dam, of which there are three components.
“Treeflection” in the backwaters of the Duck Creek confluence at the Wisconsin River
The creek then heads west along straightaways, where you will need to duck (no pun intended) and maneuver around some obstructions. It’s a pretty scene back here tucked away from development. The creek is wide and the water usually deep. Where it’s on the shallow side, it’s clear and the bottom sandy. The banks alternate between very low and 8 feet high. As the creek begins to meander in earnest, the banks will gently rise—some sandy, some supporting tall stands of pine. After a right-hand bend comes the CR G bridge (N43° 30.090' W89° 20.711'), a solid access point for a shorter trip.
Below the bridge, Duck Creek is almost entirely marsh, but the current remains surprisingly steady. A railroad bridge, power lines off in the distance, and two separate farm buildings are the only signs of civilization you’ll see for the next 5 miles. The sense of isolation is surprising and special. Expect to see—and hear—majestic sandhill cranes, especially in spring and fall. While this second stretch is mostly marsh, the creek does meander quite a bit, narrowing around bends as it does so. And there are some hills in the distance, with a periphery of pine. Still though, avoid paddling here on a windy day since the creek is essentially flat for the last few miles.
Eventually the meandering will slacken, and as the creek straightens out, it becomes wider, too. Off to the left you’ll see the twin smokestacks of the Alliant Energy Plant above Lake Columbia. Next comes the US 51 bridge, below which the creek will gently curve to the left and then to the right leading up to the take-out. There are two parallel bridges: one at the take-out at Duck Creek Road, the other a railroad bridge. The take-out is on the upstream side of Duck Creek Road on the left.
• THE • FUDGE •
ADDITIONAL TRIPS From the take-out to the Wisconsin River and back is another 5 miles through floodplains and various channels (some leading to dead ends, others leading to Lake Columbia). This no-man’s-land (or -river) is certainly fun and interesting, but it can be disorienting. There is a time and a place for purposefully getting lost, at least temporarily losing one’s way—how else are discoveries made?—but make sure you plan and prepare for such sojourning. The current here is next to nothing, so you can do a there-and-back trip using the Duck Creek Road bridge as your put-in and take-out.
An alternative upstream trip on the middle branch of Duck Creek is quite pretty and can be added to this trip or done on its own. Put in at Schliesmann Road east of Wyocena and take out either at Wyona County Park off CR GG (4.2 miles) or at the Lovers Lane boat launch (5.5 miles). The water is terrifically clear and the current is peppy. There is a dam to portage around midway.
CAMPING Duck Creek Campground is located along the banks of this trip (W6560 CR G; 608-429-2425). Indian Trails Campground is situated on a small lake in Pardeeville, a few miles east of Portage (W6445 Haynes Road; 608-429-3244).
5 Fox River A: INDIAN HILLS CAMPGROUND TO PORTAGE CANAL
• THE • FACTS •
Put-in/take-out Indian Trails Campground/Portage Canal on Agency House Road
Distance/time 8.7 mi/Allow for 4–5 hrs
Gradient/water level 1 fpm/See the NOAA gage in Pardeeville. Look for a minimum height of 7 feet. Call Indian Trails Campground (608-429-3244) for real-time water levels. Higher water is better for paddling up the canal. Also, check the wind forecast to try to avoid high winds from the north or west when paddling across Swan Lake.
Water type Quietwater and flatwater
Canoe or kayak Either
Skill level Beginner
Time of year to paddle Anytime
Landscape Sedge meadows, oak savanna, prairie remnants, tamarack swamp, historic lock and canal through urban downtown
OVERVIEW This day journey for the adventurous type explores the historic Fox River, where it begins as a narrow, meandering creek through woodsy meadows, empties into a lake, quietly exits the lake amid a pristine setting of tamaracks and barrens in a protected wildlife area, and finally becomes a river as it takes up its long trek to Green Bay. Passing through an unspoiled landscape as it enters the city of Portage, the river is linked to a famous canal that once connected to the Wisconsin River. Expect to see sandhill cranes, great blue herons, deer, wood ducks, fish, and lots of turtles, including the cool spiny softshell.
SHUTTLE 9 miles. From the take-out, head south on Agency House Road, then turn left onto Cook Street/WI 33. Stay on WI 33 for approximately 6 miles, then turn right onto Wendlick Road. Turn left onto Haynes Road and then turn right into Indian Trails Campground.
TAKE-OUT N43° 33.544' W89° 26.217'
PUT-IN N43° 32.940' W89° 19.380'
• THE • FLAVOR •
PUT IN AT THE PRIVATE CAMPGROUND, where there is a nominal fee ($6) to access the river. There is a free public boat launch at the lake in Pardeeville, but I don’t recommend using it as a put-in, due to the many logjams and necessary portages you’d endure from the boat launch to the campground. Plus, the owner of the campground does an outstanding job of keeping the narrow river clear of obstructions, so think of the fee as gasoline money to keep those chainsaws running.
The Fox here is sweetly intimate, only 20 feet wide and shallow. The water is clear, the bottom sandy. The landscape is marshy, but not flat; tall grass and alders in the foreground contrast with the slopes of pine behind. The river does meander quite a bit, with ubiquitous oxbows, so expect a small workout if you’re in a canoe or longer kayak.
After a mile or so, you’ll pass under the derelict remnants of a bridge and then a beautiful cabin on the left. A welcome straightaway announces the inlet to Swan Lake, 407 acres large and 80 feet deep. The opening upon the lake reveals sections that are wild, undeveloped, and lovely. Alas, it’s more than 2 miles of lake paddling from the inlet to the outlet, so you may wish to preserve your stamina by not tooling around the outskirts too long.
From the outlet to the public boat launch on Swan Lake, off South Shore Drive, is less than a mile; houses and docks line the shore. (The boat launch can be used as an alternative put-in or take-out for those looking for a shorter trip.) Fortunately, there’s less development in the far southwest corner of the lake, which is where you want to head to find the outlet back to the river proper. Look for the yellow Fox River canoe signs. It’s a pretty cool feeling to leave the lake by following a river trail.
Back in the river, the water is wonderfully clear again, the bottom a mix of sand and gravel. You can essentially relax now and let the surprisingly reputable current do some of the work. Besides, the river here is twice as wide as upstream, so there should be no obstacles to dodge. The next 2 miles take you through the Swan Lake Wildlife Area, an undeveloped 2,400 acres of wetlands, grassland, and wooded habitats, including sedge meadows, cattail marshes, oak barrens, and tamarack swamps. It’s a truly beautiful place hidden in the shadow of historic Portage. Also, as you make your way northwest, you’ll begin to see the big beautiful Baraboo Range off to your left, a
