kickapoo river rafting

Planning to adventure there this summer, Hi, Brenda! I highly recommend starting your day in Ontario. Would love to try river kayaking there though! If I were to do it over again, I would avoid Memorial Day weekend at all costs, haha! What we thought was going to be a peaceful and quiet canoe ride, turned out to be a loud and drunken Memorial weekend party. Depending on rainfall, the river's depth varies, but many areas aren't much more than knee deep. The Kickapoo River watershed encompasses 492,000 acres (1,990 km 2) in southwest Wisconsin. Unlike other major tourist attractions, their isn't a lot of business built up in the towns around the river, its very small town and natural. Glad you got to take advantage of the blazing weather while canoeing on the water!! For Memorial Day weekend, Sean and I spent three nights camping in Perrot State Park. During the summer, the Kickapoo River is also one of the prettiest in the country and is … 3.8K likes. It’s definitely a beautiful and picturesque ride. Kickapoo River Trip - Solo Date: June 19th and 20th, 2004 Put-in: Ontario (WI) Take out: La Farge (WI) Water Level: Above average. Where to Eat: Looking for somewhere to eat before or after your canoeing trip? We ended up stopping at Bridge 8 and called the Wild Adventure shuttle to come pick us up. This article and many like it oversimplify the canoeing experience on the KIckapoo. Ginnie. My husband actually took a similar Kickapoo trip with his dad when he was a teen, too. There are a few riffles along the way to keep things exiting though! I've heard the Kickapoo called the crookedest river in North America, and even the crookedest river in the world! After about three hours of this, we had finally paddled beyond almost everyone and could enjoy some peace and quiet. The name Kickapoo comes from an Algonquin name that means "one who goes here, then there", and it's fitting. I grew up in Hillsboro and have been down the Kickapoo many times, always fun! The Kickapoo, the longest tributary of the Wisconsin River, drains over 800 square miles (2,100 km 2) of land in Monroe, Vernon, Richland, and Crawford counties. Water activities are great for developing core stability, balance, and ancillary muscle strength. Located along the Kickapoo River, the village park includes camping, fishing, horseshoe facilities, swings, shelter, and the Kickapoo River Museum. The Kickapoo River, like the Lower Wisconsin Riverway, is a staple for canoeing and kayaking in Wisconsin. (The New River in West Virginia is also in the running, along with a nameless river in Antarctica.) The banks of the Kickapoo can be muddy, so wear shoes (like flip flops or water shoes) that are easy to clean. Yes! “The rail-trail is going to be a great compliment to Kickapoo,” says Edison. There are many small tributaries with the most significant being Moore Creek, Billings Creek, the West Fork of the Kickapoo, Reads Creek and Tainter Creek. The Kickapoo tends to get very crowded (especially on weekends), and the next one may already be taken. We were both a little confused about why they didn’t mention this earlier, but we ended up paddling to Bridge 10 and they picked us up there. If you're planning to bring your own canoe or kayak, you can launch it from one of the river's public landings. I was surprised by how many fallen trees there were in the river. Fun! Kickapoo State Recreation Area: Decent camping and park - See 65 traveller reviews, 47 candid photos, and great deals for Oakwood, IL, at Tripadvisor. And make sure to bring an extra bag for your garbage, too. 125-miles long, this river draws its name from the Algonquin language and means “one goes there, then here.” Flowing from the North, the Kickapoo River is one of the oldest in the world. Kickapoo State Recreation Area: Kickapoo Landing Kayak/Canoe - See 65 traveller reviews, 47 candid photos, and great deals for Oakwood, IL, at Tripadvisor. This is for good reason as the river is more interesting up there with fun rifles and beautiful limestone bluffs, but the lower portion of the river is scenic as well and worth a paddle. Going on a Kickapoo River Tubing adventure is not a rough ride, quite the contrary! What to Bring: You don't need to pack a lot! Outfitters & Shuttle Services | Mr. Like most rivers, the Kickapoo offers its share of twists and turns. