Lower Millecoquins River Kayaking Guide
The Lower Millecoquins River is a 9.6-mile stream in Mackinac County in the eastern Upper Peninsula, flowing from Millecoquins Lake north to Lake Michigan about 1.5 miles west of Naubinway. Its mouth sits at about 46.0961063, -85.4803769. The name distinguishes it from the upper river above the lake — together they form one of the eastern UP's modest lake-to-lake Michigan tributaries.
No established paddling itinerary or verified launch was captured for the Lower Millecoquins River in the sources consulted. A 9.6-mile lake-to-Great-Lake run sounds appealing in the abstract — Millecoquins Lake at the top, Lake Michigan at the bottom — but the sources record no put-in at the lake outlet, no take-out at the mouth, no mileage, and no trip reports. Without those, the float is hypothetical.
The Naubinway area does offer real paddling on Lake Michigan for equipped paddlers, and Millecoquins Lake is its own quiet venue. But the river connecting them is, for now, an unscouted corridor rather than a route.
Lower Millecoquins River at a Glance
- Region: Eastern Upper Peninsula — Mackinac County
- Difficulty: Not a documented paddling route
- Character: 9.6-mile stream, Millecoquins Lake to Lake Michigan near Naubinway
- Known for: A lake-to-Great-Lake corridor with no documented float
- Watch for: No verified put-in or take-out; Lake Michigan conditions at the mouth
Paddling the Lower Millecoquins River
No established route
No kayak itinerary is documented for the Lower Millecoquins River. The 9.6-mile course from Millecoquins Lake to Lake Michigan (mouth approximately 46.0961063, -85.4803769, about 1.5 miles west of Naubinway) has no recorded put-ins, take-outs, or mileage in the sources consulted. A lake outlet is not a launch until access is confirmed.
The lakes as alternatives
Millecoquins Lake offers quiet inland paddling, and Lake Michigan off Naubinway offers big-water paddling for properly equipped kayakers — each on its own terms. The river between them remains a scouting project: check DNR maps, confirm ownership at crossings, and verify flows before considering a through-float.
Hazards & Portages
Expect unscouted-stream hazards: strainers, logjams, beaver dams, and shallow stretches, with no documented portages because there is no documented route. At the mouth, Lake Michigan's waves and cold water are the dominant hazard. Shoreline and stream-corridor land here is a mix of public and private — stay legal.
Access & Parking
No public boat launch or confirmed river access is documented for the Lower Millecoquins River. Neither the Millecoquins Lake outlet nor the Lake Michigan mouth should be assumed to offer legal launching without verification. Check current DNR maps and Mackinac County plats.
Map
Map shows the documented mouth reference point; no public launch is confirmed there.
Paddle It With the Club
The West Michigan Kayaking Club paddles rivers like the Lower Millecoquins River all season long. Come float with us!