# Overnight Canoe Trip Suggestions



## jnpcook

I have a friend and his son (17 year old) who want to go on an overnight canoe/camping trip with me and my brother-in-law this summer. Anyone have any suggestions on what would be some good floats? I would like the trip to be long enough that we can feel like we are roughing it (supposed to be like a mans getaway type weekend) but not so long that we are racing to get to the campground and back to the pick up point in time. We would like the river to be docile enough that we don't have a very high risk of tipping with all our gear.

I have only gone on 2 different overnight canoe trips in my life.

1. Little Manistee River from headwaters to the DNR weir. (the section between 6 mile and 9 mile bridges was a killer and I still have scars in my arm to show for it. We didn't lose any gear but we sure did come close to it!)

2. Big Manistee from Hodenpyle Dam to Red Bridge (Nice trip, remote, and some decent trout fishing)

I was thinking of possibly #2 (we did a backpack/canoe trip so the way we broke up the days was different. We backpacked from Redbridge toward the dam and camped about halfway between. We finished the next day and started canoeing back to our starting point. We camped on the river about halfway down and finished our trip on the 3rd day).

My friend also mentioned the AuSable River. Any suggestions for good start and stop points for overnight trips with camping in between?

Any other suggestions on rivers?

Thanks,

John


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## PikeLaker

Get's my vote. Never done the camping part I love the river and remoteness. From Reed/Green to the Mouth is a good day float (if you are also fishing otherwise about 5 hours). I've heard there are a lot of portages between the High Bridge (the advertised 2-day trip) put-in and Reed/Green but never done that stretch. I think there is one human built structure that can be seen the whole stretch.....a cabin/trailer high on a bluff, otherwise, all wilderness.


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## jnpcook

Thanks, that may be an option. Is the river fairly wide and what is the risk factor of hitting something and tipping over? (I am a pretty good canoeist but want to minimize the chance for tipping). What kind of fish are in the stretches you mentioned? Are there campgrounds to stop at or is it all state or federal land that you can stop anywhere at?

John


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## PikeLaker

Reed/Green to the Mouth shouldn't be a problem...tipping-wise. There is a primitive campground at Reed/Green Bridge and one at the Mouth in between there are some "unofficial" type camping areas. Most, if not all is state land, just pick up a free permit at the DNR office. If you are doing that river I can give you some pointers on some of the better areas to camp.
From High Bridge to Reed/Green (which is the advertised 2 day trip) I have no idea about. I've heard some stories about "a few" portages and it is probably tighter...can't help you on that stretch.


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## ART

A friend of mine paddled Isle Royal a few years ago. Saw few people in the interior lands, he really liked it.


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## jnpcook

My friend just suggested this trip:

".....are planning a canoe trip down the AuSable river. We want to make a week-end out of it. Leaving Friday morning till Sunday afternoon. I checked the map of the river and I thought to start East of Mio at the McKinley bridge. Paddle to just below the Alcona dam to a National Forest camp site. Saturday go till just below Loud dam to another National Forest camp site. The camp sites are right on the river only accessible by canoe. Then Sunday go till we end up at Foote Site Park on top of Foote dam. According to the map, it would be a total of 48 mile...."

This would be either late May or late June this year. 

Does this trip sound feasible? My friends son is 17 years old. Any suggestions, comments, cautions, etc? 

Thanks,

John


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## Duckman1

Dragging around the dams is not that fun of an adventure and that stretch below Mio get a ton of party time canoers especially on the weekend. If at all posible a mid week trip would make it feel like your in the wild.
The upper Ausable is a nice easy river to canoe. I have canoed it from Grayling to the top end of Mio pond. I think it ended up being about 60 river miles. 3 long days for sure. You could cut out earlier than that if you wanted to though. Campgrounds along the way are spaced pretty good to break it up nice. Another thought is the upper Manistee. Check out the book Canoeing Michigan Rivers by Jerry Dennis. Alot of rivers and very good info in that book. PM me if you want some more info on the upper Ausable.