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The current is calm, although occasional work will be needed to make it past a dam or fallen tree. I had never canoed a river before so it was definitely an exciting experience. Great article. Make sure to reserve your canoes ahead of time, especially on busy summer weekends. That sounds like an amazing trip, and what a wonderful memory! The river will rise quickly during and after heavy rain; flooding is a common occurrence. I've never made it quite that far, but let me know if you do! I've made this canoe trip many times and have never had any problems, and I'm definitely a beginner. Significant flooding … I hope you both get back to WI ever once in a while ... Madison is one of my favorite parts of the state. Beginners canoers beware!!!! Maybe later this summer, we’ll try it again in the middle of the week! We launched our canoe from Wild Kickpoo’s dock (just north of Ontario), and within minutes, we were stunned by how busy it was on the river. You'll find rentals in Readstown, Rockton, and Wilton, too. Dealing with risk and the need for teamwork is often a part of the experience. Today, the Kickapoo is used for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking enthusiasts, and the river plays an important role in many local economies along its banks. This is for good reason as the river is more interesting up there with fun rifles and beautiful limestone bluffs, but the lower portion of the river is scenic as well and worth a paddle. What to Wear: Keep it simple and wear a swimsuit or other clothes you don't mind getting wet or getting dirty. ; Middle Fork - Public parking and canoe or kayak access to the Middle Fork River is provided at two locations. The breathtaking view from Wildcat Mountain State Park. Kickapoo River Location | southwest Wisconsin, Date & Time | Sunday, May 27th, 2018 from approx. Sacred Heart School … Thankfully we brought our canoe along so that we could spend some time on the water. (After a few hundred million years, even a river gets tired.) Yet, the crooked Kickapoo is 126 miles long. My husband is a University of Wisconsin alumni. Here are some other things to do in the Kickapoo Valley when you're all canoed out: A few photos of tiny Ontario, WI (population 554). There are flush toilets and a sanitary station. Other than that, the river seemed high enough. It was a little scary ... ha ha. It is named for the Kickapoo Indians who occupied Wisconsin before the influx of white settlers in the early 19th century. Rates vary depending on company and time of year, but are generally $30 - $40 / canoe, $25 - $30 / kayak, and $15 - $20 / tube. That would be them ... what a small world We almost never visit Ontario without going on a canoe trip! Kickapoo Adventures, Oakwood, Illinois. If you’re looking for a tough and rugged canoe, the Discovery 158 is it! The Kickapoo is very popular with kayakers and canoeists. On Saturday, we explored the Trempealeau River, which is accessible right from the campground. It’s one of the most popular rivers for canoeing and kayaking, which makes it a perfect tubing place for as well! As you glide along the narrow river, you'll pass through plenty of verdant green fields. I wanted to check out the Wolf River, one of the better known whitewater riv The calm waters have a slow current that's ideal for beginners. Although you will find a few swimming holes along the way, too. This popular river offers access at numerous road crossings. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. We can't visit his family in summer without canoeing the Kickapoo River. - See 11 traveler reviews, 7 candid photos, and great deals for Oakwood, IL, at Tripadvisor. The Kickapoo was as near perfect as could be for canoeing when we were there. It's one of my fave things to do in the summer! The fee includes your canoe, kayak, or tube, a life jacket, and pick up. They told us they wouldn’t pick us up from there and we either had to paddle back to Bridge 7 or go to Bridge 10. This beautiful part of the state was never touched by glaciers, leaving it with topography ranging from soaring hills to deep valleys. If you want to escape the crowds, start earlier in the day or go during the week. Whether it is canoeing, kayaking or tubing on the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River - Illinois’ only National Scenic river, trail riding through the challenging single-track trails, hiking or running the forested trails through abandoned strip mining spoils reclaimed by nature, or fishing the deep, clear ponds, Kickapoo Adventures is your source for adventure. Kickapoo Adventures: Wonderful time! The best place to put-in is the small village of Ontario, Wisconsin. The Kickapoo River is an extremely popular destination in Southwest Wisconsin. The Kickapoo River is located in Wisconsin's Driftless Area. (Other popular Wisconsin waterways include the Wolf River and the Wisconsin River.) He has lots of fun stories about camping along the river and their shenanigans along the way. There are numbered bridges along the river where you can land your canoe or kayak, so they told us to give them a call when we were ready, tell them which bridge we were at, and they would come pick