East Branch Ontonagon River (Gardner Road to Military Hills)
13.6 miles
April 2024
Great fun is to be had on this quick run of the East Branch Ontonagon River! Catch it at spring flow and you'll be treated to one of the longest stretches of Class II rapids in the Upper Peninsula. There's a lot of action and most of it is fairly approachable. I tagged along with a group of canoeists and as the only kayaker, I made it my mission to bonk off of every rock they avoided... at least until I flipped in the chilly water. Oops. The scenery is amazing through here with just a couple of cabins tucked away along its length, making it feel very wild. When I ran it in April 2024 water levels were quite a bit lower than average for springtime. Hard to know how much exactly because there's no gauge on the East Branch.