Ten Mile Creek Kayaking Guide

Ten Mile Creek is a small tributary in Ontonagon County's McMillan Township, in the far western Upper Peninsula, documented near 46.48577, -89.35043. It feeds the Cisco Branch of the Ontonagon River — a stream notable enough that the Cisco Branch carries a federal scenic designation down to its confluence with Ten-Mile Creek. That designation speaks to the wild quality of this watershed, but it does not make Ten Mile Creek itself a paddling destination.

This is deep western UP country: vast forests, few roads, and streams that run cold and clear over rock and gravel. Ten Mile Creek is a small piece of that landscape — the kind of tributary that matters enormously to the river system's ecology and not at all to its paddling. We found no established kayak or canoe route, no public launch, and no trip report for this creek.

The paddling story here belongs to the Cisco Branch and the broader Ontonagon system, which do have documented floats for skilled paddlers. Ten Mile Creek's role is as a landmark on those bigger waters — the point where the scenic designation ends and the character of the Cisco Branch changes. If you paddle the Cisco Branch, you will pass the creek's mouth; that is the way to see it.

Paddling the Ten Mile Creek

We could not verify an established paddling route on Ten Mile Creek. As a small tributary in a remote watershed, it is almost certainly too shallow and obstructed for practical boating outside of brief spring high water — and even then, it would be an exploratory bushwhack rather than a float.

The documented paddling in this watershed is on the Cisco Branch Ontonagon River itself, whose scenic segment ends at the Ten-Mile Creek confluence. Paddlers running the Cisco Branch should note the confluence as a landmark and be aware that the river's character changes below it. That is a trip for experienced wilderness paddlers only, in a roadless landscape where self-sufficiency is mandatory.

Hazards & Portages

On the creek itself, expect water too shallow to float, woody debris, and no documented access. On the nearby Cisco Branch, hazards include whitewater, remoteness, and long distances between access points. This entire watershed demands expedition planning: no cell service, no quick exits, and weather that can change fast.

Access & Parking

No public launch or documented access point exists for Ten Mile Creek. Access to this watershed is via remote forest roads, many of them private timber roads — verify ownership and conditions before driving in, and consult the Ottawa National Forest and Michigan DNR for legal access to the Ontonagon system.

Map

Documented location of Tenmile Creek (46.48577, -89.35043). No verified public access point exists for this stream.