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## brushbuster

I would go in early may or late may. After that it gets crowded with rowdies.

A friend of mine who is training for the marathon just finished going to oscoda from grayling in 3 days. 
We have a group that is going to do the same trip in early may. we are planning on 5 days to do it.
There is alot of remote camping to be had on the islands in the ponds. Its a good idea to GPS the portages at the ponds before you start your trip if you are on a time frame.


If you want to stay in the L.P. i would recomend the pigeon Remote stretches with little activity. There are some blow downs though to drag the gear over.


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## 1wildchild

If you start at McKinley, you aviod a bunch of the partiers. I have floated McKinley to 401 a bunch and it is a very nice trip.


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## PikeLaker

open water with a wind (in the wrong direction!) is no fun either!


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## jnpcook

Thanks for all the help. My brother in law just bought a square stern Old Town canoe so we are set. He would like to put a small outboard on it to help us with the lake crossings. Does anyone know if there are any restrictions on whether you can have an outboard motor between McKinley Bridge and Foote Dam? I tried to search the DNR site but haven't found anything yet. We also have a set of wheels that should help with the portages.


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## PikeLaker

only thing I'm aware of is to be sure to have it registered with the boat number, anything with any motor needs it. 
I've never portaged any of the dams on the Au Sable (there are portages right?) they might get pretty wicked with motor , gear etc.


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## jnpcook

Thanks, yes we are aware about the registration. The canoe already has MC numbers on it and my brother in law is going to get the registration to allow for using with a motor. We have a set of wheels so I think the portages should be OK.


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## CaseBones

Ive done both the Au Sable and the Rifle on multiple night trips, they are both great, the Au Sable trip from the headwaters floats thru the Holy Waters, so I always feel bad when I come up to somebody fly fishing. On the Au Sable you start at the headwaters (Whites Canoe?) and float till the end, they they bus you back to your car.

On the Rifle (Russell's), you park at the canoe place and they drive you to your starting point and you float back to your car. I liked this because on the last day there was less of an urgency to make it back before the last bus time.

The Rifle has more partiers on it, the Au Sable more fishermen.

Both are beautiful and quite the experience if you've never gone 90+ miles in a canoe. Day 3 hurts.


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## bborow2501

the south branch ausable is a good alternative to the main branch, and there tends to be less partiers. I have done the south branch from smith bridge to mio, camping at the luzurne park campground, and ending at mio pond. It made a nice weekend trip. The section below the bridge is nice and fast, but not too difficult, and then you get a nice break once you hit the mainstream through the stillwaters section.


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## jnpcook

Well we decided on a trip and it is coming up this weekend. Going to put in at McKinley Bridge and paddle the first day to below Alcona Dam. Second Day we are going to paddle to Five Channels Dam and 3rd day we will take out at Foote Dam. Should be a nice weekend and fun trip. We did a prepack of the canoe and it is pretty well loaded. I was joking with my wife that my brother in law didn't buy an Old Town canoe, it was an Old Town Submarine. LOL. Got the fishing gear in there so hopefully will be able to report some good news when I get back. 

Thanks for all of your help. I will let you know how it goes upon my return.

John


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## chopperloui

Please let me know how you made out. I have been thinking of a imular trip as a check on my bucket list.

Thanks

Dale


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## NaturesNymph

Yes, the AuSable river is great for canoe trips, there are many regular landings which can help with adjusting your trip length to fit your needs. Just be sure to look for any no trespassing signs before making any stops as there are quite a few private residences along the river and a few of them can be a bit defensive. It's a great place for a trip though, with tons of primative campsites as well as ones with water/elect. hook ups. be aware that they do have a large canoe marathon from July 26th-31st, so things might be busy around then (we're looking for alternate rivers for a trip we're planning because of it)


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