Outboard motors and crowds not your thing? Do you prefer good ol’ fashioned “paddle power” as your main mode of transportation for exploring new water? The Keweenaw Peninsula has all of the bases covered, whether you desire calm water, big open water or whitewater paddling. There are truly too many options to list, but here are a few that will get you started:
Keweenaw Water Trail
The truly adventurous paddler can circumnavigate the entire peninsula, camping along the rugged shoreline or stopping in one of the several picturesque small towns along the way. This trail gets rave reviews for its access and rest points and has few rivals for true, natural beauty. Northwinds Adventures can be your base to explore sections of the trail and can arrange drop-off and pick-up after a rewarding day trip.
Bete Grise Preserve
(pronounced Betty-Gree)
www.keweenawlandtrust.org
Bete Grise Preserve is a 1500+ acre tract of land on the Keweenaw Peninsula’s east coast. When the winds are from the west, this area provides a wonderful protected paddling opportunity on Lake Superior. With over a mile of beaches, the preserve is perfect for that shore picnic and provides many trails as well as a diverse marshland for you to explore!
Gratiot River
Gratiot River is a good option for whitewater paddling. The river provides stretches of class II and III whitewater and enough distance to make this a good day trip option. The Gratiot River County Park, located on Lake Superior, offers over 200 acres and 8,000+ feet of Lake Superior Shoreline. This park provides a terrific destination for beach walks, picnics and beachcombing.
Additional Resources
These websites highlight many outdoor activities and destinations and are an excellent resource for trip planning in the Keweenaw: