Platte River in Michigan

Trip Overview

There are two parts to the Platte, the upper and the lower, with the upper being more swift in flow and rather narrow. I own a canoe but we ended up renting one from Crystal Lake outfitters in Beulah (a nearby town). Todd gave us some good information on where to go and what to do. We dropped in at Veterans Campground on Hwy 31 and paddled the upper and lower about 7 hours to Lake Michigan. The lower divides up into a lake system so a map is advisable. We then ran (we are avid runners) about 8-10 miles back to Veterans Campground to pick up the car and then pick up the kayaks. The river is nice and the current is fun but suitable for someone with some experience in steering a boat. There were several fallen trees across the river that had to be carefully steered around. We camped at the Goose Road State Campground on the river (very quiet very nice). The river was equally quiet, we only saw 1 other couple in a canoe the whole trip. The Lower Platt has more tubing traffic. Take the time to visit the outfitter in Beulah, its worth the trip for the info they provided.