and in between is a soft hill about 30–40 feet high with a variety of trees. On your left, the drumlins come closer into focus. The river will make an abrupt right-hand turn followed by a small 1-foot drop and Class I rapid where an old dam used to be. This marks Governor Bend County Park, a very pleasant spot to picnic and fish.
Before you approach the rapid, it’s best to scout it. A wooden pier surrounded by a rubble of boulders makes this easy and approachable. There is an obvious “tongue” of water with which you want to line up to run the drop safely, essentially in the middle (look for the inverted V). Conversely, this can be portaged by taking out by the pier on the left and putting in again below the rapid. It’s a fun little drop though, both running it and then surfing upstream in it. Shortly after the rapid, there is a wooden pedestrian bridge with a convenient alternative landing on the downstream river-right side (N43° 36.595' W89° 25.834'); you could take out here for a short after-work paddle of 4.5 miles. There’s an outhouse in the park, too, should nature call.
Easy but fun Class I rapids on the Fox River at a removed dam
Drumlins continue on your left, while the landscape in general remains open, pretty, and undeveloped. A little more than 1 mile later, on your left, is the mouth of Neenah Creek (Neenah Creek C), the first big tributary of the Fox River. About 100 yards later, French Creek will appear on your right—blink and you’ll miss it. Here, the surroundings flatten out momentarily. Paralleling the aptly named Fox River Road, the river takes a couple of subtle left and right bends followed by long straightaways nestled in a narrow corridor of trees and high sandbanks.
Take your time here to appreciate the seclusion and sanctuary; this is an especially pretty little nook before the first signs of town encroach upon the shores. The river will begin veering east in earnest, widening as it does. After Good Earth Creek appears on the left, you will begin seeing signs of settlement. The good news is this announces the end of the trip anyway, so it’s hardly a spoiler. The CR O bridge is impossible to miss. The landing is on the left, on the downstream side at a gravel easement.
• THE • FUDGE •
ADDITIONAL TRIPS Downstream from CR O, the river will begin to widen and slow to a crawl due to a dam in Packwaukee. There’s a pleasant 5.5-mile trip from CR O to an inconspicuous public landing off Island Drive that shies away from the worst of the lake effect. Virtually this entire trip falls within the Fox River National Wildlife Refuge, comprising more than 1,000 acres of federally protected wetland and upland habitat primarily for sandhill cranes. During spring and fall migrations particularly, this makes a lovely late-afternoon trip, especially if you don’t have to paddle against wind.
The upstream stretches of the Fox River have a beautiful woodsy feel.
While not a paddling trip, it’s well worth your time to stop and walk around two protected areas accessible from the shuttle route: French Creek State Natural Area and French Creek Wildlife Area. Mostly marshy, both are respites for wildlife.
About 1.5 miles north of the CR O intersection, off CR F, is the boyhood home of John Muir, one of the fathers of our national parks and patron saint of the environment. Today, the land around the lake where he grew up (after his family emigrated from Scotland) is preserved as John Muir Memorial County Park. There’s a beautiful 1.5-mile hiking trail around the lake that is part of the Ice Age Trail. See tinyurl.com/johnmuirmemorialpark for more information.
CAMPING AND RENTALS Indian Trails Campground is situated on a small lake a few miles east of Portage (W6445 Haynes Road, Pardeeville; 608-429-3244).
FOOD FOR THOUGHT For a savory meal or sweet treat, stop by Le Croissant Bakery and Restaurant (235 W. Pleasant St., Portage; 608-742-5466).
SHOUT-OUT At the put-in is a state historical sign that tells you how the city of Portage received its name. Also, while exploring the Upper Midwest, in June 1673, the French priest and missionary Jacques Marquette, together with the French Canadian Louis Jolliet, did what Native Americans had done for thousands of years: disembark from the Fox River, carry their boats—or, as they say in French, portage—over the terra firma between it and the Wisconsin River (a narrow 1.3 miles), and continue all the way downstream to Prairie du Chien, where they “discovered” its confluence at the Mississippi River. In doing so, the two established a major trading route. Marquette is also credited with coming up with the name Meskousing—his adaptation of an Algonquian word meaning “where the waters gather”—to refer to the river. Later French explorers modified the spelling to Ouisconsin, which finally got Anglicized to Wisconsin.
7 Horicon Marsh: GREENHEAD LANDING TO BOWLING GREEN PARK
• THE • FACTS •
Put-in/take-out Greenhead Road boat launch/Legion Auxiliary Park
Distance/time 7.2 mi (longer if you paddle down ditches or around islands)/Allow for 3 hrs (longer if you wish to linger)
Gradient/water level 1 fpm/minimum of 100 cfs at USGS gage 05424057
Water type Flatwater
Canoe or kayak Either
Skill level Beginner
Time of year to paddle Spring and autumn during the migrations; early morning is best. (See Planning Advisory following.)
Landscape Huge marsh with some hills in the background
OVERVIEW A vast wetlands complex that is home to the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the country, Horicon Marsh is a truly intriguing and special place. Each spring and autumn, it’s a junction for tens of thousands of migrating birds, and paddling the marsh during these times, with a spectacular number of birds coming and going overhead, crouched in trees, and on the water, is truly a treat. The marsh is home to seemingly every variety of goose and duck, not to mention herons, egrets, pelicans, bald eagles, turtles, deer, and otters.
PLANNING ADVISORY You don’t want to paddle the marsh when the water’s low—it’s a mucky mess from which to dislodge your boat—and you definitely don’t want to paddle against the wind in this huge open space. This may sound counterintuitive, but trust me: If the wind is coming from the south, even at 10 miles per hour, you should reverse the put-in and take-out points and begin this trip at the Legion Auxiliary Park, then paddle upstream to the Greenhead Road boat lot, to avoid a lot of strenuous paddling and splashy whitecaps. Additionally, pack a lot of water, sunscreen, and a hat—especially on a sunny day, as there’s essentially no shade.
SHUTTLE 5.8 miles; see planning advisory above to decide the order of put-in and take-out for this trip. To shuttle from the Legion Auxiliary Park take-out, turn right onto Barstow Street/WI 33 and cross the Rock River. Turn right onto Lake Street, following the signs for WI 33. Before WI 33 veers to the right and southward, turn left onto WI 28. Turn left onto Bayview Road, then left onto Greenhead Road. Bear right on Greenhead Road to the boat launch.
TAKE-OUT N43° 26.940' W88° 37.860'
PUT-IN N43° 30.300' W88° 35.520'
