Vermilac River Kayaking Guide

The Vermilac River is an 8.8-mile stream in Baraga County, in Michigan's western Upper Peninsula, flowing from Little King Lake through King Lake to Worm Lake. Its documented course runs from about 46.5158333, -88.4172222 to 46.5374402, -88.4773592. Like the Upper Millecoquins, it is a lake-to-lake connector — a short stream threading wild lakes together in deep forest country — and we found no established paddling route, no public launch, and no trip report for it.

This is remote Baraga County: big woods, small lakes, and very few people. Streams that connect lakes in this landscape are typically narrow, winding, and intimate — pretty beyond measure and obstructed beyond paddling. Beaver are the chief engineers here, and their dams turn connector streams into staircases of ponds that a kayak can neither float nor portage efficiently.

The lakes are the destination. Little King Lake, King Lake, and Worm Lake sit in country wild enough that getting there is part of the adventure, and their still waters are made for canoes and kayaks in a way the connecting stream is not. Paddle the lakes, watch for moose and loons, and let the Vermilac River do its quiet work between them.

Paddling the Vermilac River

We could not verify an established paddling route on the Vermilac River. Lake-connector streams of this size in Baraga County are almost always a series of beaver ponds and narrow runs — interesting to explore on foot, impractical to boat. No public launch or documented access point exists for the stream itself.

The paddling play here is the lakes. If you can reach them — and reaching them through this roadless country is the real expedition — Little King, King, and Worm lakes offer the flatwater wilderness paddling that the UP does best. Plan lake trips with full self-sufficiency: this is country where you will not see another person all day.

Hazards & Portages

On the stream, expect beaver dams, deadfalls, and a channel that narrows to nothing in dry spells. In the broader area, the hazards are remoteness itself: unreliable cell service, few roads, and weather that moves fast. On the lakes, wind can build chop quickly — stay within swimming distance of shore unless you are equipped for open water.

Access & Parking

No public launch for the Vermilac River was found in our research. Access to this lake country is via remote forest roads — verify public status and current conditions before driving in, and consult Michigan DNR maps for legal access points.

Map

Map centered on the Vermilac River's headwaters vicinity (46.5158333, -88.4172222). No verified public access point exists for this stream.