Paw Paw River in Michigan

Trip Overview

The Pawpaw river is an easy paddle, clean, and pretty. We put or tandem in on the St. Joseph river near the confluence of the two rivers. The St. Joseph tends to be a bit busy in the summer but it was quiet on this autumn morning. If you stay close to the north bank of the St. Joseph, finding the much smaller Pawpaw is easy.

After you cross under the railroad bridge, you enter the Harbor Shores golf course and neighborhood developments. this quiet and somewhat secluded area is fairly open and abundant in wildlife. Remnants of the old industry in Benton Harbor have been replaced by tree lined golf cart paths and quiet marsh land.

We only traveled an hour up stream but could have gone further. The river was clear of obstructions and remained navigable. The scenery transitioned from marshy flats to lightly wooded hills. This is definitely a trip we will repeat and dedicate more time to.