Big Quinnesec River Kayaking Guide
A note on the name: there is no separate, free-flowing river by this name on current maps. 'Big Quinnesec' refers to the Big Quinnesec Falls hydroelectric project (FERC Project P-1980) and its 127-acre flowage on the Menominee River, straddling the Michigan–Wisconsin line near Niagara, Wisconsin and Iron Mountain, Michigan (Dickinson County side). The Quinnesec Falls dam sits at river mile 94.8 of the Menominee.
The impoundment is essentially a widened river channel — average depth about 27 feet, mostly boulder and sand substrate — operated by WE Energies. It runs as run-of-river from mid-April to mid-June and as a peaking project the rest of the year, meaning flows below the dam can change with power operations. Anglers fish it for walleye and smallmouth bass.
No paddling route is documented for this reach. There are two public accesses to the flowage (one operated by WE Energies just upstream of the dam), but this is dam-controlled water, not an established paddle run.
Big Quinnesec River at a Glance
- Region: Central Upper Peninsula — Menominee River at the Michigan–Wisconsin line (Dickinson County, MI)
- Difficulty: Not documented as a paddling route; dam-controlled water
- Character: 127-acre hydroelectric flowage on the Menominee River
- Access: Two public accesses to the flowage; not a river put-in system
- Watch for: The Quinnesec Falls dam and peaking-flow releases; this is not a paddling run
Paddling the Big Quinnesec River
No established paddling route documented
No put-in, take-out, mileage, or difficulty rating is published for the Big Quinnesec reach of the Menominee River. The flowage has public accesses used by anglers, but flows below the dam fluctuate with hydro peaking operations, and the dam itself is an absolute barrier. This waterway does not have an established paddle route, and paddlers should not improvise one around a hydro dam.
Hazards & Portages
The Quinnesec Falls dam is a hard barrier — never attempt to approach or portage around it casually. Peaking operations mean water levels and current below the dam can change quickly, without warning. The Menominee below any of its dams is big, powerful water. Paddlers should look to the Menominee's established, documented reaches instead.
Access & Parking
Two public accesses serve the Big Quinnesec Flowage: one operated by WE Energies just upstream of the dam, and a second maintained access point. These are angling accesses, not paddling put-ins, and they do not make this a river route.
Map
Approximate reference point near Niagara/Iron Mountain at the Big Quinnesec Flowage — dam-controlled water with no paddling route.
Paddle It With the Club
The West Michigan Kayaking Club paddles Michigan's waterways all season long. Come float with us!