Lower Peninsula River Guide  /  Mecosta County to the Chippewa River at Midland

Pine River Kayaking Guide: Launches, Dams & Flows

Wild Rivers. Rugged Trails. Real Adventure.

A long mid-Michigan river that winds through farm country and floodplain forest past Alma and St. Louis to the Chippewa River near Midland. Its upper reach is the Pine River Canoe Trail, one of the state's listed water trails. Not to be confused with the Pine River in the Manistee National Forest, which has its own guide.

RegionMid-Michigan
CountiesMecosta, Isabella, Montcalm, Gratiot, Midland
WatershedChippewa, Tittabawassee and Saginaw rivers
Great Lake BasinLake Huron (Saginaw Bay)
River LengthAbout 100 miles
PaddleableLumberjack Park to Midland, with dam portages
Best SeasonSpring, early summer and fall
MouthChippewa River near Midland

Before you launch: dams, deadfall and fish advisories

  • Two dams: there are dams in Alma and St. Louis. Take out well above each one and carry around.
  • Deadfall: fallen trees block parts of the river, especially on the canoe trail above Alma. Expect liftovers.
  • Don't eat the fish below St. Louis: the state advises against eating fish from the river downstream of the former Velsicol chemical plant.
  • Low summer water: the river is easiest to paddle in spring and fall, when water is higher.

River History

The Pine River was a logging river in the late 1800s, and towns like Alma and St. Louis grew along it as lumber and farming centers. St. Louis, settled around a mineral spring, calls itself the middle of the Mitten because it sits near the geographic center of the Lower Peninsula.

From the 1930s to 1978, the Michigan Chemical Corporation, later Velsicol, made chemicals on the river in St. Louis, including DDT and PBB. Contamination closed the plant and made the site a federal Superfund cleanup. Between 2000 and 2006, crews removed more than 600,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the river, and DDT levels in fish dropped sharply. Cleanup and monitoring continue, and local groups like the Pine River Task Force keep watch over the river.

River Map

Open the full map in Google Maps

River Overview

The Pine River starts near Remus in southeast Mecosta County. It flows southeast into Isabella County, south through Montcalm and Gratiot counties, then northeast through Alma and St. Louis into Midland County. It joins the Chippewa River about two miles before the Chippewa meets the Tittabawassee at Midland. Main tributaries include the North Branch, South Branch, Pony Creek and Honeyoey Creek.

  1. Headwaters near Remus

    Small farm and woodland stream. Too small to paddle.

  2. Lumberjack Park

    Start of the 30-mile Pine River Canoe Trail.

  3. Pine River Canoe Trail

    Winds through open fields and floodplain forest, with some swift water and downed trees.

  4. Alma and the Alma dam

    The canoe trail ends near downtown Alma. The State Street dam forms a small impoundment.

  5. Alma to St. Louis

    A short run between the two towns.

  6. St. Louis dam

    Dam and impoundment in St. Louis, next to the former Velsicol site.

  7. St. Louis to Midland

    Slower water through farmland and woods to the Chippewa River.

USGS Flow & Water Conditions

The USGS gage near Midland is on the lower river and shows how much water is coming down the whole system. Check it, along with recent rainfall, before paddling the upper canoe trail.

How to read it

Compare today's flow with the typical flow for the date shown on the USGS graph. Well above normal means faster current, debris coming downstream and fewer safe eddies. Well below normal means more dragging and more liftovers.

After heavy rain, check again the morning you launch. Small rivers rise and fall quickly.

Pine River near MidlandUSGS 04155500 · lower river, live data

Paddling Character

Pine River Canoe Trail

Twisty and wooded

Narrow, winding water through fields and floodplain forest. Gentle overall, with some swift sections and downed trees to work around.

DeadfallSwift spotsRemote
Alma and St. Louis

Town impoundments

Slow water backed up behind the two dams, with parks and road crossings.

FlatwaterDams
St. Louis to Midland

Slow and rural

Wider, slower water through farmland and woods to the Chippewa River.

Slow currentRural

Michigan Water Trails

The upper Pine River is a designated Michigan Water Trail, the Pine River Canoe Trail. It runs about 30 miles from Lumberjack Park, off Madison Road, to downtown Alma through Gratiot County's fields and floodplain forest. Gratiot County Parks has a brochure and map.

The trail notes that some sections have swift water and that portages may be needed around fallen trees.

