Driggs River Kayaking Guide

The Driggs River is a 36.2-mile tributary of the Manistique River, flowing entirely within Schoolcraft County in Michigan's eastern Upper Peninsula. It runs through the Seney National Wildlife Refuge country — wild, flat, marshy terrain that defines the river's character.

One firmly documented fact favors paddlers: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Seney refuge fishing guidance expressly permits nonmotorized watercraft on the Driggs River within the refuge (refuge pools and ditches remain closed to boats). That makes the Driggs one of the few rivers in this batch where paddling is officially acknowledged — even though no trip mileage or route description is published.

A bridge and road right-of-way reference point (46.3164, -86.10891) marks where a road crosses the river, and a regional river-trail map shows the Driggs connecting toward the Manistique River with local put-in references. But exact route mileage is unverified, so plan conservatively and confirm access on the ground.

Paddling the Driggs River

Seney refuge reach — nonmotorized water permitted

Within the Seney National Wildlife Refuge, the Driggs is officially open to canoes and kayaks — a rare explicit green light in this guide. The river here is a wild marsh-country stream: expect a winding, slow, intimate channel through wetlands, with abundant wildlife and essentially no development. Because no mileage or put-in/take-out pairing is published, treat any outing as exploratory: use the bridge crossing reference (46.3164, -86.10891) as a starting landmark, confirm legal access at the crossing, and stay strictly on the river — refuge pools and ditches are off-limits to boats.

Toward the Manistique River

A regional river-trail map depicts the Driggs connecting downstream toward the Manistique River with local put-in references along the way. This suggests a longer through-trip may be possible, but with no verified mileage, difficulty rating, or confirmed launches, it cannot be recommended as a route — only noted as a possibility for experienced paddlers willing to scout it thoroughly.

Hazards & Portages

No dams, rapids, or portages are documented on the Driggs, but "undocumented" is not the same as "safe." Expect the wild-river standard set: strainers and sweepers in a winding marsh channel, beaver dams, boggy banks with poor footing, and very remote access with limited bailout. Know and obey the refuge boating rules — boats are allowed on the river only, never in pools or ditches.

Access & Parking

No formal boat launch is documented for the Driggs River. The bridge/right-of-way reference at 46.3164, -86.10891 marks a road crossing that may offer informal access — confirm legality and parking on site. Check Seney NWR visitor information and Michigan DNR maps before launching, and respect refuge regulations throughout.

Map

Reference point only — the marker shows a bridge/right-of-way crossing of the Driggs River, not a confirmed launch. Verify access on site.