Customer Reviews

Canoeing Michigan Rivers

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Nicely set up with maps and corresponding narrative explanations of many of Michigan's most popular rivers. The book discusses dams and portages, places where fallen trees often end up, and other helpful tips.

The only thing I found lacking was that the time estimates used were a bit conservative. However, I am a seasoned canoist and probably underestimate my own skills when planning a trip. My best friend and I ended up using the information to take a perfect day trip during the fall folliage that is particularly splendid in Northern Lower Michigan.

The authors also included a few pages in the back of the book that gave contacts for various wildlife and state/national park services that can provide more information on variables such as water levels, obstacles on well-traveled routes, etc.

Overall, the book is complete in information about Michigan's rivers and offers a wealth of knowledge to even the most avid canoist.

This book, Canoeing Michigan Rivers, and Paddling Michigan by Kevin Hillstrom and Laurie Collier Hillstrom were both purchased by our Scout Troop to aid in the planning and execution of our Scouting Outing Canoe trips. Both books are great, but the boys preferred this book over Paddling Michigan.

This book has to all to plan an outing, the maps, river description, challenge, a "standard time factor" and excellent commentary on the expectation of the canoe trip. The Senior Patrol Leader Council, the event planning committee of Boy Scouts aged 14-17, was able to take this book and properly plan, organize and execute several canoe trips. It had all the information needed to make the proper decisions without having to go visit the river first, or rely on comments from someone who knows someone who said that access to the river was available from County Road 48.

The Scout Troop now uses this book as a first resourse for planning canoe trips in Michigan and has greatly aided the exploration of the rivers of Michigan with confidence!

It would be nice if it were easy to scout out a river before driving to an access point and paddling it. This book does it for you. The directions to access points and places to park are very detailed and good. The maps are excellent and very clear. There are written notes on the problems or special circumstances you will encounter, which are very intelligent and accurate. I checked the rivers I have paddled and read the remarks, and they are just what you need to know, and they are true. The author really knows what he is writing about, this is not a book thrown together by someone who hasn't actually been on the river. If you want to know which Michigan rivers are in this book, here is a list:

Lower Peninsula:
Au Sable
Au Sable South Branch
Betsie
Black
Boardman
Cass
Chippewa
Dowagiac
Flat
Huron
Jordan
Kalamazoo
Little Manistee
Little Muskegon
Mansitee
Muskegon
Ocqueoc
Pere Marquette
Pigeon
Pine
Platte
Rifle
Shiawassee
Sturgeon
Thornapple
Thunder Bay
White

Upper Peninsula:
Black
Brule
Escanaba
Ford
Fox
Indian
Manisique
Michigamme
Montreal
Ontonagon (East Branch, Mainstream, Middle Branch, South Branch)
Paint
Presque Isle
Sturgeon
Two Hearted
Whitefish

We followed the book for a 5 day trip on the AuSable and it was very helpful. Reportedly the book will be updated and available soon in a new version.

This book is by far one of the best books I have seen on different rivers in Michigan. It has provided us with a great deal of help in picking rivers to Canoe/Kayak down over the summer.

Dan END

The people who wrote this book definately did their homework. I've gone down a few of the rivers in the lower peninsula and this book was an impeccable guide. Now, Lower Peninsula rivers aren't exactly the meanest or fastest, but there are enough twists and turns to keep your attention and to want a book like this aroud, if only to know what's all out there. There was also good attention paid to campsites and drop off points gone through in great detail. I once tried a dropoff point agains the recommendation of this book and paid for it dearly.

The problem about getting hardcovers of natural wonders like rivers is that all too often the data becomes obsolete after a couple years. For this case is seems that it's still pretty to date, but check on the web anyways just in case conditions change.

If you want to paddle michigan rivers - get this book first! It is great reading and has an abundant amount of information.

Absolutely the best of the current books available for planning, or considering a trip down one of the rivers noted. More complete than anything out there and covers more rivers than any book as well. Very thorough coverage, with access and parking information, general river condition, river gradient, what to expect along the way, and detailed miles and time information. They did such a good job on the 45 rivers, wish they'd now document a few more, especially in the LP.

What a great book! I am a beginner kayaker having never kayaked a river before - and was nervous even thinking about it. This book was very descriptive and informative. We did the Platte River from Loon Lake to Lake Michigan and it was a blast. Very relaxing. The maps of the rivers were great as was the description of the landings and portages. Looking forward to my next river, and this book will help decide which one!

I live in Michigan and just recently bought a canoe this past summer. This book has helped tremendously in planning for trips and discovering the right rivers to visit. It is well organized and the information is accurate and complete. I highly recommend this book to anyone hoping to explore the beauty of Michigan rivers!