Paw Paw River SW Michigan

[gumpus]

High 60's and no sun today...perfect for a good long paddle.

 

[lowangle al]

That looks like an interesting place, is it in flood stage?

 

[gumpus]

Hi al. The river was running at 800 cfs against an average of 350 cfs yesterday so not flood stage but just very full. I think flood stage is around 1000 cfs. I saw several deer, had one snort at me repeatedly, and heard others moving towards me through the wetlands just out of sight and it was a little spooky to hear something big moving towards you that you couldn't see.

 

[Foxyotter]

Gumpus

I have enjoyed a number of your Paw Paw trip reports. I live a little NE of Grand Rapids. I seem to either paddle close to home or head North for somethings else. I feel like you have highlighted my bias to heading south and southern rivers. My assumption is houses and more houses with more people etc. Thanks for sharing.

 

[yetii]

So, are there any paw paw trees around there?

 

[gumpus]

Gumpus

I have enjoyed a number of your Paw Paw trip reports. I live a little NE of Grand Rapids. I seem to either paddle close to home or head North for somethings else. I feel like you have highlighted my bias to heading south and southern rivers. My assumption is houses and more houses with more people etc. Thanks for sharing.

I almost took a job in GR partly because I knew that it was closer to more wilderness. If you want to send me a PM and tell me about a couple of your favorite local places to paddle I promise I won't tell anyone else.

Yetii - yes there are Paw Paw trees but I haven't found them yet; there may well be yeti out there too. Once I got out among the trees in the flooded areas I started to get disoriented and just wished I brought even more food and my overnight pack.

 

[Jackpine Jerry]

I was born and raised in Mi. but I have to say I know nothing of the Paw Paw. It looks interesting. I paddle the AuSable a lot . I want to explore other rivers . I go to the U.P. often.

 

[gumpus]

I was born and raised in Mi. but I have to say I know nothing of the Paw Paw. It looks interesting. I paddle the AuSable a lot . I want to explore other rivers . I go to the U.P. often.

I went up the Paw Paw again a few days ago. It's motivating to get out of the sun and up into the shady areas...pretty dreamy and I had it to myself again. I also plan to explore more Michigan rivers and maybe other parts of the Paw Paw and I think I got my inspiration to expand my horizon from someone else on this site that popped down to visit recently.

 

[Oldtyme]

Very cool. Paw Paw is not incredibly far for me. Maybe one day I'll try it. Do you paddle alone? How do you get back to your vehicle

 

[gumpus]

Very cool. Paw Paw is not incredibly far for me. Maybe one day I'll try it. Do you paddle alone? How do you get back to your vehicle

I usually paddle alone and I do a lot of round trip paddles on rivers where I go upstream first and then back to the vehicle. But I do enjoy company too. Why don't you come up here in a week or so after this next streak of super hot weather passes? We live in Royalton Township right off M139 so you can take 31 to 139 and get here pretty easily. If you bring a boat we could both drive to the put-in or if you like I have a tandem canoe that we could take. If you prefer I can just send you a private message and tell you where my put-in is....about 15 minutes from the house. The current is slow and my last paddle was about 3 hours total and the one before about 4 hours total. You have to paddle about a mile upstream of the put-in before it starts getting good and then it just gets better and better. I'll definitely be going back soon.

 

[Oldtyme]

Thanks for the invite. Right now I am canoe-less. I have 5 days off coming up and hopefully a super deal comes along

 

[Black_Fly]

What section is this? All low water around here. I could do an overnighter and run it. I run the southern Kalamazoo now and then on a weekend.