October on the Remote Lower Tahquamenon River [video] SUP Touring

08/07/202105/23/2021 by Seasoned Surfer

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SUP Touring The Lower Tahquamenon River

Below The Falls

This was a two night trip camping at Tahquamenon Falls State Park. I stayed at the Lower Falls Portage Campground. There was easy access to the river from a deck with stairs to the water at the head of the North Country Hiking Trail. You could rent a camping site right next to this river entry/exit spot.

The Tahquamenon River flows into Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior. The distance from the lower falls to the mouth of the river is 17 miles with plenty of winding bends and turns. There is also a campground at the mouth of the river. It is here, near the mouth of the river, where you will find most of the canoes and kayaks.

The slow-moving Tahquamenon is a remote and beautiful wilderness river.

Paddling the 17 miles to the mouth of the river would take me a minimum of 8-9 hours. Since I was staying at the Lower Falls Campground both nights I would have to return however far I paddled. So paddling all the way to the mouth and returning to camp (34 miles) was out of the question.

Instead I just paddled out and kept an eye on the time making sure to give myself plenty of time to get back to camp around dinner time. How far down the river did I paddle? I can’t be sure. But I saw a lot of the river.

In hindsight I could have used a shuttle service to bring me back and paddled the 17 miles. The Woods is a local outfitter that provides shuttle service on the Tahquamenon.

Tree tannins
stain
the Tahquamenon
the color of tea.

The Tahquanenon is a blackwater river. It is stained brown from cedar, spruce and hemlock tanins that drain into the river from the surrounding boreal wetlands. The water can appear an almost black or a lighter golden brown. The water is not murky or dirty, it is actually stained.

There can also be white foam floating down the river created by the waterfalls. At first I thought this might be caused by pollution, but no, Native Americans encountered the same foam hundreds of years ago.

The river and surrounding boreal forest is rugged, remote and beautiful. Paddling in October not only added colorful fall foliage but there were no bugs at all. Which is always a real treat in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Lower Tahquamenon Falls

After paddling a few hours I was impressed with the solitude of the river. The only sounds were of nature, birds, the river and wind in the trees. (A big contrast to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore where you are always bumping into hikers or tour boats.)

That solitude was only broken twice (by the same person). First when I heard a boat motor in the distance that quickly grew louder and louder. A small skiff came screaming up the river and slowed down the second the driver saw me. He thought I was fishing, apologized and slowly drove away.

Then later he passed me again, slower this time, on his way back down the river. He had started at the river mouth, driven all the way to the falls and was now going back.

Other than that encounter it was complete solitude on the river.

The current on the river is gentle. And it was easy navigation. Despite the dark brown water I never had an issue catching my fin on hidden stumps or logs even when paddling near the river bank.

I had no problem paddling upstream when there was no wind. However, the wind would pick up often and was blowing opposite the current. There were a few times where the wind in my face made it impossible to paddle and I had to pull over to the river bank. Locals tell me that as you approach the mouth of the river there is often a strong wind in your face.

If you are planning to paddle the Tahquamenon consider the wind. Get the wind direction and wind forecast. Use the wind to your advantage by having it blowing into your back. Especially near the end of the day when you begin to tire. A shuttle service will be able to help you with this.