Patch Guide: The Best Paddling by Canoe or Kayak Places In Racine County

Slowly and quietly paddling my kayak into a river backwater, I surprise a great blue heron feeding in the shallow, still water. The great bird leaps into the air squawking considerable displeasure and with strong beats of massive wings, the heron is soon gone.

Scenes like these are common for those who explore our area rivers with canoes and kayaks. Absent the noisy vibration of an outboard and the ability to skim easily through shallow water, animals often allow close approach. Over the years I’ve paddled every stream and river in Racine County and believe the following list represents the best paddles it has to offer.

Paddling the can be a one way or an up-and-back paddle. One great up-and-back paddle is to put in at the launch site just above the dam and paddle upstream. Depending on water levels you should be able to get to the bridge at Hwy. 31, perhaps further. For a one-way paddle put in at the bridge at 4 Mile Rd. or on 5 Mile Rd. and paddle downstream taking out just above the dam.

Fox River on the western end of the county offers a variety of paddles as well. A favorite up-and-back paddle is putting in at the DNR launch off Bridge Drive and head upstream until you decide it’s time to turn around. Numerous sandhill cranes, herons, mute swan, shorebirds in season and osprey in recent years make this a wildlife rich paddle.

An alternate up-and-back paddle is putting in the Fox River just upstream from the dam in Waterford. Though a scenic paddle with interesting backwaters, this is the route most likely to be shared with other boaters. Put in below the dam and you’ll have good paddling as far downstream as you’d care to go. A fairly easy take-out and portage at Rochester dam is the only obstruction until south of the state line. Other good put-in, take-out areas within the county include Case Eagle Park in Rochester, Wehmhoff Jucker Park and Bushnell Park in Burlington and Cnty. Hwy. JB at the Racine, Kenosha County Line.

My favorite paddle is to put in at Echo Veterans Memorial Park in Burlington and head upstream across Echo Lake. In one mile the White River enters from the left and Honey Creek merges from the right. Stay right. A mile upstream from the Spring Prairie Road Bridge you’ll come to a quiet backwater straight ahead of you but Honey Creek sneaks in on the left. From here to Honey Lake it’s a surprisingly beautiful clear flowing stream.

With good paddling available on area waters well into the fall months, there’s plenty of time to enjoy one or more of these local gems. Echoing the sentiment of wilderness activist Bob Marshall, “Swift or smooth, broad as the Hudson or narrow enough to scrape your gunwales, every river is a world of its own, unique in pattern and personality. Each mile on a river will take you further from home than a hundred miles on a road.”

Looking to rent a canoe? Check out Kangaroo Kayak or the Nature Center.