Other areas we serve include Prairie Du Chien, Kickapoo River, La Crosse and Tomah. The current is calm, although occasional work will be needed to make it past a dam or fallen tree. Significant flooding occurred in 1907, 1912, 1917, and 1935. You'll find rentals in Readstown, Rockton, and Wilton, too. Want to put-in somewhere other than Ontario? In the picture below, you can see a big tree blocking almost the entire width of the river. The Kickapoo is the most crooked river in North America and one of the best-loved canoeing rivers in the Upper Midwest. My husband is a University of Wisconsin alumni. It looks so pretty there. 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Total Time | approximately 5 hours (with 3 stops). 3.8K likes. It recalls the history of logging in the Kickapoo Valley and inspires the inner call to adventure. Like most rivers, the Kickapoo offers its share of twists and turns. We were both a little confused about why they didn’t mention this earlier, but we ended up paddling to Bridge 10 and they picked us up there. The upper You definitely have to be on the lookout to avoid hitting them and possibly flipping. He loved his years living in Wisconsin. The majority of this section of river is surrounded by the Kickapoo Valley Reserve and Wildcat Mountain State Park. For Memorial Day weekend, Sean and I spent three nights camping in Perrot State Park. The distances may seem short, but due to the slow current and winding nature of the river, it's can be slow going. There are flush toilets and a sanitary station. Your email address will not be published. Pull up on the sandy riverbank or a sandbar for a snack and drink. My husband, who dropped his phone in the river shortly after this photo was taken. There are a few riffles along the way to keep things exiting though! It was a little scary ... ha ha. You'll want to bring sunscreen, bug spray, and enough food and drinks (and a cooler to pack it in) to last you through your trip. You'll get all my posts delivered straight to your inbox, plus exclusive content just for subscribers. There's also a lot of drinking on the river, so not only is the river crowded, but the large groups you come across will probably be a little boisterous. I liked that there were multiple places to stop with little beaches along the shoreline. The Kickapoo River became the natural power source for saw milling in the nineteenth century. Today, the Kickapoo is used for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking enthusiasts, and the river plays an important role in many local economies along its banks. The shallow, gently flowing river is tame enough for the beginner but scenic enough for the advanced paddler as well. It’s one of the most popular rivers for canoeing and kayaking, which makes it a perfect tubing place for as well! With a large selection of lakes nearby and access to the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River, Illinois' only National Scenic River, paddlers have a variety of paddling choices. Ducks, Titanic, Drifty’s. After reporting this experience to the rental company, we were told “the happens all the time.” I’m sure there are times and spots when canoeing the kickapoo can be easy and enjoyable, but my experience was fairly terrifying. Kickapoo River, Ontario: See 46 reviews, articles, and 16 photos of Kickapoo River, ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor among 5 attractions in Ontario. Hope you have a fun adventure there this summer! This article and many like it oversimplify the canoeing experience on the KIckapoo. The Kickapoo River itself is gorgeous. Come and experience nature with a canoe or kayak trip down the beautiful Kickapoo River with Drifty's Canoe Rental. Kickapoo Adventures: Wonderful time! The Lower Kickapoo River is a picturesque meandering stream in southwest Wisconsin. Don't be like my husband and drop your phone in the river (true story) ... get a waterpoof pouch for your phone or purchase a waterproof disposable camera. Kickapoo Adventures utilizes the Middle Fork river for tubing and canoeing. Keep up with all things Hello Little Home ... sign up below to receive my weekly newsletter! I've made this canoe trip many times and have never had any problems, and I'm definitely a beginner. Love the name of that river! Make a back up plan in case of stormy weather, because you don't want to be caught in a dangerous situation. It is named for the Kickapoo Indians who occupied Wisconsin before the influx of white settlers in the early 19th century. The Kickapoo River is an extremely popular destination in Southwest Wisconsin. People in search of adventure take two-week rafting trips down the Colorado. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Make sure to reserve your canoes ahead of time, especially on busy summer weekends. Ginnie is the writer, photographer, and chief content creator behind Hello Little Home. It's one of my fave things to do in the summer! Kickapoo State Recreation Area: Kickapoo State Park - See 65 traveler reviews, 47 candid photos, and great deals for Oakwood, IL, at Tripadvisor. Most people prefer to canoe the upper stretch by Ontario and LaFarge. It’s perfect for families, as well as large groups with different levels of canoeing experience. The name Kickapoo comes from an Algonquin name that means "one who goes here, then there", and it's fitting. Kickapoo River Trip - Solo Date: June 19th and 20th, 2004 Put-in: Ontario (WI) Take out: La Farge (WI) Water Level: Above average. Planning to adventure there this summer, Hi, Brenda! Paddle - Canoeing / kyaking the Kickapoo River in Wisconsin. My mothers side of the family have a yearly canoe trip that is awesome!! The Kickapoo was as near perfect as could be for canoeing when we were there. If  you drove from the Kickapoo River's source in Wilton to its mouth in Waukeza, you'd travel just 60 miles. It was quite the eventful day but we still had a good time nonetheless! We camped 3 or 4 nights. