Alas, the river will widen again, and where there’s a clearance of trees on the left, you’ll see a large house. Immediately after is the restored Ninabuck Road bridge. From here, the river makes a child’s crude letter N to the northeast, passing under the stately CR TT bridge as it does so. You will see a dock for canoes and kayaks on the right just below the bridge; it’s one of two landings in Astico County Park. Just after this, you’ll see a wayside park on the left parallel to WI 60.
The river will then make a bend to the right, following the curve of a hill in the park. You’ll see some attractive—and secluded—campsites, some with their own private access to the river. There’s even an artesian spring well. The Crawfish becomes wider yet as it straightens out. A beautiful truss bridge for hikers in the park lies before you. On the left, you’ll see a pier and dock, but wait! There’s one last thing to see before taking out.
Paddle downstream less than half a mile to the Danville Dam. Rising 4 stories above the river, its wood handsomely weathered and resembling an old mill from New England, the house on the right is so photogenic that the lake-like impoundment hardly matters. Unfortunately, it’s private property, so the right bank is off-limits. But there’s a portage trail to the left if you want to get out for a better view. Or simply turn around and paddle back to the bridge.
• THE • FUDGE •
ADDITIONAL TRIPS Continuing downstream from Astico County Park is rather dull, due to the monotony of agricultural fields and development. Putting in upstream of Columbus also is not recommended on account of the many logjams, even though the river here is pretty.
CAMPING AND RENTALS Astico County Park (just south of WI 60 at N3620 CR TT; 920-386-3700)
SHOUT-OUT If you’ve never been to Columbus, check it out. There’s impressive architecture, including the city hall and the ornate Farmers & Merchants Union Bank, designed by Louis Sullivan.
3 Crawfish River B: COUNTY ROAD I TO COUNTY ROAD G
• THE • FACTS •
Put-in/take-out County Road I/County Road G
Distance/time 6.8 mi/Allow for 3 hrs
Gradient/water level Under 1 fpm/There should always be enough water to paddle this trip.
Water type Quietwater
Canoe or kayak Either
Skill level Beginner
Time of year to paddle Anytime
Landscape Marsh, sedge meadow, glacial drumlins, hardwoods, prairie
OVERVIEW This a perfectly delightful jaunt, half of which lies within a protected wildlife area, so encounters with critters are excellent here. Expect to see bald eagles, great blue herons, sandhill cranes, hawks, snowy egrets, deer, turkey, turtles, pheasants—maybe even mink and beaver. On a sunny day in autumn when the colors are peaking and migrating birds are a-wing, this trip can be truly blissful.
SHUTTLE 5.4 miles. From the take-out, turn right onto CR G, then bear left on CR GG. (CR GG is quite a pretty drive in its own right as it passes over a drumlin.) Turn right on CR BB, then left on CR I. The put-in is on the upstream side of the bridge, on river right. Park roadside.
TAKE-OUT N43° 14.058' W88° 53.192'
PUT-IN N43° 15.374' W88° 56.366'
• THE • FLAVOR •
THE CRAWFISH IS ABOUT 80 FEET WIDE HERE, but in this stretch in particular it retains its intimacy. For what it’s worth, the width does diminish the likelihood of deadfall. Off in the near distance, you’ll see one of several drumlins. After an abrupt right-hand turn followed by a left-hand turn, you’ll see an undeveloped landing on the right at the mouth of a slough. You can’t go too far upstream the slough, but it is a pretty little nook worth a look-see. This trip offers a handful of such backwater diversions, any of which are worth exploring if you have the time and inclination. The main stream then briefly flows past a row of houses signaled by some weeping willows. But for a few farms and one home across from the take-out, these are the only houses you’ll see on this trip.
As you leave behind the signs of settlement, the surroundings grow with wild abandon. You’re entering a main section of the Waterloo State Wildlife Area some 4,000 acres large that supports a variety of habitats, such as open-water marsh, sedge meadows, ferns, hardwood forest, native prairie, and shrub swamps. Ready your camera when you’re here, because wildlife abounds.
Ringing much of the background are more drumlins. The scene lacks the immediate drama of rock outcrops or bluffs, but there is a graduated rise to the landscape, which makes the entire setting nonetheless rather pretty. Additionally, there are numerous old or dead trees still standing in solitude in contrast to the flourish of leafy living ones in the backdrop for stunning relief. Beyond a couple of tight twists where the river is unusually narrow is the confluence of the Maunesha River, but in a rather inconspicuous spot that’s easy to miss. Strangely, the mouth of the Maunesha is narrower than the river itself, which subdues the effect.
Look for a break on the right banks where there are large rocks on the left. It’s worth paddling upstream the Maunesha if you have the time and inclination—there’s virtually no current to paddle against. About 1 mile upstream, you’ll see a gigantic and seemingly surreal rock quarry so out of place it looks like a tornado randomly dropped it there. The huge mounds of crushed stone, gleaming white and beige, could be mistaken for cliffs of clay if you didn’t know it was a quarry.
Back in the main stream again, the Crawfish widens out as it approaches the bridge at CR BB. On the right is a lovely farm field on a hill that, with a little imagination, could be a runner-up for Little House on the Prairie. Just upstream from the bridge you’ll find the decrepit remains of foundation supports adjoined by a very tiny island with a tree growing out of it. There’s a good chance you’ll happen upon folks on the banks here casting fishing lines. On the downstream side of the bridge are a few boulders to dodge, maybe a small riffle, and a few more attractive tree islands. The river slowly glides past a hill on the right, where you’ll see more boulders both on the bank and tucked into the earth. In autumn, the colors here simply blaze.
Quintessential south central Wisconsin
The end of the trip comes quickly: Turn right and suddenly the take-out bridge is before you. The landing is on the downstream side on the left, an official parking lot for the Waterloo State Wildlife Area. Look for the GLACIAL HERITAGE AREA WATER TRAILS sign for the most convenient spot to take out.
• THE • FUDGE •
ADDITIONAL TRIPS Downstream of CR G, within half a mile, you enter a sprawling marsh near the confluence of the Beaver Dam River and Mud Lake. After Mud Lake, the Crawfish is humongous—more than 400 feet wide most of the time. Added to that, it’s slow and muddy, and most of the surroundings are large farms.
CAMPING AND RENTALS Astico County Park (just south of WI 60 at N3620 CR TT; 920-386-3700)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT Located in the one-block burg of Millville,