Boney Falls Creek Kayaking Guide

A note on the name: no separate Michigan waterway called 'Boney Falls Creek' could be verified. The name refers to the Boney Falls reach of the Escanaba River at the Marquette–Delta county line. Boney Falls is a hydroelectric impoundment on the Escanaba River — Escanaba No. 4 Boney Falls Dam, a 49-foot concrete, earth, and gravity dam built in 1920 and operated by the Upper Peninsula Power Company.

The river below Boney Falls flows southeast toward Little Bay de Noc and Lake Michigan. UPPCO maintains a public boat launch at Dam No. 4 on the Boney Falls reservoir, along with a nearby campground — but these serve the reservoir, not a creek run.

No paddling route is documented for this reach. The dam is a hard barrier and the reservoir is utility water, not an established paddle run.

Paddling the Boney Falls Creek

No established paddling route documented

No put-in, take-out, mileage, or difficulty rating is published for a 'Boney Falls Creek' — no such stream could be verified. The Boney Falls reach of the Escanaba River has a public boat launch and campground on the reservoir, but no documented paddling route, and the dam blocks any through run. Paddlers looking for Escanaba River runs should use the river's documented reaches elsewhere.

Hazards & Portages

Boney Falls Dam is a 49-foot hydro dam with a high hazard rating — never approach it from the water and never assume a portage is safe without scouting. Below the dam the Escanaba flows through a series of three more dams in its lower five miles before reaching Little Bay de Noc. Utility-controlled flows can change. Verify everything before putting a boat on this water.

Access & Parking

UPPCO operates a public boat launch at Dam No. 4 on the Boney Falls reservoir, with a campground nearby. This is reservoir access, not a river or creek launch. Follow all posted warnings at hydro facilities.

Map

Reference point at Boney Falls Dam on the Escanaba River — no creek paddling route exists under this name.