Little Dead River Kayaking Guide
The Little Dead River is an 8.4-mile tributary of the Dead River in Marquette County in the central Upper Peninsula, joining the larger river at about 46.58243, -87.64819. It is a small, forested stream in the Dead River watershed — a system better known for its reservoirs, dams, and the city of Marquette's hydroelectric history than for small-boat paddling.
A documented road crossing and water-monitoring point sits at County Road 573 (approximately 46.56065, -87.69900), which gives scouts a place to look at the water from a bridge. But a monitoring point is not a launch, and no established paddling route, mileage, or public access is documented for the Little Dead River in the sources consulted. The Dead River main stem below it is broken by dams and reservoirs, so there is no "continue downstream" option for a through-trip either.
Treat this as an unscouted tributary: small, cold, and undocumented. Any paddling here would be exploratory, requiring confirmed legal access and firsthand checks of water level and obstructions.
Little Dead River at a Glance
- Region: Central Upper Peninsula — Marquette County
- Difficulty: Not a documented paddling route
- Character: 8.4-mile tributary of the dam-controlled Dead River
- Known for: A small forested stream in the Dead River watershed
- Watch for: No verified launch; downstream Dead River is dammed
Paddling the Little Dead River
No established route
No kayak itinerary is documented for the Little Dead River. The 8.4-mile stream joins the Dead River at approximately 46.58243, -87.64819, with a County Road 573 crossing at about 46.56065, -87.69900 serving as the only documented reference point. There are no recorded put-ins, take-outs, or mileage splits.
Why the Dead River system is complicated
The receiving water — the Dead River — is regulated by dams and reservoirs, which means flows below the confluence can change with power generation and a continuous downstream paddle is not on offer. That makes the Little Dead a dead-end float at best, and only for paddlers who have scouted it themselves.
Hazards & Portages
Expect small-stream hazards: strainers, logjams, beaver dams, and shallow riffles, with cold water in spring. There are no documented portages because there is no documented route. Be aware that the broader Dead River watershed includes dam infrastructure — never approach dammed water without knowing release schedules and take-out locations.
Access & Parking
No public boat launch or confirmed river access is documented for the Little Dead River. The County Road 573 crossing is a reference point for viewing the stream, not a verified launch — confirm ownership and legal parking before putting in anywhere along the corridor.
Map
Map shows the documented mouth reference point for this stream; no public launch is confirmed there.
Paddle It With the Club
The West Michigan Kayaking Club paddles rivers like the Little Dead River all season long. Come float with us!