Canoeing and Camping on the Lower Wisconsin River

Only 3 to 3 1/2 hours from Chicago, 4 hours from the Twin Cities, and 2 hours from Milwaukee by car, the Wisconsin River meanders south through the center of Wisconsin. Thirty miles north of Madison at Sauk City, the river veers more towards the west on it’s way tojoining the Mississippi near Prairie du Chien. South of Sauk City the river is very wide in most places and in the summer is dotted with many islands. The river has many shifting sandbars and shallow spots as well as deep drop-offs. The down river shores on most of the islands contain long sandbars. The sandbars offer nice places to stop and swim on a hot day, picnic, fish, or camp for the evening. The State River System extends 95 miles from Sauk City to the confluence with the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien and encompasses 79,275 acres of Southwestern Wisconsin. In the heart of this area is beautiful Spring Green. The river corridor protects bluffs, bottomland forests, backwaters, and 98 of Wisconsin’s 147 fish species.

At Prairie du Sac and Sauk City the hydroelectric dam built in 1914 holds back the natural flow of the Wisconsin River and creates Lake Wisconsin. Below that point, the river breaks from man-made barriers and winds its way uninhibited for 95 miles to the Mississippi. The natural beauty of islands, sandbars, woods, and bluffs gives an impression of unspoiled nature to the uncritical eye, and for the history-minded calls up thoughts of Marquette and Joliet. Remarkably free from commercial and residential use, the river attracts an estimated 400,000 people a year who find it a recreational paradise. Thousands of people visit the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway each year for the expressed purpose of canoeing. The river is broad and relatively shallow with numerous sand bars and islands available for breaks from paddling. The sand bars also are used as overnight camp sites. There are recreational use restrictions in the Riverway which are strictly enforced. Glass containers are prohibited on the river and all state owned lands. Each canoe or boat must have a waterproof refuse container for garbage. This may be a plastic garbage bag, cooler or other similar device. All garbage carried in must be carried out.

Some canoe routes are as follows- Sauk City to Arena (about 15 miles) 5-7 hours of paddling; Sauk City to Spring Green (about 25 miles) 10-12 hours paddling; Spring Green to Lone Rock (about 8 miles) 3 hours of paddling; Arena to Lone Rock (about 20 miles) 8-10 hours of paddling, andArena to Muscoda (about 32 miles)2 day trip. Actual times may vary according to river conditions and how fast you canoe, as well as how many stops you make.


Animals that live in this habitat are great blue heron, bald and golden eagles, sand hill cranes, deer, and an abundance of small river mammals including otter and beaver. There are also numerous turtles which are usually sitting on logs sticking out of the water catching some sun. Plant life that can be found in this area varies. The forest in the River Valley is largely a deciduous type, with occasional pine trees dotting some of the bluffs. Islands can have grasses, shrubs and woodland plant growth. Sandbars are normally largely clear of any significant growth. The majority of the river is sand bottom as well.

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Exploring the Canadian Wilderness by Canoe

A large portion of Canada’s landscape is made up of endless expanses of evergreen forests, shimmering lakes, and large areas of exposed rock that are some of the oldest rocks on the entire planet (over 3 billion years old in places). This geographical region is known as the Canadian Shield. The characteristics that define this landscape are largely the result of the last period of glacial activity known as the Pleistocene Epoch. This is commonly referred to as the last “Ice Age” which ended less than ten thousand years ago. The huge sheets of ice scraped the land clean, exposing ancient rock and leaving very little soil behind. This, along with long cold winters and short cool summers favors the growth of evergreen or Boreal forest, which blankets this region. In addition, receding glaciers and large chunks of ice left to melt; filled depressions and formed the countless lakes that dominate Shield country. It is estimated that in Ontario alone there are over one million lakes!

One of the most rewarding ways to explore this largely undeveloped area is by canoe. The Canadian government has created many large wilderness parks that protect vast tracks of this unique ecosystem. One of the nicest is Woodland Caribou Provincial Park in Northwest Ontario. It is about 5-6 hours north International Falls, which lies along the Minnesota/Ontario border. With an appetite for exploration and solitude, along with the proper gear and planning, one can set out from one of the park’s entry points and venture into this wilderness from anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. With over a thousand miles of canoe routes, there is plenty to see and do. The fishing is incredible, there are ancient pictographs and petroglyphs, tall rocky cliffs, an abundance of wildlife (including moose, black bear, beaver, and eagles), beautiful sunrises and sunsets, the Northern lights (on occasion), and more. By paddling across lakes and portaging between them (carrying your gear and canoe along a trail, often only a few hundred yards or less, until you get to the next lake) you can traverse through the park, while stopping to camp on flat rocks or a bed of soft moss alongside a stream.
For anyone who enjoys the outdoors and is looking for an active summertime adventure, an experience like this is a must! If you enjoy backcountry camping, cooking over a campfire, and paddling a canoe, you will certainly be rewarded by a trip into the Canadian Shield’s canoe country, which Woodland Caribou Provincial Park is a part of. In planning a trip like this it is important to remember that this is wilderness camping- these parks are in very remote locations with no services. There is some important planning and experience necessary to insure a safe and enjoyable trip if you are going to venture on you own without a guide. A guided excursion is great for a beginner because they can enjoy the experience and leave details such as navigation, acquiring the proper gear, preparing camp food, etc. to someone else. In addition you will receive a great deal of information about proper backcountry camping procedures, have someone trained in first aid and safety procedures with you, and get explanations on local flora, fauna, and history of the area.