Michigan Water Trails Guides A project of the Michigan Paddling Council. Thornapple River (preliminary draft Mar 11, 2011) This guide is compiled from public sources and volunteer investigations. Please report any additions or corrections to the MPC.

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Abbreviations: BSRs - possible Bottom-Scraping Rocks in late summer BSR - Bottom-Scraping Rocks SBD - Stream-Blocking Deadfall(s) PBD - Partially Blocking Deadfall(s) $ - fee

Nashville - Thornapple Lake •Launch at M66 bridge (42.60863° N 85.09350° W) or township park. Many obstructions: SBD PBD BSRs. This section has usually been thought of as impassible, but local efforts are gradually making it more passable. The land where the river opens into Thornapple Lake has been given to the Michigan Nature Conservancy and will be developed as a nature center. •Morgan MDNR launch (42.62592° N 85.18335° W) 7 ½ miles from M66. Thornapple Lake is a natural widening of the river, stocked with walleye and muskies.

Thornapple Lake - Middleville (23 miles) # •Morgan MDNR ramp - Charlton Park launch $ (42.61812°N 85.19412° W) 1 mile. Charlton Park has several picnic shelters and areas, a beach with drinking fountain, a launch ramp area, two docks, and a historic village. Launch ramp closes at 8:30 pm and the Park gate is locked at 9 pm. Auto admission fee $ for some special events. BSRs below Charlton Pk Rd bridge. •McKeown Pk & historic bridge, (under development) (42.61578° N 85.23663° W). 2 miles from Charlton Park.. The river is usually ice-free downstream from here. • Hastings Riverbank Park (42.64176° N -85.26947° W), (under development), gazebo, seasonal porta potty, parking •Tyden Park in downtown Hastings. Streamside reinforced ramp, (42.65295° N 85.29619° W) gazebo, water, restrooms, 100 yds to parking, stores and restaurants nearby, 6 miles from McKeown Pk. •U Rent Em canoe livery, rentals, spotting services phone 269 945-3191 . 0.3 miles. •Airport Rd MDNR launch (42.66181° N 85.35588° W). Soft sand, limited parking, seasonal porta pot. 5 ½ miles from Tyden Pk. •Whispering Waters Campground (seasonal), (42.67742° N 85.38284° W) rentals, spotting services, phone 269 945-5166 . Somewhat rocky launch. Restrooms, water, store. 2 ½ miles. •Irving Dam. 2 3/4 miles. Minimal current last mile. Very shallow outside of main channel. Birding site for waders and waterfowl. Takeout on right of dam (42.68991° N 85.41396° W) or at sand ramp 20 yards to the left. Limited roadside parking. Relaunch either side of right channel, rough, brushy, unimproved. BSR

However, the river is supposedly “officially” closed to boating at this point. The recommended portage is 2/3 mile (!!!) down the road (to the left) to the next MDNR site. The power company has constructed an unexplainable “drowning machine” dam that is extremely difficult and dangerous to portage around in the next 300 yards, as the crow flies.

•Irving MDNR launch. (42.68946° N 85.42541° W) 2/3 mile. Steep wood steps carry down, vault toilet, parking. •Middleville dam. (42.71077° N 85.46508° W) 4 ½ miles. Often obstructions: SBD PBD. Wild and scenic. A few shallow side bayous. Go right around island. Takeout on left of dam. BSR and gravel ramp to the right of sign. BSR and grass left of the sign. Possible poison ivy. Limited parking. Water & restrooms (7 am-9 pm) at Village Hall on right bank, bike racks, more parking, stores and six restaurants within one block. A popular trip is to to bicycle back to Irving on the blacktopped Paul Henry - Thornapple Trail or on to Whispering Waters on dirt Trail for a land-water loop excursion.

Middleville - Grand •Launch (unimproved) on right, 200 yds portage, at GNAC bait shop, or 350 yds at MDNR launch, parking, carry down. . •Parmalee Rd. (42.75614° N 85.46220° W) 5 miles. PBD possible anywhere above here in this river. Difficult steep carrydown launch is possible from NW end of bridge. •Indian Valley Campground and canoe livery. Adm $2 per car weekdays. Half mile N of Parmalee, S of 108th. (42.76373 N -85.46198 W). Quite a few cottages from here on downriver, much more civilization. •108th St bridge. Carrydown launch possible at SE corner. The rest of the river is mostly wide and slow, due to several dams. •Coldwater River enters on right. (42.77494° N 85.46065° W). 1 ½ miles from Parmalee Rd. Carrydown launch possible 400 yards up the Coldwater from Whitneyville Rd. A Kent County park land that is undeveloped so far. Coldwater has BSR PBD SBD upstream, but is passable to here from 5 miles upstream, the Kent County Park at 100th St & Morse Lk Rd. •100th St bridge. Carrydown steep launch possible at SE. Limited parking. •LaBarge Dam. (42.811105° N 85.48365° W). 3 1/4 miles from Coldwater River. Takeout possible on right. Locked chain link gate at north end of 170 yard gravel road usually forces you to relaunch inside the fence through brush. Rocky steep launch north of fence from small parking lot at 84th St bridge. •Ruehs Park at Alaska. 3 miles (42.83877° N 85.47900° W). Parking, pump, vault toilet, grill, picnic tables, grass streamside launch possible. BSR Shoot the small rapids. Many cottages from here on down. •48th St bridge. Launch possible through brush on S side. •Cascade dam. 6 3/4 miles (42.91041° N 85.50097° W) Wide slow water, takeout over bank on left end of dam to Tassell Park, small parking lot. Relaunch from same lot. Fishing dock, riverwalk, toilets. Major shopping center ½ mile. •Thornapple River Drive bridge. (42.93914V N 85.49243° W). Launch possible, if you really want to, over rail fence to bike path. •Ada dam. 4 miles (42.95278° N 85.48506° W). Takeout to road shoulder at right end of dam. Relaunch through woods just past dam at storage shed. Ada Covered bridge park is 100 yards downstream. Parking, toilets. Takeout on right is possible between RR bridge and covered bridge if you wish to use the park facilities. •Grand River. PBD. 1 mile. MDNR launch site (42.95590° N 85.47679° W) from E Fulton. Leave the Thornapple River mouth and paddle to the left 1/4 mile downstream on the Grand River. (42.95757 N 85.47801 W). Vault toilet, parking.