Little Vermilion River in Illinois - Weekend Trip Report

Trip Overview

The only reason I have rated this trip as Moderate is due to the beaver dams and downed trees that require walking. It was only a 5 minute process of getting the kayaks up and around these dams.

We started at the Georgetown, IL dam and made our way to "The Old Iron Bridge" in Cayuga, IN which crosses the Little V on County Road 300 W (Highway 71). We left one vehicle at the entry point and arranged a ride for the final day.

The river was high enough to paddle all the way through the trip, it ranged in depth from 6-8inches to 3-4foot. The banks of the river often had enough room for tents and kayaks to sit for camping and we utilized a few for overnight sleeping arrangements and "rest" stops. The trip was roughly 20 miles, which we did at an extremely leisurely pace.

Here is a link to a YouTube video that is a culmination of short clips that I recorded while doing the trip. On the second day, I dropped the camera in water and therefore have only a few clips with no "ending."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMI5qB04N5o

A few spots have downed trees that can either be gone under or around on shore. A few beaver dams as well can be "walked" around. When leaving Georgetown Dam, be ready for slabs of concrete and "ree-bar" submerged in the water, these are located under the Old Dam Bridge which is no longer in use. Also, do not attempt to go any further than the Iron Bridge, the water levels drop to nothing and you will be forced to trek through high weeds and grasses to get to a nearby road.

Enjoy! and Good Luck on this trip!

Accommodations:

None

Outfitting:

Both Kayaks were Sea Eagle SE330 inflatable packages. We packed a small cooler as well as tents, clothing, and other various camping items.

Fees:

None

Directions:

We used the access point in Georgetown, IL at the Georgetown dam. Roughly 1/2 a mile south (of Georgetown) on Route 1 is a turn off that leads to the access point. Cars can be parked over night with no issues.

Resources:

Google Maps smart phone application from time to time to get an idea on our current position along the river.