Michigan State is full of rivers. That’s why they say “You cannot walk in a straight line for more than a mile without running into a body of water” about Michigan. This quote gives you a good idea of how rich Michigan is with rivers and natural water bodies and these attract travelers from all over US and Canada. Whether you are from Michigan or other states, when you visit these rivers, you will definitely fall in love with the streams of Michigan. Of all the rivers in Michigan, Pine River is undoubtedly the most popular, especially for kayaking. If you want an exciting experience in kayaking, Pine river of Michigan will be the must-visit site for you and the following guide will help you with the planning.

How to Go to the Pine River for Kayaking

Pine River is the fastest river in the lower Michigan. It is indeed the best option you have to do kayaking. If you want to visit the Pine River, there are many rental services here to assist you on this trip. These rental services will park your car in Low Bridge and will give your rental kayaks. This will charge you between $35 to $45. However, you can bring your own kayak too or you can simply buy a new one.

But if you visit the Pine River from May 15 to September 15, you have to get a permit to paddle in the river. The grant is called “Watercraft Permit”. Also, you need permission to park your car. The parking permit will cost you $5 a day, and you need to fill up some papers, and the authority will give you a tag. You can hang the ticket in your car window to show that you have a permit.

As for the bathroom and related necessities, there are excellent toilet facilities available near the Pine River. So, if you need to go to the toilet, you can use those toilets. It is better to use the facilities that are available rather than polluting the environment and the river.

Experiences You can have in the Pine River

The Pine River offers a thrilling experience for the experienced paddlers only. As mentioned earlier, the Pine River is the fastest river in the lower Michigan state. It definitely belongs to the top three canoeing and kayaking sites in Michigan. It flows through the north-west part of Michigan and in summer, the Pine River attracts thousands of paddlers to experience kayaking. However, if someone asks what the ideal time for kayaking in the Pine River is, the answer is spring.

The Pine River is not for novice paddlers as it is one of the fastest flowing rivers. Before coming to the pine river, especially when you are coming from a far distance, try to reserve your spot on the river which is mentioned earlier. The river is bustling in the summer, and that’s why you need to reserve your seat more prior.

The Pine River was announced as the National Wild and Scenic River in 1992. Also, the river is designated as the Blue Ribbon Trout Stream. People come to the Pine River for fishing and kayaking. The river provides an exciting adventure for the people who come for kayaking.

The Pine can give you the most challenging kayaking experience ever. You cannot float on the Pine River. You have to paddle the Pine. Also, the Pine has tight corners and natural obstruction on the pathway and this makes it more challenging for the people who come for kayaking. If you have that skill and experience, the Pine welcomes you with a full heart.

You can start your trip from Edgetts, which is an MDNR access site. From here, you can kayak to the Tippy Dam which is about 45 miles on the Manistee river. But most of the time, a day trip doesn’t start at this far and reaching the Tippy Dam can be very much time-consuming. So, you can take help from the nearby rental services, and they will get all your vehicles to the takeout, and you can enjoy it freely.

You can feel the thrilling when you will make the final check of all your gears and load into your kayaks. When you are kayaking in the river, you can feel the wilderness of the Pine. You will not just float from one point to another, you will live every moment of it. This experience makes the Pine special for kayaking than other rivers.

While kayaking, you will reach a certain point where the Pine will be about only 20 feet wide and with the quick flow of the water. Also, you will face some obstacles on a few scores and have to face water waves. Experienced paddlers will not have any problem facing these types of situation. But if you are a first timer in kayaking, you may face a lot of trouble. That’s why it is recommended to do kayaking only if you have the skills and experience.

After an hour kayaking, you will reach the Briar Patch Access. Briar Patch Access site is even more beautiful than Edgetts. But if you want to start in the high upstream, it is completely fine to start at Edgetts. The silver creek campground is just under the walker bridge, which is also an MDNR site. You will have to pay fees to visit this site. The silver creek is 4 to 5 hours from Edgetts. If you want to take a break, the silver creek is the best place for you. Also, there is another campground to camp, which is one more hour from the silver creek.

When you leave the state forest and enter into the national forest, you will start to feel the real travelling experience. When you are below the Lincoln Bridge, The Coolwater campground and Peterson bridge are the next campgrounds. The action continues when you cross the Peterson Bridge. The scenery of nature becomes more beautiful. Most of the travelers end the trip in the Low Bridge area. Under the Low Bridge area, you can find the Tippy Dam and the Manistee River.

Bottom Line

The Pine River is best for kayaking. You can have the best kayaking experience of your life in the Pine River. Just make sure you have know how to handle the stream.

Enjoy Paddlers!