Pere Marquette River

A federally protected Wild & Scenic river — spring-fed, wooded, and wonderfully calm

Photo: CarolSpears, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Pere Marquette — the "PM" to everyone who knows it — is one of Michigan's most beloved paddling rivers, and it carries the credentials to prove it: a federally designated National Wild and Scenic River flowing through the Manistee National Forest. The mainstream runs from the M-37 area near Baldwin westward to Lake Michigan at Ludington, and nearly the whole corridor feels wild: wooded banks, wildflowers, swimming holes, and water so clean it supports a world-class trout fishery.

For paddlers, the PM's defining trait is its calm. Reviewers call it "a beautiful, calm river, mostly through the woods" and "very easy to navigate" — a genuine beginner-friendly float wrapped in scenery that looks like it belongs much farther north. The Forest Service manages the river with a watercraft permit system from Memorial Day to Labor Day, which keeps crowds in check and preserves the quiet. Fall brings one of Michigan's great natural spectacles: hundreds of salmon running upstream, visible right from your kayak.

At a Glance

• Approximate length: ~60+ miles of paddleable mainstream, M-37 to Lake Michigan
• Difficulty: Beginner — calm, easy-moving water with no rapids
• Water character: Spring-fed, clear, wooded; National Wild and Scenic River
• Best season: May through October; September brings the salmon run

Paddling Sections

M-37 Bridge → Bowman's Bridge (Upper PM)

Put-in: M-37 Bridge DNR site  |  Take-out: Bowman's Bridge USFS site  |  Distance: A half-day float

The quiet upper river: launch at the M-37 Bridge DNR site and drift past the Fisherman's Trail, Green Cottage, Claybanks, and Gleason's Landing. This is where the Forest Service estimates most paddling use concentrates — the "Forks" to Bowman's Bridge reach — but it still feels uncrowded, with fewer floaters the farther upstream you go.

Bowman's Bridge → Upper Branch Bridge

Put-in: Bowman's Bridge  |  Take-out: Upper Branch Bridge  |  Distance: A few hours

Continuing downstream through Rainbow Rapids (a USFS site — more riffle than rapid), Sulak, and on to the Upper Branch Bridge. Classic PM scenery: cedar, hemlock, and sand banks, with trout rising in the riffles.

Custer → Scottville

Put-in: Custer Bridge  |  Take-out: Scottville Riverside Park  |  Distance: About 5 miles — 1.5 hours paddling, up to 6 hours floating

The most popular day trip on the lower river. Paddle it briskly in 90 minutes or stretch it into a lazy six-hour float past wildflowers and swimming holes. The take-out at Scottville Riverside Park (43.9502, -86.2825) is easy to spot, with picnic tables, campsites, and plenty of parking. Liveries in Scottville rent boats and run shuttles.

Hazards & Portages

The PM has no dams on its paddled reaches and no real rapids — hazards are minimal. The main considerations are administrative and seasonal: a watercraft permit is required from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day ($2 per watercraft per day plus a reservation fee, available at recreation.gov), and the river is open to paddlers 9am–6pm. In September and October, the salmon run draws heavy angling pressure — give fishermen a wide berth and expect company. As always on a trout stream, the water stays cold; dress for immersion in spring.

Access & Parking

Access is superb, with a signed chain of sites from top to bottom: M-37 Bridge (DNR), Green Cottage, Claybanks, Gleason's Landing, Bowman's Bridge, Rainbow Rapids, Sulak (DNR), Upper and Lower Branch Bridges, Mapleleaf, Walhalla Bridge (DNR), Indian Bridge, Custer Bridge, and Scottville Riverside Park. USFS sites charge a $5 daily parking fee (or $15 weekly / $30 annual pass). Commercial liveries near Baldwin and Scottville offer rentals and shuttles.

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