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. While we've never been to Wisconsin we have kayaked down a few rivers in Florida; it's always a great way to really experience the nature of the area. Most people prefer to canoe the upper stretch by Ontario and LaFarge. Rates vary depending on company and time of year, but they're around $30 - $40 / canoe, $25 - $30 / kayak, and $15 - $20 / tube. As you glide along the narrow river, you'll pass through plenty of verdant green fields. My formative years were spent near Green Bay, but my husband's family is from Southwest Wisconsin. The Kickapoo is a river in southwestern Wisconsin that initially caught my eye when I came across a map of a 22.5-mile section of it. You'll find three companies here (Titanic, Drifty's, and Mr. “It really adds on to our current mountain bike system, which is almost 25 miles. It was hotter than blazes the entire weekend, each day reaching into the 90’s. Depending on rainfall, the river’s depth varies, but many areas aren’t much more than knee deep. So on Sunday, we loaded up the truck and headed to the Kickapoo. The Kickapoo River became the natural power source for saw milling in the nineteenth century. Kickapoo River Map - The Kickapoo Valley Reserve has a detailed map of the Kickapoo River from Ontario to La Farge. I wanted to check out the Wolf River, one of the better known whitewater riv Significant flooding … (The New River in West Virginia is also in the running, along with a nameless river in Antarctica.) The Kickapoo River, like the Lower Wisconsin Riverway, is a staple for canoeing and kayaking in Wisconsin. Whether it is canoeing, kayaking or tubing on the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River - Illinois’ only National Scenic river, trail riding through the challenging single-track trails, hiking or running the forested trails through abandoned strip mining spoils reclaimed by nature, or fishing the deep, clear ponds, Kickapoo Adventures is your source for adventure. County Road S to Highway 56 ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ The West Fork of the Kickapoo is a “river” by name only. Although you will find a few swimming holes along the way, too. We ended up stopping at Bridge 8 and called the Wild Adventure shuttle to come pick us up. Mike I’m curious about why you flipped. The calm waters have a slow current that's ideal for beginners. Tubing? The water clarity at the beginning of the river (closer to Ontario) is fairly clear and you can see the sandy bottom (it got murkier the farther south we went, however). It’s more stunning with every stroke that carries you down river. Make sure to reserve your ride in advance, especially on busy summer weekends. Pro tip: if you need a break, don't pass by an empty riverbank. It's the same state, but it has a whole different look and feel, and I've fallen in love with that area, too. If you're inexperienced, I'd highly recommend taking a shorter trip before embarking on an overnight expedition. I live in Tucson Arizona but went school with them!! The Kickapoo is a river in southwestern Wisconsin that initially caught my eye when I came across a map of a 22.5-mile section of it. The river is a tributary of the Wisconsin River and traverses 126 miles through the state. At Ontario, the river has carved out vertical sandstone cliffs covered with mosses, ferns, hemlocks and wildflowers. The Lower Kickapoo River is a picturesque meandering stream in southwest Wisconsin. That sounds like lots of fun! Sacred Heart School … During the summer, the Kickapoo River is also one of the prettiest in the country and is … Services such as canoe trips, canoe and kayak rentals, river canoe trips are also part of the scope of our business. You will get a workout paddling, but the current is slow and the vibe is pretty peaceful. Yet, the crooked Kickapoo is 126 miles long. Crooked Creek Canoe is located on the Kickapoo River, known for being the most crooked river in the world. I couldn't find a definitive source to back up either of these claims though, but as far as I can tell, it is the most winding river in Wisconsin. In its early years, Soldiers Grove depended upon the Kickapoo River for timber rafting and hydropower for flour and lumber mills. But the shallow waters (you may have to portage in a few spots, depending on river levels) and a few small riffles are fun for more experienced paddlers, too. Rentals are available locally. Rental Homes - You'll find many rentals in Ontario and the surrounding area. Thank you! There are many small tributaries with the most significant being Moore Creek, Billings Creek, the West Fork of the Kickapoo, Reads Creek and Tainter Creek. My grandparents were born in the Kickapoo area. Our Three Layer construction is designed to take a beating. Arrange transportation (for a fee) from one of the rental companies before you begin your trip. That doesn't sound like a fun trip at all. I've never made it quite that far, but let me know if you do! Sacred Heart School sold food and beverages, along with the food trailer, Le Grille. If you ever get the chance, you have to try it! And make sure to bring an extra bag for your garbage, too. I know there's been a lot of rain this summer, and that river conditions change drastically depending on water levels, so maybe that made it more challenging. The village's proximity to the river became a liability in the early twentieth century, however, when major floods began to afflict the settlement. That river has the best name! We are located in Onalaska, near Sparta, Holmen as well as Viroqua. This is the sort of thing my family loves to do on vacation! Of the two sections we paddled (and this is solely our opinion and it greatly differs from Eugene’s), we had the slightest preference for this upper Ontario to Rockton section. Watershed. … It shows bridge / landing locations, paddle distances and times, and locations of self-registration stations. Join us today for a day of adventure with canoeing, kayaking, and mountain biking. We ended up choosing the shuttle service through Wild Kickapoo Adventures and paid $20 up front for our pickup. The problem was that we only had one vehicle which meant once we got down the river, we had no way of getting back to the truck. Yes! 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