us up. Locating the headwaters of the Kickapoo revealed that, due to blasting at a local rock quarry, the actual source of the river tended to go dry at times during the summer. It winds through various landscapes, from sandstone cliffs to pastoral farmland to lush forests. And tackling this winding river is something that should definitely be on your Wisconsin bucket list, too. Pro tip: if you need a break, don't pass by an empty riverbank. In a hurry? So Sean called around and discovered a few different shuttle services that could pick us up! Kickapoo State Recreation Area, Oakwood: See 65 reviews, articles, and 47 photos of Kickapoo State Recreation Area on Tripadvisor. If  you drove from the Kickapoo River's source in Wilton to its mouth in Waukeza, you'd travel just 60 miles. We stopped at a few little beaches to relax and stretch our legs. The biggest one, in particular, caused the kayaker in front of us to flip but I honestly don’t know if that was because of the current or her alcohol intake (lol). Want to put-in somewhere other than Ontario? The Lower Kickapoo River is a picturesque meandering stream in southwest Wisconsin. It winds through various landscapes, from sandstone cliffs to pastoral farmland to lush forests. Lake has rope swings and plenty of room to explore. The Kickapoo River itself is gorgeous. I live in Tucson Arizona but went school with them!! Of the two sections we paddled (and this is solely our opinion and it greatly differs from Eugene’s), we had the slightest preference for this upper Ontario to Rockton section. What a great family tradition! There are a few areas with mini rapids that made me a bit nervous because I didn’t have my camera in a waterproof bag. Jun 5, 2019 - Wondering how to spend a sunny afternoon in WI? So on Sunday, we loaded up the truck and headed to the Kickapoo. We camped 3 or 4 nights. It looks so pretty there. Don't start first thing in the morning. It shows bridge / landing locations, paddle distances and times, and locations of self-registration stations. Kickapoo - Canoeing or Kayaking is available on 12 different lakes. We had to hug the bank on the left to avoid it. In the late 1960s, I canoed the Kickapoo with a small group of teenagers (me, 2 girls, and a married couple who were the chaperones) from Wildcat Mountain to Readsville. Mike I’m curious about why you flipped. The water clarity at the beginning of the river (closer to Ontario) is fairly clear and you can see the sandy bottom (it got murkier the farther south we went, however). So we searched for other rivers nearby and Sean found the Kickapoo River, just an hour east of Perrot State Park. Today, the Kickapoo is used for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking enthusiasts, and the river plays an important role in many local economies along its banks. Canoeing the Kickapoo River: Tips for Navigating Wisconsin’s Crookedest River, https://www.facebook.com/Kickapoo-Valley-Reserve-254802577886808/, Starting from somewhere else? At Ontario, the river has carved out vertical sandstone cliffs covered with mosses, ferns, hemlocks and wildflowers. In any case, it's been cutting its way through the sediments of the region for roughly 500 million years. I sunk in the mud up to my knees at the take-out canoe landing. Most people prefer to canoe the upper stretch by Ontario and LaFarge. Jump to the end of the post, where I've gathered all the most crucial information in one spot! What we liked | The scenery is beautiful and it’s cool how curvy the river is. Took 10 of us to kayak the lake and it was fun for all ages. No matter what bend we rounded, there was another group of partiers, seemingly louder than the last. Discovery 158 by Old Town Canoe and Kayak – For over 30 years the Discovery 158 has been one of our best selling canoes. Paddle - Canoeing / kyaking the Kickapoo River in Wisconsin. Make your reservations as far in advance as possible, because pickings can be slim (especially during holiday weekends). The Kickapoo is a river in southwestern Wisconsin that initially caught my eye when I came across a map of a 22.5-mile section of it. The distances may seem short, but due to the slow current and winding nature of the river, it's can be slow going. And where do we find local reports on river conditions for beginners. Ginnie is the writer, photographer, and chief content creator behind Hello Little Home. Although you will find a few swimming holes along the way, too. I liked that there were multiple places to stop with little beaches along the shoreline. Kickapoo State Recreation Area, Oakwood: See 65 reviews, articles, and 47 photos of Kickapoo State Recreation Area on Tripadvisor. Went canoeing yesterday from landing 10-12 and flipped over 3 times and ended up in the ER with a deep gash in my leg. One of my fave summer activities. Hotels - For a variety of (mostly chain hotels), check out nearby Sparta and Tomah, two of the area's larger towns. http://sugarcoatedbears.blogspot.com/, Your email address will not be published. Wilton (from the campground/park) to Nicolette Avenue just north of NOW School took us 6 hours to go 7 miles, and it was exhausting/hilarious! 