West Michigan Kayaking Club · Upper Peninsula River Guide
Two Hearted River Kayaking Guide: Launches, Dams & Flows
Wild Rivers. Rugged Trails. Real Adventure.
River History
The Two Hearted flows through Anishinaabe homelands ceded in the 1836 and 1842 treaties. Loggers later drove timber down the river to Lake Superior. Hemingway's story "Big Two-Hearted River" made the name famous.
The Two-Hearted Life-Saving Station opened at the mouth in 1876, and its surfmen rescued the crews of the Satellite (1879) and the Phineas S. Marsh (1896). It joined the Coast Guard in 1915, closed in the 1930s and was razed in 1944. A Michigan Historic Marker stands there today.
Interactive River Map
River Overview
The main stem runs about 23.6 miles entirely within McMillan Township, Luce County. It forms where the North and West branches meet about 8 miles south-southeast of Muskallonge Lake State Park and reaches Lake Superior about 10 miles east of Deer Park.
The river is a state-designated Natural River.
USGS Flow & Water Conditions
Whether the Two Hearted sites report real-time data: Verify locally. If not, use the Tahquamenon gage as a regional indicator.
Paddling Character
- Clear, tea-colored water over sand and cobble with steady current.
- Reed & Green Bridge to the mouth: a 4–6 hour day.
- Below High Bridge the bottom changes from sharp, slippery rock to small cobble and sand.
- Remote: no towns along the river.
Michigan Water Trails
Verify locally.
Dams & Portages
No active dams: the river is free-flowing.
- Expect logjam and deadfall carries, especially above Reed & Green Bridge and on the branches.
- Shallow rocky riffles may require getting out to walk the boat.
Never run a dam.
Launches
- High Bridge State Forest Campground (County Road 407, 22 miles north of Newberry): carry-in about 50 feet from parking. Steep banks and swift current make it a hard launch.
- Reed & Green Bridge State Forest Campground (29 miles north of Newberry): carry-in to the right of site #1 down a gravel path. The most popular put-in.
- Rivermouth State Forest Campground, at Lake Superior: take-out. Current access details: Verify locally.
Camping
- High Bridge SFCG: 6 rustic sites
- Reed & Green Bridge SFCG: 7 rustic sites
- Two Hearted River (Rivermouth) SFCG at Lake Superior
- State forest sites: first-come, first-served, about $20 per night, open all year; roads not plowed
- Modern camping: Muskallonge Lake State Park, west of the mouth
Wildlife & Fishing
- Premier steelhead river of the eastern UP, about early April to mid-May, plus a strong fall salmon run.
- Brook trout in summer; the East Branch is a Type 1 native brook trout stream.
- Wading is hard: dark water and deep holes.
Safety
- Remote with long shuttles. Cell service: Verify locally.
- The 2012 Duck Lake Fire burned the area near the mouth. Whether any shuttle service operates now: Verify locally.
- Strainers, cold water, and Lake Superior wind and waves at the mouth.
- Nearest hospital: Newberry. Name: Verify locally.
Best Time & Access
Summer for paddling. Spring brings high, cold water and heavy steelhead fishing pressure.
Trip Planning
- Check the USGS gage
- Check the weather
- Leave a trip plan with someone
- PFD on
- Dry bag packed
- Shuttle set
- Cold-water gear ready
River Difficulty
- Class IClass I (not listed by American Whitewater) — easy moving water, small riffles, few obstructions.
Ratings rise at high water — check the USGS gage before paddling. American Whitewater
Quick Reference
- Main stem: ~23.6 mi
- Basin: Lake Superior
- Designation: Natural River
- No dams
- Best: June–September
Sources
Paddle It With the Club
Join West Michigan Kayaking Club members on the Two Hearted River.
Come paddle with us
Sign the member agreement, then pick your first trip.
Wild Rivers. Rugged Trails. Real Adventure.