Little Fishdam River Kayaking Guide

The Little Fishdam River is a 6.0-mile tributary of Big Bay de Noc in Delta County in the central Upper Peninsula, reaching the bay at about 45.90053, -86.56737. What distinguishes this tiny stream is its access point: Fishdam Park is also known as the Little Fishdam River Access Site (approximately 45.90052, -86.56621), a documented public site at the river's mouth. Old US-2 crosses the river nearby on a historic 1920 concrete through-girder bridge, a landmark for anyone navigating to the site.

That said, a documented access site on a 6-mile stream is not the same as a documented paddling route. The sources consulted record no kayak itinerary, segment mileage, or downstream float description for the Little Fishdam River. Six miles of small-stream water ending at Big Bay de Noc offers, at most, a very short exploratory float in high water — and no trip report confirms even that.

Think of this entry as an access reference rather than a route guide. The public site at the mouth is real and worth knowing about, but the river itself has no proven kayak run attached to it.

Paddling the Little Fishdam River

Access is documented; a route is not

Fishdam Park — the Little Fishdam River Access Site at about 45.90052, -86.56621 — gives paddlers a legitimate public place to reach the water near the river's mouth into Big Bay de Noc. But the sources consulted contain no paddling itinerary for the 6.0-mile stream itself. Any float here would be a short, exploratory paddle in spring high water, and it has not been documented as a kayak run.

Big Bay de Noc as the venue

The more realistic paddling around this access site is Big Bay de Noc itself — open bay water that rewards proper planning and punishes casual assumptions. If you launch at Fishdam Park, plan it as a bay paddle with attention to wind and waves, not as a river trip.

Hazards & Portages

On the stream: beaver dams, logjams, and water too shallow to float outside of high-water periods. On the bay: wind-driven waves and cold water. There are no documented portages because there is no documented route. The historic Old US-2 bridge is a navigation landmark, not a hazard — admire it from the water.

Access & Parking

Fishdam Park, also listed as the Little Fishdam River Access Site (approximately 45.90052, -86.56621), is the documented public access at the river's mouth on Big Bay de Noc. Old US-2 crosses the river nearby on its 1920 concrete through-girder bridge. Confirm current site conditions and parking with DNR sources before visiting.

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