Anna River Kayaking Guide
The Anna River is a short, 7.1-mile river entirely within Alger County, flowing from the Anna Marsh in eastern Au Train Township north into the city of Munising, where it meets Lake Superior on the South Bay of Grand Island Harbor. Portions of the river run through the Hiawatha National Forest.
The Anna is known less as a paddling river than as a trout stream and waterfall corridor. Its watershed holds several regional attractions: Horseshoe Falls on Stutts Creek, Alger Falls where M-94 meets M-28, and the Wagner Falls Scenic Site on Wagner Creek, which joins the Anna just south of Munising.
Paddlers mostly encounter the Anna at its mouth. The Anna River Mouth Boat Launch — an ADA-accessible kayak launch owned by the city of Munising — is a primary site on the Lake Superior Water Trail, and it is really a gateway to Munising Bay and Grand Island Harbor rather than the start of a river run. The river itself has no documented established paddling route.
Anna River at a Glance
- Region: Central Upper Peninsula — Alger County, Munising
- Difficulty: Flatwater paddling at the mouth (Lake Superior); the river itself has no documented route
- Character: Short forested river from Anna Marsh through Hiawatha National Forest to Lake Superior
- Signature reach: Anna River mouth — ADA kayak launch on the Lake Superior Water Trail
- Watch for: Cold Lake Superior water, wind and waves at the mouth; waterfalls in the watershed, not on the route
Paddling the Anna River
Anna River mouth and Munising Bay
The one documented paddling gateway is the Anna River Mouth Boat Launch (46.4106, -86.64081), a hard-surface ramp with an ADA kayak launch and 62 parking spaces, listed as a primary site on the Lake Superior Water Trail. From here, paddlers work the sheltered water at the river mouth and along Munising's shoreline toward Grand Island Harbor — a Lake Superior paddle, not a river float, with all the cold-water and weather considerations that implies.
The river itself (no established route)
The Anna's 7.1-mile course from the Anna Marsh southeast and then north through Munising is not documented as a paddling route. The upper river is narrow marsh-and-forest water, and the lower river runs through town. Wagner Creek's Wagner Falls joins the system just south of Munising — a scenic stop, not a paddling reach. Treat any attempt on the river itself as exploratory: scout road crossings, confirm flows, and respect private land.
Hazards & Portages
The real hazard here is Lake Superior, not the river. Water at the mouth is cold year-round, and Munising Bay can build chop and wind quickly — dress for immersion, paddle with a partner, and stay off the big lake in small craft when waves are up. On the river, expect the usual small-stream strainers, and give the waterfalls in the watershed (Wagner, Alger, Horseshoe) a wide berth as shore attractions, not paddling features. Private shoreline near Munising means some banks are off-limits.
Access & Parking
The Anna River Mouth Boat Launch is the key access: hard-surface ramp, ADA kayak launch, 62 parking spaces, owned by the city of Munising. It is a primary site on the Lake Superior Water Trail. For the waterfalls, the Wagner Falls Scenic Site on M-94 just south of Munising offers parking and short trails to the falls. Road crossings of the Anna within Munising give views of the lower river but are not maintained launches.
Map
Paddle It With the Club
The West Michigan Kayaking Club paddles rivers like the Anna River all season long. Come float with us!