WATER TRAIL PADDLERS’ GUIDE 1 THE FLINT RIVER
The Flint River and its tributaries form a watershed spanning approximately 1,332 square miles of southeastern Michigan. This is a part of our state’s largest watershed – the Saginaw Bay Watershed. The main river and its basin, at 142 miles long, covers most of Genesee and Lapeer counties while touching five other counties. Major tributaries of the Flint River include the South and North Branches, and the Kearsley, Thread, Swartz and Misteguay Creeks. The Flint River flows through Lapeer, Flint and heads North to the Shiawassee National Refuge where it joins the Shiawassee River. The Shiawassee, Tittabawassee and Cass Rivers converge, becoming the Saginaw River, and they complete their journey in the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron.
SAFE PADDLING TIPS
River conditions are always changing, and high water can be dangerous. Check conditions and local weather reports before launching. Users have primary responsibility for their own safety. • State law requires a Coast Guard approved life jacket be present for each paddler and that children 6 years of age or less wear a life jacket at all times while on the water. It is strongly recommended that all paddlers wear a properly fitted life jacket while on the water. • Be prepared. Always pack a first aid kit, whistle and a signaling device. • Paddling is safest with a partner. You should always tell someone on land your trip plan including location, how many in your group and when you expect to be off water. • Be aware and respectful of the boundary lines for public and private properties. Users are responsible for following all posted rules. • Help preserve the river and its resources for future generations by carrying out all trash and items that you take in. Leave all wildlife and vegetation as you found it. • Wash your boat and equipment before entering another body of water to prevent the spread of invasive species. TRAIL CHARACTER SKILL LEVEL
TRAIL CHARACTER SKILL LEVEL Natural KEY Beginner TRAIL CHARACTERNatural SKILLIntermediate LEVEL Trail Character SkillBeginner Level
Small Town Natural Advanced Beginner Natural Intermediate Beginner Small Town Intermediate Small Town Advanced Intermediate CityUrban Core Advanced
Small Town Advanced Features RoadsUrban Core Lakes
Land Trails Public Park Land Urban Core Flint River Water Trail River Flow Direction
Type Of Access Note: All included access points have parking.
Paddle Launch Natural Shoreline
Boat Ramp Carry-in
Access Sites
ADA-Accessible Hospital / Urgent Care
Fees Dining
Restrooms Picnic
Potable Water Hazard / Dam
Scale 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles
For information on float times, paddle rentals and guided tours, contact the Flint River Watershed Coalition at 810.767.6490 or flintriver.org
2 3 M
24 4 M
90
5
LAPEER 6
69 7 M 15 M
57 8 M
15
9 10
475 FLINT M 83
75
11
12
FLUSHING
13 14 M
13
MONTROSE SAGINAW
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| |
| | | Mott Park Mott | Cramton Park Park Cramton Holloway Dam Holloway | | Zemmer Park Zemmer | Irish Rd Launch Stepping Stone Falls Falls Stone Stepping | Norway Landing Norway | | Bluegill Boat Launch Bluegill Boat Mitson Blvd/Riverview Mitson Blvd/Riverview | | Flushing Riverview Park Park Flushing Riverview | M15/State Rd Landing M15/State | Saginaw St Saginaw | Columbiaville Columbiaville | Farmers Creek at Oakdale Oakdale at Creek Farmers Park Rotary Millville Rd Landing Klam Rd Launch Boat Pike Walleye Public Access Park County Richfield Park County Richfield Rd Launch Stanley Launch Bluegill Boat Rd Landing Bray Memorial Park Veterans Vietnam Landing Paddlers’ Canoe Landing Canoe Landing Mitson Blvd/Riverview Rd Launch River Rd Launch River Park Nature Flushing Township Barber Memorial Park Montrose TABLE OF CONTENTS OF TABLE 69 69
Farmers Creek at Oakdale – Mile 0 Launch access from Lake Dr Demille Rd ¼ mi ½ mi 2.1 mi
LAPEER
McCormick Demille Rd
Turrill
Lake Dr Court
Bentley St Bentley St Monroe S W Genesee St / Old M-21
Cramton Park – Mile 1.6 ½ mi 0.4 mi E Nepessing St E Oregon St Rotary Park – Mile 2.5
¼ mi 0.8 mi Millville
M 24
S Main St Davis Lake Rd Saginaw St
Saginaw St – Mile 5 1 mi 0.6 mi
1 Mile
FARMERS CREEK AT OAKDALE TO SAGINAW ST Note: Possible logjams. Check river conditions. 4
Note: Possible logjams.Checkriver conditions. MILLVILLE RDLANDING TO NORWAY LANDING
Mountview Rd Plum Creek Rd Creek Plum
Norway Landing –
Skelton Rd Millville Rd Landing –
Norway Lake Rd 1 Mile Rd Angle 2.4 mi
Mile 16.2 Millville Rd
McKeen Lake Rd
Mile 8.7
Bronson Lake Rd
Le Valley Rd
Flint River Rd
Columbiaville Rd Flint River Rd Stanley Rd 5 Lonsberry Rd
Barnes Lake Rd
Klam Rd – Mile 22.3
Hollenbeck Rd
Columbiaville Rd
Klam Rd
MarathonPiersonville Rd Rd
COLUMBIAVILLE Peters Rd Lapeer St Columbiaville – Mile 24.3 ½ mi
Marathon Rd Water St Water
River St River 5th St
Holloway Reservoir Columbiaville Rd N Lake Rd
HannamanZemmer Rd Rd
Zemmer Park – Mile 25.7
1 Mile
KLAM RD TO ZEMMER PARK 6
Mt Morris Rd German Rd WALLEYE PIKE BOAT LAUNCH TO RICHFIELD COUNTY PARK 7 Note: Possible logjams. Check river conditions.
