Upper canoe trail
Easy with rapids
Mostly easy current through forest, with two main rapids and a few logjams.
Upper Peninsula River Guide / Hiawatha National Forest to Big Bay de Noc at Nahma
Sturgeon River Kayaking Guide: Launches, Dams & Flows
Wild Rivers. Rugged Trails. Real Adventure.
A National Wild and Scenic River that winds through the Hiawatha National Forest to Lake Michigan at the old lumber town of Nahma. Its canoe trail passes floodplain forest, oxbow lakes and logging-era sites, with a couple of rapids to keep things interesting. Not to be confused with the Sturgeon River gorge in Baraga and Houghton counties, which has its own guide.
RegionCentral Upper Peninsula
CountiesDelta, Alger
WatershedBig Bay de Noc
Great Lake BasinLake Michigan
River Length43.9 miles designated Wild and Scenic
PaddleableCounty Road 440 to Nahma
Best SeasonEarly summer and late fall
MouthBig Bay de Noc at Nahma
Before you launch: rapids and logjams
- Two main rapids: the river has two main rapids, including Ten Mile Rapids. Scout them if you're new to moving water.
- Logjams: a few logjams need liftovers or portages.
- Remote forest: much of the river runs through national forest with little development. Cell coverage is spotty.
- Bay at the mouth: Big Bay de Noc can be rough in wind.
River History
People have used the Sturgeon River corridor for at least 5,000 years, and Native American sites cluster along its southern reaches. In the logging era, from about the 1840s to the 1940s, the river carried timber to the mill town of Nahma at its mouth. The Bay de Noquet Lumber Company there employed more than 1,200 workers at its peak.
When the timber ran out, the whole town of Nahma was put up for sale in 1951, a story Life Magazine covered. Much of the company's land became the Hiawatha National Forest. In 1992 the Sturgeon was named a National Wild and Scenic River, protecting its floodplain forest, oxbow lakes and logging-era sites, including an 1880s logging dam and a Civilian Conservation Corps site.
River Map
River Overview
The Sturgeon River flows south through the Hiawatha National Forest to Big Bay de Noc of Lake Michigan at Nahma. Its 43.9 designated Wild and Scenic miles include 21.7 scenic miles and 22.2 recreational miles. Heavy streambank vegetation keeps the views natural, and the lower river forms oxbow lakes, which is unusual in the Great Lakes region.
County Road 440
Start of the upper canoe trail section.
Scenic section
Minimal development through national forest. Two main rapids on the trail.
Fourteen Mile Bridge
About 22.7 miles below County Road 440.
Ten Mile Rapids
A challenge for inexperienced paddlers. Scout first.
Flowing Well Campground
About 7 miles below Fourteen Mile Bridge.
Lower river and Nahma
Floodplain forest and oxbow lakes to Big Bay de Noc.
USGS Flow & Water Conditions
The USGS gage near Nahma Junction is on the lower river and is the one to check.
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.
Paddling Character
Lower river
Slow and wild
Slow water through floodplain forest and oxbow lakes to Nahma.
Michigan Water Trails
The Sturgeon is a National Wild and Scenic River and a water trail, the Sturgeon River Canoe Trail, managed by the Hiawatha National Forest. The canoe trail runs through Flowing Well Campground.
Check with the Hiawatha National Forest for current conditions.
National Wild and Scenic Rivers, Sturgeon RiverDams & Portages
Hiawatha National Forest
No dams on the canoe trail
There are no active dams on the paddling stretch. An 1880s logging dam site is one of the river's historic features.
Launches
Listed upstream to downstream. Confirm parking, fees and current conditions before you go.
Upper river
County Road 440
Start of the upper canoe trail section.
MapMiddle river
Fourteen Mile Bridge
Bridge access between the upper and lower sections.
MapLower river
Flowing Well Campground
National forest campground on the river's west bank, on the canoe trail.
MapMouth
Nahma
Historic town at the mouth on Big Bay de Noc.
MapCamping
Hiawatha National Forest
Flowing Well Campground
Fewer than a dozen sites on the river's west bank, with vault toilets and drinking water.
Riverside
Dispersed camping
Camping is allowed along the river in the national forest under Forest Service rules.
Wildlife & Fishing
Wildlife
The river corridor supports gray wolves, bald eagles, wood turtles, deer and black bear. The southern floodplain forest is rare this far north and holds plants like butternut.
Fishing
Brown trout, steelhead and salmon all use the Sturgeon. Check the current fishing guide.
Safety
Safety essentials
- Wear your PFD the whole time.
- Scout Ten Mile Rapids and the other main rapid if you're new to moving water.
- Watch for logjams and plan liftovers.
- Share your plan; cell coverage is spotty.
Rules, passes and private land
- Follow Hiawatha National Forest rules for camping and fires.
- 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
- Bug spray for early summer
- Paper map of the canoe trail
Best Time & Access
Spring
High, cold water. Logjams may have shifted.
Summer
Early summer is a top season. Bugs can be heavy.
Fall
Late fall is a top season, with color and salmon runs.
Winter
Snow and ice. Not recommended.
From Grand Rapids, Nahma is about five and a half hours north. Take US-131 and I-75 north to the Mackinac Bridge, then US-2 west toward Manistique and Escanaba.
Trip Planning
Day trip
Fourteen Mile Bridge to Flowing Well Campground is about 7 miles.
Long trip
County Road 440 to Fourteen Mile Bridge is about 22.7 miles, good as an overnight.
Visit Nahma
End at the historic town and its inn.
Check before you go
Look at the Nahma Junction gage and Forest Service notices.
River Difficulty
We use the American Whitewater difficulty scale. The Sturgeon is easy moving water with two main rapids, rated Class I to II.
County Road 440 to Fourteen Mile Bridge
Easy going with two main rapids and a few logjams.
Fourteen Mile Bridge to Flowing Well
Easy water with Ten Mile Rapids as the main challenge.
Quick Reference
| Mouth | Big Bay de Noc at Nahma |
|---|---|
| Wild and Scenic | 1992; 43.9 miles (21.7 scenic, 22.2 recreational) |
| Canoe trail | Sturgeon River Canoe Trail, Hiawatha National Forest |
| Rapids | Two main rapids, including Ten Mile Rapids |
| Campground | Flowing Well |
| Key gage | USGS 04057510, near Nahma Junction |
| Best season | Early summer and late fall |
| Difficulty | Class I-II |