Paddled and book “Canoeing & Kayaking South Central Wisconsin,” shared five kayaking trips, and what makes them great, to add to your summer bucket list.

But one thing to keep in mind before jumping in your boat: water levels.

“We forget that water levels determine everything,” Bauer said. “The CFS reading that comes from the United States Geological Service website is as important to look at as the basic weather forecast before you go out any day, especially when you are a beginner paddler.”

Black River

From Black River Falls down to North Bend, the Black River is a gentle stream in a mostly undeveloped setting that’s perfect for canoe camping on sandbar islands. Some of the highlights include stunning box canyons to hike through and many wooded bluffs with exposed sandstone.

Bois Brule River

One of the most extraordinarily scenic rivers in the Midwest, the Bois Brule River offers three separate day trips for a perfect long weekend for experienced paddlers. Highlights include historically preserved cottages and boat houses from the 19th Century, zippy rapids, challenging whitewater, steep clay banks, two riverside public campgrounds and ending on the shore of Lake Superior at the river’s mouth — all enclosed within a state forest.

Kickapoo River

In between the towns of Ontario and La Farge are 20 miles of sandstone canyons and cliffs carved out by the meandering Kickapoo River. In the shadow of Wildcat State Park and surrounded by the Kickapoo Valley Reserve, paddlers can camp along the river at some dedicated sites or car-camp only a few miles away. It’s a very popular spot on summer weekends. This stretch of the Kickapoo is great for beginner paddlers, kids, dogs, kayaks or canoes.

Namekagon/St. Croix Rivers

One of the original eight National Wild & Scenic Rivers and federally protected as part of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, these two rivers are blessed with free public campgrounds along their respective banks for a combined 250 miles of paddling. Root beer-hued water, some minor rapids and extraordinary fishing add to the fun. If ever there were a place catered to paddlers, it’s the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway — it’s like Disney World for canoes and kayaks.

Wisconsin River

Dubbed “the hardest working river in America” on account of its 26 dams, the final 92 miles of the Wisconsin River — from the last dam in Prairie du Sac to the confluence at the Mississippi River — are wild and free, marked by an endless array of wooded bluffs, occasional rock outcrops of sandstone and limestone and hundreds of sandbar islands providing perfect opportunities for canoe camping.