The Top Five Michigan Rivers to Experience Fall Colors by Kayak

A West Michigan Kayaking Club / Kayaker’s Journal Guide to Autumn on the Water

There are plenty of ways to experience Michigan in the fall. You can hike through the woods, take a scenic drive, visit a state park, or simply watch the landscape change from your front porch.

But there is something completely different about experiencing fall from a kayak.

The sound of your paddle dipping into cold water. The smell of fallen leaves along the riverbank. Morning fog hanging over the current. Hardwood forests turning brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red as you quietly move downstream.

For paddlers, fall is one of the most spectacular times of the year to explore Michigan’s rivers.

At West Michigan Kayaking Club, we aren’t looking for a quick float and a photo before heading home. We enjoy putting miles under the boat, exploring wild stretches of river and discovering what is around the next bend.

Michigan has thousands of miles of rivers, but five stand out as incredible destinations for experiencing autumn from the water:

The Manistee River
The Au Sable River
The Pere Marquette River
The Muskegon River
The Jordan River

These rivers offer very different experiences, but they all have something in common: when Michigan’s forests begin changing color, they become spectacular places to paddle.

So grab your paddle, dress for the weather, and let’s head into the woods.

This is fall in Michigan.

1. Manistee River

The Classic Michigan Wilderness Paddle

If you could choose one river to represent Michigan’s great fall paddling experience, the Manistee River would be hard to beat.

The Manistee winds through the Manistee National Forest, with long stretches of forested shoreline, towering hardwoods, sandbars, bluffs and quiet backcountry water.

When autumn arrives, the river becomes a moving corridor through the forest.

Gold, orange and red hardwoods line the banks while leaves drift downstream beside your kayak. On a cool morning, mist can hang over the water while the forest slowly comes alive around you.

The Manistee also offers something that appeals to the adventure paddler: distance.

You can find shorter day trips, but the river also provides opportunities for overnight and multi-day expeditions. Experienced paddlers can turn a fall-color trip into a genuine wilderness adventure.

Wake up beside the river.

Break camp.

Load the kayak.

Push off into the cold morning air.

Then spend the day moving through miles of Michigan wilderness.

That’s a fall trip worth remembering.

Adventure Level: 4/5
Best For: Day trips, overnight trips and multi-day expeditions
Fall Appeal: Deep forests, wilderness atmosphere and long stretches of scenic river

For paddlers who want more than a casual float, the Manistee offers the opportunity to turn a fall-color outing into a real expedition.

Sometimes the best part of the trip isn’t reaching the takeout.

It’s wondering what is waiting around the next bend.

2. Au Sable River

Miles of Northern Michigan Color

The Au Sable River is one of Michigan’s legendary rivers, and autumn gives it an entirely different personality.

Flowing through northern Michigan forest country, the Au Sable offers paddlers a combination of beautiful water, wildlife and spectacular fall scenery.

The surrounding forests become a mixture of brilliant hardwood colors and deep evergreen.

The scenery changes around every bend.

One moment you’re surrounded by golden trees. The next, the river opens into a wider stretch of water with towering forest on both sides.

Wildlife is another part of the attraction. Bald eagles, waterfowl and other wildlife can often be seen along Michigan’s northern rivers.

The Au Sable is also a river where slowing down can be rewarding.

You don’t have to race downstream.

Sometimes the best part of the trip is simply sitting quietly in the kayak and watching the forest reflected on the surface of the water.

Adventure Level: 3/5
Best For: Scenic day trips, wildlife watching and multi-day paddles
Fall Appeal: Northern Michigan forests, wildlife and classic river scenery

3. Pere Marquette River

Wild Country and Brilliant Hardwood Forests

The Pere Marquette River is another West Michigan favorite and an excellent destination for fall paddling.

The river flows through forested country in west-central Michigan, offering paddlers moving water, wildlife and beautiful autumn scenery.

The Pere Marquette has a wild character that makes it especially enjoyable by kayak.

Instead of looking at the forest from a road or trail, you’re traveling directly through it.

The river becomes your trail.

The current becomes your transportation.

And every bend gives you another view.

This is the kind of river where you shouldn’t be in a hurry.

Let the current do some of the work.

