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6 Fox River B: PORTAGE TO BUFFALO IN COLUMBIA AND MARQUETTE COUNTIES

• THE • FACTS •

Put-in/take-out WI 33 at Wayside Park/County Road O

Distance/time 10.5 mi/Allow for 4 hrs

Gradient/water level 2 fpm/See the NOAA gage at Pardeeville, but there’s usually plenty of water to paddle this trip.

Water type Quietwater with one Class I rapid from a ledge at a removed dam

Canoe or kayak Either

Skill level Beginner

Time of year to paddle Anytime

Landscape A pretty mix of marsh, drumlins, and hardwood forest

OVERVIEW A trip steeped in history, human and geologic. Here,s you will mimic the ghosts of commercial barges and paddle-wheel boats of a bygone age, when the city of Portage was the link between the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway and the Mississippi River–Gulf of Mexico, while the Fox River itself threads its way through glacial deposits left in the last ice age. Expect to see sandhill cranes, great blue herons, sandpipers, and lots of turtles.

SHUTTLE 9 miles. From the take-out, head east on WI 33, then turn left onto CR F. Turn left again onto CR O to reach the bridge.

TAKE-OUT N43° 40.320' W89° 23.760'

PUT-IN N43° 33.300' W89° 26.100'

• THE • FLAVOR •

PUT IN AT WAYSIDE PARK ON WI 33, just east of downtown Portage. For the first 0.5 mile, the river is unusually narrow and shallow, 40 feet wide and 1 foot deep (or less). If you happen to get stuck on the bottom, don’t be discouraged or deduce that it will be like this for the remainder of the trip; it won’t. Just butt-scoot your way to deeper parts, or take your boat for a short walk. The water is clear, with a mostly sandy bottom, and the river has a slow current.

After 1 mile the river widens out to 60 feet (and it is wider still in other parts downstream), so deadfall and obstructions should not ordinarily be problematic. Soon, on the left, you’ll see the channel of the old canal, upstream from which lie the ramshackle remains of the lock and dam. It’s a popular spot for fishing. After the canal, a series of straightaways with gentle bends takes you through an attractive environment of 10-foot-tall banks topped with tall grass waving in the breeze and stands of pines lined behind.

The river here widens out even more, and there are no signs of development anywhere. In fact, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail—which follows the path of the last glacial advance 12,000 years ago—is on your left for half of this entire trip. Also to your left, in the distance, you’ll begin seeing drumlins. You’ll pass under a low-clearance wooden footbridge; portage around it if it is impassable. The first road bridge you’ll come upon is at Clark Road, preceded by the remains of concrete abutments.

Another long straightaway continues below the bridge. The landscape is especially pretty where the river is cleft a few hundred yards downstream from Clark Road. The main channel is to the left, a slough is on the right, 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.