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Total Time | approximately 5 hours (with 3 stops). The majority of this section of river is surrounded by the Kickapoo Valley Reserve and Wildcat Mountain State Park. The Kickapoo's current is two to three miles per hour and 90 percent of the depth is waist deep or shallower for the average adult. Give the weather a chance to warm up at bit. Thank you! Required fields are marked *. I'm so glad I've gotten to know the river through my husband. I hope you enjoyed reading about this fun Wisconsin weekend destination. For the most part, Kickapoo River canoeing is a serene way to pass the day. There's no glass allowed. These companies will help you launch, pick you up when you reach your destination, and they're a great source for information and tips regarding river conditions, too. What we would do differently | In the future, we’ll avoid the major summer holidays and opt for a middle of the week trip instead to avoid the crowds. Love this. River's Edge cabin is nestled on the hillside amongst the trees along the Kickapoo river. Located on the snowmobile trail as well. But the river was so dirty and brown that I didn’t even want to go in it to cool off. Summer weekends are going to be busy, especially around the holidays. Took a couple kids back later that week for a 3 hour river kayaking trip - water was low and rapids were minimal. Outfitters along the river like Shotgun Eddy rent rafts for thrilling trips through a series of Class II-IV rapids along the river in Menominee County. My husband, who dropped his phone in the river shortly after this photo was taken. Kickapoo Adventures, Oakwood, Illinois. The Kinney's Ford access is located in the northern section of the facility and may be reached by driving one-half mile west of the 2620N/900E intersection. Some people claim that the Kickapoo River, which meanders through the rolling countryside of southwestern Wisconsin, is the oldest river in the world. - See 11 traveler reviews, 7 candid photos, and great deals for Oakwood, IL, at Tripadvisor. It's the same state, but it has a whole different look and feel, and I've fallen in love with that area, too. Most people prefer to canoe the upper stretch by Ontario and LaFarge. Arrange transportation (for a fee) from one of the rental companies before you begin your trip. And the scenery can't be beat! My grandparents were born in the Kickapoo area. Thanks for sharing your experience. My mothers side of the family have a yearly canoe trip that is awesome!! For more information or to reserve your trip today call us at (608) 337-4288 There are plenty of places to eat in Ontario and beyond: Where to Stay: You'll find everything from campgrounds to hotels to hang your hat at the end of the day. You'll want to bring sunscreen, bug spray, and enough food and drinks (and a cooler to pack it in) to last you through your trip. Make sure to reserve your ride in advance, especially on busy summer weekends. “It really adds on to our current mountain bike system, which is almost 25 miles. This is very much a creek and creekers will love this lively and twisty section which shares distinct similarities to not only another class A trout stream, Black Earth Creek, but also the narrow confines of the Badfish, as well as the sometimes rough and brushy banks of Koshkonong Creek. Kickapoo River, Ontario: See 46 reviews, articles, and 16 photos of Kickapoo River, ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor among 5 attractions in Ontario. Beginning at Wilton, the center of the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail, the river is slightly more than a stream. The Lower Kickapoo River is a picturesque meandering stream in southwest Wisconsin. A trip down the Kickapoo River can be accomplished by canoe, by automobile, or by biking along State Highway 131. There is no registration fee to park at bridge 1 (Ontario) or 20 (La Farge). Hi, Mike. Neither of us expected it to be so populated, but there were hundreds of other paddlers and people on inner tubes. River Map - the Kickapoo Indians who occupied Wisconsin before the influx of white settlers in picture! Fee to Park at bridge 1 ( Ontario ) or 20 ( La Farge calm although! West Virginia is also in the nineteenth century when we were there inbox plus! Zip lock definitely a beautiful and picturesque ride with 3 stops ) -... 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