Paddling Root River Offers Pleasant Surprises

I’ve been hoping for the chance to paddle the Root River in the month of May. The plan would be to paddle downstream past multitudes of migrant birds as they forage in streamside trees and bushes.

With that in mind my wife and I launched our kayaks last week at 5 Mile Road. Launch time temperature was a pleasant 70 degrees, but within 15 minutes the wind switched to the northeast and temps dropped like a lead brick. I quickly regretted leaving my jacket in the car.

Thanks to recent rain, the rivers flow allowed us to paddle at a good clip. Once the cold wind hit our backs we kept an even better one.

I had hoped for a profusion of wildflowers along the banks, but recent high water had washed the banks clean, leaving it devoid of greenery in many stretches.

Pockets of warblers were seen along the riverbanks probing the trees and honeysuckles for insects. Just upstream from the 4 Mile Road Bridge a great horned owl silently watched us pass.

The flow intensified along the dog park, not enough to worry about but enough to be fun. Beyond the dog park the river carried us through Johnson Park Golf Course. From there all the way to Hwy. 31 we paddled through the forest. Perched over the river near Trout Ponds Prairie, a male hooded warbler was beautifully dressed in olive colors with a striking black hood and a yellow mask. He hawked insects like a flycatcher. Uncommon to this area, he too kept a keen eye on us as we passed.

Our next treat came just past the bridge at Hwy. 31 when we surprised a near adult bald eagle. Flying to a perch just downstream, the eagle allowed us a great look before it flew back upriver. Bald eagles are increasing in numbers in parts of southern Wisconsin, but this is the first I’ve seen one here in May.

No sooner had we left the eagle behind was our next surprise, which came in the form of a reptile. Despite the cool temperatures and subdued sunlight, a number of turtles basked on the myriad of partially submerged logs. Closing in on one turtle I was surprised to see it was a map turtle rather than the expected painted turtle. Map turtles are common in the Mississippi and Wisconsin River systems, but have never been reported in Racine County. As if one wasn’t enough, two more were basking a hundred yards further downstream.

Below River Bend, the river slowed and widened and we had to put our backs into it to get to the take-out at Horlick Dam. With kayaks on the car and heat blasting, the cold was quickly forgotten. Not forgotten will be the pleasant surprises the river provided, and the challenge of how hard we must work so future generations can also appreciate all that Root River has to offer.