- Equipment & Skills - Local Hazards - Responsible Paddling - Nautical Charts -

- Alternatives - Public Access Points - Campsites - Projects -

The Hiawatha Water Trail (HWT) by the numbers:

• 120+ miles of shoreline
• 19+ public access points
• 23 water accessible campsites
• 7 drive in campgrounds on Lake Superior or nearby inland waters
• 1 National Lakeshore
• 1 National Recreation Area
• 1 National Forest
• 1 State Forest
• 1 County Park
• 7 City Parks
• 3 Township Parks
• 4 friendly towns
• 5 lighthouses
• Countless shipwrecks, some visible from a kayak

  The HWT is ready for you to come paddle for an afternoon, all day, overnight or passing through on an extended trip. Click here for information about the Hiawatha Water Trail map. Currently, the water trail is fully developed along the eastern third from Munising to Grand Marias, a section that includes the Grand Island National Recreation Area and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Campsites, signs and public land are bountiful here. Between Munising and Marquette, there are plenty of public access points and a sparse but adequate number campsites on public lands or at a private campground. In the Marquette area, west to Little Presque Isle, there are public access points but campsites are scarce. Between Little Presque Isle and Big Bay, a distance of 25 miles, there are no public lands and therefore it is not possible to land or camp without the landowners permission. Find out more by clicking on Access Points and Campsites.

  The Hiawatha Water Trail Association (HWTA) recognizes that the HWT needs further development to make it more paddler friendly. Find out more about our efforts by clicking on Projects. Click here to find out how you can help the trail develop.

  Paddling on Lake Superior is safe for those who are prepared. However it is very dangerous for the unprepared. All users are strongly encouraged to seek out professional instruction to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to paddle safely. Click here for a list of paddling organizations and classes offered nationwide.

  Use the following as a guideline to prepare for an outing on the trail:

Appropriate Equipment

• Sea Kayak (preferred) with front and rear bulkheads and/or floatation
• PFD and wetsuit
• Sprayskirt
• Pump and paddlefloat
• Whistle & foghorn
• Compass
• Weather radio
• Tow rope
• Spare clothes

Appropriate Skills

• Rescues (assisted and solo)
• Paddle stroke proficiency
• Map/chart and compass use

Local Hazards

Water temperature – Expect the summer water temperatures to be between 40 & 50 degrees F. Immersion can result in hypothermia (life threatening drop in body temperature) for those improperly dressed. For your safety wear a wetsuit (or drysuit in spring & fall) and bring along extra clothes in a dry bag. Survival times listed on the sign are for wearing street clothes, add 1-2 hours when wearing a wetsuit.

Weather – Lake Superior is well known for its sudden weather changes. Summer is it’s calmest season but sudden violent storms can still occur. For your safety have a current weather forecast, watch for changes, plan for weather days (1 out of every 3 days) and have alternate paddling plans. Click here for links to local weather information.

• Thunderstorms – Common during the summer months, lightning and high wind speeds represent an immediate threat to a paddler on the water. For your safety stay on shore or get to shore ASAP during a thunderstorm.
• Fall season – Usually the stormiest time of year with the potential for gales (storms with wind speeds over 40 mph) that can for last 5+ days. For your safety plan extra weather days (2 out of every 3 days) and have alternate paddling plans.
• Fog – Common especially in early summer, visibility can be rapidly reduced to 10s of feet increasing the danger of a collision or getting lost. For your safety avoid boat traffic areas in the fog, carry a foghorn and a compass & map.

Cliffs – Long sections of cliffs at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Grand Island National Recreation Area  represent locations where a safe takeout is miles away. For your safety use extra caution in these areas, have a current weather forecast and be alert for weather changes.

Boat traffic – Expect to find recreational boat traffic in the Marquette, Munising and Grand Marais areas, commercial shipping in the Marquette area and commercial boat tours in the Munising, Grand Island & Pictured Rocks areas. For your safety paddle along the shore as much as possible, follow the marine rules of the road & when entering high traffic areas group up close together to increase visibility .

Responsible Paddling

The HWT runs along a shoreline that is both publicly and privately owned. Responsible paddling means respecting the rights of private landowners by using public property. Please be careful as private lands do not necessarily have ‘No Trespassing’ signs and public lands are not clearly marked. Click here to see how the HWTA is addressing this.

Nautical Charts

Look for the following Nautical Charts to use in navigating along the water trail:

• Grand Marias to Big Bay Point # 14963
• Munsing Harbor and Approaches # 14969
• Marquette and Presque Isle Harbors # 14970

Click here to find a link to chart information.

Alternatives

Most of the HWT follows an open shoreline offering little protection when paddling. High winds as well as winds/waves from the northern quadrants can produce potentially dangerous conditions for paddlers. Planning for 1 out of every 3 days as a weather day is a good start. But if you are still itching to paddle despite what it is like on the open waters of Lake Superior, the good news is there are nearby alternative places to paddle that offer protected waters. You won’t be disappointed in these locations as they are often scenic and quiet places.

• Murray Bay (Grand Island National Recreation Area) and Munising Bay offers the most protection anywhere on the trail while providing ample space for a day of exploration. (Read below about other places accessible from the lake such as the Chocolay River, Au Train river and Beaver Creek.)
• Big Bay, Marquette and Grand Marais all have harbors that are well protected with breakwalls. At Marquette and Grand Marais, these harbors can easily support a half day of exploration.
• While in Big Bay, one can paddle Lake Independence.
• While at Little Presque Isle, one can paddle at Harlow Lake.
• While in Marquette, one can paddle at Teal Lake (Negaunee) or Greenwood Reservoir (west of Ishpeming).
• While at the Chocolay boat ramp in Chocolay Township/Harvey, one can paddle the Chocolay River (great slough near Lake Superior).
• While between Marquette and Munsing, one can paddle at Deer Lake, Au Train Lake and/or the Au Train River.
• While at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, one can paddle at Big & Little Beaver Lakes, Beaver Creek or Grand Sable Lake.

© 2004