Look up.

The best scenery isn’t always directly in front of your kayak. Sometimes it’s high above you, where massive hardwoods are beginning to turn brilliant shades of yellow and orange.

For photographers, wildlife watchers and paddlers simply looking for a beautiful Michigan river adventure, the Pere Marquette is an excellent fall destination.

Adventure Level: 3/5
Best For: Scenic paddling, wildlife watching and photography
Fall Appeal: Forested riverbanks, wildlife and classic West Michigan scenery

4. Muskegon River

A West Michigan Fall Classic

For those of us in West Michigan, the Muskegon River deserves a special place on the list.

The Muskegon is a big river with a tremendous amount of territory to explore.

It offers numerous access points and long stretches of water, making it an excellent choice for paddlers who want to build a longer adventure.

And when autumn arrives, the river becomes a moving corridor through Michigan’s changing forest.

Imagine putting in early on a crisp October morning.

Your breath is visible.

The water is dark and cold.

The first leaves of the day are floating past your bow.

Then the sun rises above the trees.

That’s when the colors really start to come alive.

The Muskegon is also a river where you can build a serious expedition. For experienced paddlers, longer sections can turn a fall-color trip into an endurance adventure.

This is one of the rivers where you can leave the ordinary world behind for a while and simply concentrate on the next mile.

Adventure Level: 4/5
Best For: Long-distance paddling, camping and extended adventures
Fall Appeal: Big-river scenery, forests and opportunities for longer trips

5. Jordan River

A Smaller River With a Big Wilderness Feel

The Jordan River may not have the sheer size of the Muskegon or Manistee, but what it lacks in scale it makes up for in character.

Located in northern Michigan, the Jordan moves through heavily forested country and has a reputation for its wild, intimate setting.

This is the kind of river where the scenery feels close.

Instead of huge open stretches of water, you’re often surrounded by forest. The river bends, narrows and disappears around corners, constantly changing the view.

In autumn, that creates an incredible tunnel of color.

Gold leaves overhead.

Orange and red hardwoods along the banks.

Cold clear water underneath the boat.

And very little separating you from the forest.

For paddlers who enjoy smaller rivers, wilderness and a more intimate experience, the Jordan is one of Michigan’s gems.

Adventure Level: 4/5

Best For: Experienced paddlers, wilderness trips and smaller-river exploration

Fall Appeal: Dense forest, intimate scenery and a remote feel

Sometimes the smaller rivers provide the biggest sense of adventure.

The Jordan is a perfect example.

When Should You Go?

One of the biggest mistakes people make when planning a Michigan fall-color trip is assuming the entire state reaches peak color at the same time.

It doesn’t.

Fall colors generally begin appearing earlier in northern Michigan before progressing southward as the season continues.

That means paddlers can actually chase the colors across the state.

Start farther north as autumn arrives, then gradually work your way south as the season progresses.

And don’t feel like you have to hit the exact day of “peak color.”

Sometimes a river with 60 or 70 percent color, bright sunshine and calm water can be more spectacular than a river at peak color underneath gray skies and heavy rain.

The goal isn’t to find a perfect percentage of colored leaves.

The goal is to get on the water.

Fall Kayaking Is Not Summer Kayaking

There is one thing we don’t compromise on at West Michigan Kayaking Club:

Respect the water.

Fall water temperatures can be dangerously cold even when the air temperature feels comfortable.

Weather can change quickly.

Days are shorter.

And once the sun starts going down, temperatures can drop rapidly.

For fall expeditions, think beyond the basic summer-day-trip checklist.

Fall Kayaking Gear Checklist

• PFD worn at all times
• Paddle float and rescue equipment
• Bilge pump
• Dry bags
• Extra clothing
• Waterproof communication device
• Food and plenty of water
• Headlamp
• First-aid kit
• Navigation/GPS
• Emergency shelter or warm layer
• Spare paddle when appropriate
• Cold-water-appropriate clothing

Most importantly, know your limits.

A beautiful autumn river can become a serious situation quickly if you aren’t prepared for cold water, wind, current or changing weather.

The water doesn’t care how beautiful the leaves are.

Respect the river.

Be prepared.

And know when conditions are telling you it’s time to get off the water.