Pine River Canoe Trail

Dams & Portages

Alma, Gratiot County

Alma dam (State Street)

A city dam built in 1938 that forms a 140-acre impoundment. Take out above it and carry around.

St. Louis, Gratiot County

St. Louis dam

Dam and impoundment in St. Louis, downstream of the former Velsicol plant. Take out above it and carry around.

Plan ahead

Portage tips

Both dams are in town, so the carries are around streets and parks. Scout the take-out and put-in before your trip, and stay well clear of the water below each dam.

Launches

Listed upstream to downstream. Confirm parking, fees and current conditions before you go.

Pine River Canoe Trail

Lumberjack Park

Start of the canoe trail, off Madison Road in Gratiot County.

Map
Alma

Pine River Park

City park access on the south bank in Alma, with restrooms and parking. Near the end of the canoe trail.

Map
St. Louis

St. Louis riverfront

The city has been designing a new kayak launch on city land on the west side of the river. Check with the city for current access.

Map
Lower river

Midland County crossings

Road crossings between St. Louis and Midland. Confirm parking and access before you go.

Map

Camping

Riverside

Limited camping

We couldn't confirm any campgrounds right on the Pine River. Check with Gratiot County Parks about current options.

Midland area

Campgrounds near Midland

Private and public campgrounds near Midland work as a base for the lower river.

Wildlife & Fishing

Wildlife

Floodplain forest along the canoe trail shelters deer, wild turkey, beaver, mink and many songbirds. Herons, kingfishers and wood ducks are common on the water.

Fishing

The Pine holds smallmouth bass, pike, rock bass, suckers and redhorse, and the Alma impoundment has bass, pike and panfish. The state advises against eating any fish from the river downstream of the former Velsicol site in St. Louis. Fish advisories also apply to some species in the Alma impoundment.

Safety

Safety essentials
  • Wear your PFD the whole time.
  • Take out well above the Alma and St. Louis dams.
  • Watch for downed trees on the canoe trail. Never try to slip under a log.
  • Don't eat fish caught below St. Louis.
Rules, passes and private land
  • Check the Michigan Eat Safe Fish guide for current advisories before keeping any fish.
  • A Michigan Recreation Passport is needed at state parks and many state-run launches.
  • Much of the riverbank is private. Stop only on public land or where you have permission.
  • Leave No Trace: pack out all trash.
What to pack
  • Spare paddle, bilge pump, throw bag and whistle
  • Dry bag with warm layers
  • Map or GPS track with your take-out marked
  • Folding saw for small deadfall
  • Map with both dams marked

Best Time & Access

Spring

The best water on the canoe trail. Cold, and higher after rain.

Summer

Water drops by midsummer. Early summer is better than August.

Fall

Good color and higher water after fall rain.

Winter

Cold water and ice. Not recommended.

From Grand Rapids, Alma is about an hour and 15 minutes northeast. Take I-96 east and US-127 north, or M-46 east from US-131. St. Louis is a few minutes east of Alma, and Midland is about 45 minutes farther northeast.

Trip Planning

Canoe trail trips

The 30-mile canoe trail breaks into day trips or one long weekend. Plan your speed around deadfall, not just distance.

Town paddles

Short paddles on the Alma and St. Louis impoundments are easy options for beginners.

Plan the portages

Scout both dams ahead of time if your trip goes through Alma or St. Louis.

Check before you go

Look at the Midland gage, recent rain and Gratiot County Parks notices.

River Difficulty

We use the American Whitewater difficulty scale. American Whitewater doesn't list this Pine River, so it's rated Class I: easy water with no rapids. Swift spots and deadfall on the canoe trail take good boat control.

Class I

Pine River Canoe Trail

Gentle current with some swift sections and downed trees.

Class I

Alma to Midland

Slow water with two dam portages.

Quick Reference

SourceNear Remus, Mecosta County
MouthChippewa River near Midland
LengthAbout 100 miles
DamsAlma (State Street) and St. Louis
Main townsAlma, St. Louis, Midland
Key gageUSGS 04155500, near Midland
Michigan Water TrailPine River Canoe Trail, Lumberjack Park to Alma
Fish advisoryDon't eat fish from below St. Louis
Best seasonSpring, early summer and fall
DifficultyClass I

Sources

Conditions change. Always check current water levels, hazards and access before you launch, and confirm details with the DNR, county parks and local land managers.

Wild Rivers. Rugged Trails. Real Adventure.