Looking Glass River in Michigan

Trip Overview

The Looking Glass river is a very slow-moving river that runs from the Grand River in Portland to a destination south of Owosso. The river winds around small farming communities and offers excellent wildlife viewing. Muskrats, beavers, Blue Herons, Wood Ducks, Canadian Geese, Mallard Ducks and other aquatic species flourish in the marshy wetlands surrounding the river.

The paddling is easy as the current is at times unnoticeable unless a leaf is floating along on the surface. This allows for a relaxing paddle and I would recommend this to the newest/youngest of paddlers. The water level in the spring is usually extremely high after the snow melts which creates many new paddling route possibilities. It is a bit easier to get lost in the dark when the water is high as landmarks can be submerged.

I usually put in from my friend's backyard and canoe east until we feel the need to turn around due to darkness ensuing. Around 3-4 hours is the usual time frame but in the summer we will stretch that out as long as possible and we enjoy night paddling (though we have gotten wet on two occasions due to the darkness).

All in all, I love paddling this river because of the laziness of the current and the beauty and seclusion of the surroundings. It is a nice contrast to faster bodies of water and makes it easier to bring less capable individuals along for the ride without worrying about rapids or portaging.

Hope this helps people looking for a class I river that offers scenic landscapes and a meandering water trail.

Accommodations:

Not much besides downtown DeWitt if you need to stop and buy food or drinks.

Fees:

No fees/registration if you have no motor.

Directions:

Riverside Park is in downtown DeWitt, MI. Take the DeWitt road mile marker 85 off I69. Follow DeWitt road north until you see the river and proceed into Riverside Park. Ample parking is available and there are retail stores nearby for any supplies needed.

Launches:

Downtown DeWitt has a nice park on the river called Riverside Park that allows for launching small craft. Also Babcock Landing between Bath and DeWitt is a quiet, secluded launch that is east of DeWitt and has a few parking spaces.

Contact:

Michigan DNR

Resources:

Google Earth is my map.