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 SAGINAW M TABLE OF CONTENTS 15 M Farmers Creek at Oakdale | Cramton Park | 83 Rotary Park | Saginaw St Millville Rd Landing | Norway Landing M 24 Klam Rd | Columbiaville | Zemmer Park Walleye Pike Boat Launch | Holloway Dam 14 Public Access | M15/State Rd Landing | Richfield County Park M 15 M 90 Richfield County Park | Irish Rd Launch | 75 | Stanley Rd Launch Bluegill Boat Launch 13 M Bluegill Boat Launch | Stepping Stone Falls | 57 Bray Rd Landing MONTROSE 6 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park | Mott Park Paddlers’ Landing | Mitson Blvd/Riverview 5 Canoe Landing M 7 13 475 8 Mitson Blvd/Riverview Canoe Landing | 12 River Rd Launch FLINT LAPEER 4 River Rd Launch | Flushing Riverview Park | 11 9 Flushing Township Nature Park FLUSHING 10 Montrose Barber Memorial Park 69 3 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 MILLVILLE RD LANDING TO NORWAY LANDING 5 Note: Possible logjams.Angle Rd Check river conditions. Plum Creek Rd Bronson Lake Rd Mountview Rd Millville Rd Landing – Mile 8.7 2.4 mi Flint River Rd River Flint Stanley Rd Millville Rd McKeen Lake Rd Norway Landing – Mile 16.2 Flint River Rd River Flint Norway Lake Rd Skelton Rd Skelton Le Valley Rd Columbiaville Rd 1 Mile 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.