Shiawassee River Kayaking Guide: Launches, Dams & Flows

River History

Holly, Fenton, Linden, Corunna and Owosso all grew up along Native American trading routes and became river-powered mill towns in the early to mid-1800s. Dams went in at nearly every town: Shiatown in 1840, Corunna in 1841 and Chesaning in 1863, first for sawmills and then gristmills and hydro power.

The last 15 years have seen one of Michigan's best river-restoration stories. Chesaning's dam was replaced with a rock ramp in 2009, reopening 37 upstream miles to walleye and sturgeon, and the Shiatown and Corunna dams came out in 2019. The Shiawassee River Water Trail earned state designation and then National Water Trail status from the National Park Service.

Interactive River Map

Zoom and drag to follow the river. Confirm every launch on the ground before you commit to a shuttle.

River Overview

The Shiawassee rises in Oakland County and flows northwest through Holly, Fenton, Linden, Byron, Vernon, Corunna, Owosso and Chesaning before joining the Saginaw River near the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge. The designated water trail covers 88 miles from Holly to Chesaning.

The upper river is small, shallow and twisty, with millpond impoundments at Fenton, Lake Ponemah/Tupper Lake, Linden and Byron. Below Byron the river widens through farmland and woods, with new free-flowing riffles at the old Shiatown and Corunna dam sites.

USGS Flow & Water Conditions

Low summer water means dragging over riffles and logs in the Holly–Fenton stretch. The lower river from Owosso to Chesaning holds water better. Check the Owosso gage before committing to an upper-river trip.

If the USGS map doesn't load on your device, use the live gage links below.

Dams & Portages

• Fenton Mill Pond Dam — portage near the Fenton Police Department; launch at Bush Park below
• Linden Mill Pond Dam — take-out above, put-in below, with a portage path
• Byron Dam — portage required
• Shiatown Dam — removed 2019; river now free-flowing at Shiatown County Park
• Corunna Dam — removed 2019; replaced with a passable riffle
• Owosso — check current conditions and signed portages in town
• Chesaning Rock Ramp — former dam replaced in 2009 with a ~200 ft low-slope rock ramp; scout before running

Launches

Listed upstream to downstream. Access changes — check the county, city or DNR site before you go.

Trip Planning

• Holly → Fenton (7 miles) — 2.5–3 hours; twisty, shallow headwaters with mile markers and signage
• Fenton → Linden — dam to dam through Lake Ponemah and Tupper Lake; portage at Linden
• Shiatown County Park → Parmenter Road (about 3 miles) — mellow, wide and sandy — great beginner run
• Geeck Road → Shiatown → Vernon / Lytle Road — free-flowing water through the restored dam site

Headwaters Trails hosts an annual paddle in June between Holly and Fenton.

Friends of the Shiawassee River (Corunna) publishes a printable Shiawassee County paddlers' trip map.

River Difficulty

Class I  American Whitewater classification

The Shiawassee is Class I. Flatwater impoundments and the Shiatown–Parmenter stretch are excellent beginner trips. The shallow, log-filled Holly–Fenton headwaters and dam portages make the upper river better for paddlers comfortable getting in and out of their boats. Multi-day trips are possible using trail-town lodging and campgrounds.

Quick Reference