Kalamazoo River

The lower section from below Lake Allegan to Hacklander Landing is designated as a state Natural River and offers very nice paddling with minimal development. Sections closer to Battle Creek and Kalamazoo also offer opportunities to step into a more natural world just a short distance from these larger urban areas. However, it’s important to get up-to-date information ahead of time on construction, river sediment dredging, and other factors that can affect river travel, and the KRWC can help. Paddling upstream reaches of the river near Albion provides a chance to experience a smaller stream environment where the river begins to “gather steam” as it rolls downhill toward its Lake Michigan destination. Be sure to also paddle the last several miles of the Kalamazoo from New Richmond to Lake Michigan to fully appreciate the journey that this waterway and its people have traveled for millenia. And remember that Morrow Lake and Lake Allegan offer easy paddling opportunities, with no vehicle shuttling required between upstream and downstream locations.