During the Covid-19 pandemic, UW closed Upham Woods to all activity including paddling. But out of the blue they let us know that pass holders were invited to launch their boats. Continue reading Blackhawk Island during pandemic election (2020 Last Paddle)
Tag: No Shuttle
Enter and exit river at same point.
Hartman Creek State Park – Recon
Inspired by a social media post, we decided to check out the Chain O’ Lakes area “some day.” Serendipitously, a need for some special cheese instigated a look-see. The game was afoot!
Continue reading Hartman Creek State Park – Recon
Chilling on the Rock River (North of Kaul Park)
Our previous plans were thwarted by Covid and non-Covid issues, so we made a last-minute decision to go to the Rock for a late-afternoon paddle. Continue reading Chilling on the Rock River (North of Kaul Park)
Bunches of Big Boats at Babcock Park
We have driven by Babcock Park so many times. We knew it would be a short paddle but thought it was high time to see it from the water. We learned a few things. Is it a good idea to paddle there? Depends… Continue reading Bunches of Big Boats at Babcock Park
Cherokee Marsh residential tour – farther than ever
Where to paddle after work? The water was high so we decided to head out to close-by Cherokee Marsh to explore a residential area where few people paddle. Continue reading Cherokee Marsh residential tour – farther than ever
Wingra Creek – A Nice Paddle Despite the Duckweed
Another paddle between two lakes in Madison. The water can get too low or too much algae but on this day it was good enough for the likes of us! Continue reading Wingra Creek – A Nice Paddle Despite the Duckweed
Yahara between the lakes
She got a new kayak. Then she got a broken foot. Finally the bone was healed enough that she felt ready to load her boat on the car and join us for a short paddle. Continue reading Yahara between the lakes
Uturned! Blockage on the Bark
We planned to paddle to the confluence of the Rock River but a duckweed / muck area made us turn around from whence we came. Continue reading Uturned! Blockage on the Bark
Duck! Starkweather Creek with high water
With temperatures in the upper 70’s and a big rain a few days ago, conditions seemed ideal for a paddle on Starkweather Creek. Continue reading Duck! Starkweather Creek with high water
Paddle around Astico Park – first time
Inspired by posts in the Facebook group Paddle Wisconsin, we decided to try parts of the Crawfish River we hadn’t realized were canoeable. So, after researching various options on wisconsinrivertrips.com, we set out for Astico Park near Columbus for a no-shuttle paddle and a bit of recon on a warm sunny late June afternoon. An added bonus – we can get there in about 40 minutes from Madison, as opposed to the minimum 1-hour drive required to get to most places we paddle.
After a 40 minute drive via US 151, we arrived at Astico County Park entrance off County TT. We drove through the park before launching and noted that it was quiet and not crowded. This was a Wednesday, and we wondered if the situation would be quite different on a weekend with more people and more beer. We made note of some scenic picnic sites for future reference – perhaps a mid-week picnic dinner and short paddle in the early fall.