level 10 fpm/See USGS gage 05425912. The ideal level is at or above 200 cfs. At 300 cfs or higher, the river will be pushy and should be considered only by paddlers with good boat control.
Water type Several Class I rapids, riffles, and quietwater
Canoe or kayak Kayak
Skill level Experienced
Time of year to paddle Anytime
Landscape Urban in first half, secluded woods with hills in second half
OVERVIEW This exhilarating trip begins in an urban downtown but ends in the country, with constant riffles and a dozen Class I rapids along the way. A wooded corridor between the put-in and take-out adds to the variety of this trip. You might spot pelicans at the lake above the dam, but expect to see ducks, geese, muskrats, fish, and great blue herons below US 151.
SHUTTLE 5.1 miles. From the take-out, head northeast on CR J. Turn left onto CR G and take it into town. Turn left onto Mill Street. Turn right onto Madison Street, then left into the parking lot at the dam.
TAKE-OUT N43° 23.640' W88° 52.132'
PUT-IN N43° 27.278' W88° 50.570'
• THE • FLAVOR •
PUT IN AT COTTON MILL PARK on the north bank of the river below the dam, opposite the large brick building that used to be a mill but now is rehabbed apartments. Cotton Mill Park is little more than a strip of land in the backyards of residential houses. It is open to the public, though, and parking is permitted in a lot contiguous with the apartment building. Launching here is via rocky riprap, where you will be sharing space with those who come here to fish.
Only 50 yards ahead is the Beaver Street bridge, beneath which is a small low-head dam. Normally, you should not entertain the notion of running low-head dams, but this one is an exception to the rule. There is enough clearance between the top lip of the dam and the water surface to run without scraping, and the drop itself is only 18 inches or so.
Wintertime paddling can be thrilling, but always dress appropriately (and have a spare change of clothes just in case).
If you run the dam, it’s best to do so with some speed and not just inch up to the edge. That said, there is a backroller at the bottom of the drop, so caution is critical. You can portage the dam at the far left where there is an eddy as well as some rocks along the concrete wall of the bridge; use this wall to dock, get out, and pull your boat below the drop. Scout this before you run it, and steer away from the I-beams in the water.
Below Beaver Street, the rapids begin as the river makes a clockwise 180-degree turn through downtown. After the Center Street bridge, both banks of the river are lined with attractive rock rubble, no doubt adding to the stream’s riffles. Approaching the water tower on the left be mindful and keep a wide berth of remnant posts sticking out of the water; the current here is fast, so you don’t want to run into these. (In higher water, these will be submerged.) On your left will be a high, flat wall creating a canal feeling—and again adding to the swiftness of the current. A fun drop lies just below the wall. This in turn is followed by an even better drop just below the Mill Street bridge.
A long, narrow straightaway announces the gigantic Kraft factory on your right. Light rapids and riffles will continue through a series of pleasant city parks around which the river meanders. At Cooper Street, you’ll come upon four culverts. They look intimidating because they lie on a diagonal, so you can’t see proverbial light at the other end of the tunnel. You can easily portage around these, but rest assured it’s totally safe. Choose the rightmost culvert, as there’s a fun small rapid just below the clearance. Consider this short-but-lively stretch part one of this trip.
Part two consists of Cooper Street to just downstream of the US 151 underpass. This stretch is a little dull, to be frank. The river widens and thus gets quite shallow and slow. Notwithstanding the clarity of the water, there’s a considerable amount of trash in this section—mostly tires. The culprit is no doubt the large landfill you’ll see in the form of a hill on the right. Fortunately, all of this is quickly passed through. Another tunnel, this time concrete-lined, the US 151 underpass is pretty fun to paddle through. Since the current here is virtually nonexistent, there are no safety concerns. On the downstream side of US 151, you’ll see a new housing development off to the right. The general dullness of this section resumes for a quarter of a mile more before the river again narrows, woods enclose, and the best part of the trip begins—indeed, the best portion of the entire Beaver Dam River!
Past the barn on the right and then a set of power lines lies a wonderfully easy 1-foot drop—you’ll see a modest horizon line and hear the rapid. The river flows fairly straight through a woodsy corridor for the next few miles, and riffles are everywhere, occasionally punctuated with small rapids. The left bank will rise about 20 feet high, and then the right bank as well. You’ll pass only two houses here, side by side on the right above a series of concrete terraces. After these, the river zigzags through more charged riffles leading to a magnificent and colossal railroad bridge seemingly in the middle of nowhere and more or less resembling a Roman aqueduct. At least 50 feet high, it was built in 1910 and straddles the tall banks. Be careful though: On the downstream side of the bridge is a wire, not barbed, but you don’t want to become entangled.
After the bridge, the river is shallower, so in low water you will need to pay attention for the deepest channels. There are a number of small boulders and a few strainers to watch out for and maneuver around. It’s not necessarily dangerous, but you must be mindful and on-game—but in a fun way, not a dangerous one. Leading up to and following Canary Road, the woods thin out and you’re in farmland. The riffles continue, the water is still clear, and the river meanders more here, so the paddling remains a delight.
Immediately upstream of a charming red barn is one last super-fun rapid at a right-hand bend. As usual, you’ll hear the sound of it before seeing it. The rapid peters out to a riffle leading to CR S. The current will remain lively for the next 0.5 mile, to the bridge at CR J, where you’ll see a small stream enter on the right. Take out on the right bank on the upstream side of the bridge, where there is a convenient flat spot for ease of access.
• THE • FUDGE •
ADDITIONAL TRIPS There’s a pretty stretch a few miles downstream beginning at Meadow Road to the dam in Lowell. Except for one random stretch with riffles, it’s slow and becomes somewhat monotonous, but the beginning meadow is especially lovely in spring. A couple hundred yards of Class I rapids and riffles lie below the dam, but there’s no good spot to take out. It’s slow and agrarian downstream of Reeseville, and eventually the river splits around two huge islands studded with subdued quartz. The area is interesting but very marshy and often frequented by motorboats.
Beaver Dam Lake itself is not recommended for paddling due to the motorboat traffic it receives.
CAMPING Derge Park (N8379 CR W, Beaver Dam; 920-386-3700)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT For a great cup of coffee as well as sweet and savory treats, head over to Black Waters Coffee (308 S. Center St., Beaver Dam; 920-887-8100), two blocks from the put-in.
2