Stanley Rd
Mt Morris Rd Holloway Reservoir Holloway Reservoir Walleye Pike Boat Launch – Mile 29.1
E Mt Morris Rd
Stanley Rd
N Henderson Rd
Carr Rd
Holloway Dam Holloway Dam Public Access – Mile 30 (Portage required) N Oak Rd
N Oak Rd
E Mt Morris Rd RICHFIELD M15/State Rd Landing – Mile 31.7 TOWNSHIP
E Stanley Rd
M 15 N State Rd
Richfield County Park – Mile 33 Launch north of rock bridge 1 Mile Richfield County Park – Mile 33 Launch north of rock bridge Gale Rd
Irish Rd Launch – Mile 35
E Coldwater Rd N Irish Rd
E Mt Morris Rd
N Vassar Rd
Lucas Rd
E Coldwater Rd
N Belsay Rd
Stanley Rd Launch – Mile 39.8 1.5 mi
Mott E Stanley Rd Lake
GENESEE CHARTER N Genesee Rd E Coldwater Rd TOWNSHIP
Bluegill Boat Launch – Mile 41.2
James Bassett Dr
1 Mile
Center Rd RICHFIELD COUNTY PARK TO BLUEGILL BOAT LAUNCH Note: Possible logjams. Check river conditions. 8 Center Rd Carpenter Rd
E Stanley Rd BLUEGILL BOAT LAUNCH TO BRAY RD LANDING 9
N Genesee Rd Bluegill Boat Launch – Mile 41.2
E Stanley Rd
E Coldwater Rd
N Bray Rd James Bassett Dr
Center Rd
Carpenter Rd Mott Lake Stepping Stone Falls – Mile 42.8 Portage upstream of buoys, launch access downstream of dam E Coldwater Rd
Mott Dam (Portage required)
Carpenter Rd Crosby Rd Bray Rd Landing – Mile 43.2
Carpenter Rd Branch Rd
FLINT E Pierson Rd N Dort Hwy
Kearsley Reservoir M 54 Kearsley Dam
475
Western Rd Richfield Rd E Pierson Rd 475
M 54 James P Cole Blvd E Stewart Ave Saginaw St Utah Dam (Portage advised)
1 Mile Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park – Mile 47.3 Paddling NOT recommended between Vietnam Veterans Park and Mott Park due to dams, steep cement walls and lack of access and egress points. 69 1 mi 1.5 mi
E 475 B ouleva Ja rd 475 m D es r E 5th St P Co le B lv Saginaw St d FLINT Hamilton Dam 69 River restoration in progress. Portage required.
University Ave
M E Hamilton Ave 21
N Grand Traverse St
Dupont St Miller Rd
N Chevrolet Ave Mott Park Paddlers’ Landing –Mile 51.1 400 ft ½ mi ¼ mi W Court St M 21 N Ballenger Hwy
Sunset Dr
Beecher RdS Ballenger Hwy Mitson Blvd
Flushing Rd Mitson Blvd/Riverview Canoe Landing – Mile 52.1 0.6 mi 1.5 mi 75
Collins Rd
1 Mile W Court St
VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK TO MITSON BLVD 10 MITSON BLVD TO RIVER RD 11
Mitson Blvd
75
Mitson Blvd/Riverview Canoe Landing – Mile 52.1 0.6 mi 1.5 mi
Possible logjam at Mill Rd bridge. 75 Mill Rd
Flushing Rd N Linden Rd
N Linden Rd Beecher Rd
FLINT TOWNSHIP
E River Rd
W Pierson Rd
Elms Rd
Flushing Rd
River Rd Launch – Mile 58 1.4 mi
Potter Rd
Elms Rd
Morrish Rd 1 Mile W River Rd E River Rd FLUSHING
Mill St S Seymour St
E Main St St Terrace
River Rd Launch – Mile 58 1.4 mi
Flushing Riverview Park – Mile 60
Carpenter Rd 600 ft Deland Rd Rd McKinley N Coldwater Rd
N Seymour St
W Stanley Rd FLUSHING TOWNSHIP
Flushing Township Nature Park – Mile 66
W Mt Morris Rd
1 Mile N McKinley Rd McKinley N
RIVER RD TO FLUSHING TOWNSHIP NATURE PARK 12 13 MONTROSE BARBER MEMORIAL PARKW Frances Rd
N Seymour Rd N Seymour
N Sheridan Rd W Dodge Rd W Dodge Rd
Wilson Rd Wilson Rd
Montrose Barber Memorial Park – Mile 70.7 0.7 mi
MONTROSE
N McKinley Rd N McKinley
W State St M Vienna Rd 57
N Seymour Rd N Seymour
W Farrand St W Farrand St
N Sheridan Rd
Lake Rd Lake Rd
1 Mile Lake Rd
MONTROSE Seymour Rd TOWNSHIP
Birch Run Rd M
13 Seymour Rd Seymour
M 13 Morseville Rd
Sheridan Rd
W Fry Rd Curtis Rd
M 13
Shiawassee River
3 Miles
TO SHIAWASSEE NATIONAL REFUGE 14 Funding for this brochure provided by:
Flint River Watershed Coalition 1300 Bluff Street, Suite 114, Flint MI 48504 flintriver.org | 810.767.6490 Genesee County Parks & Recreation Commission 5045 Stanley Road, Flint MI 48506 geneseecountyparks.org | 800.648.PARK
Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission 1101 Beach Street, Room 223, Flint MI 48502 gcmpc.org | 810.257.3010