SHOUT-OUT Both the put-in and take-out are dedicated (though undeveloped) landings thanks in large part to the Glacial Heritage Area (GHA), an organization whose mission is “to reconnect people to the land through recreation, conservation and tourism,” mostly but not exclusively in Jefferson County areas where glaciers left their marks. A number of trips in this book have been inspired by the GHA’s work. For a map of the lakes and streams in the GHA, a guide, and lots of great info in general, see glacialheritagearea.org.
4 Duck Creek: WYOCENA TO DUCK CREEK ROAD
• THE • FACTS •
Put-in/take-out Lovers Lane in downtown Wyocena/Duck Creek Road off US 51. See “The Flavor” for an alternative put-in.
Distance/time 9 mi/Allow for 5 hrs
Gradient/water level 2 fpm/Water levels should always be reliable, but wind can be a factor, so try to pick a still day.
Water type Quietwater
Canoe or kayak Either
Skill level Beginner
Time of year to paddle Spring and autumn
Landscape Marsh, woods, savanna
OVERVIEW A mix of woods and marsh, Duck Creek is a mostly isolated stream with very little development along the banks. It’s not the best trip to paddle if the wind is against you, but it’s an awesome spot in spring and autumn during migration—for sandhill cranes especially, but you can expect to see various birds as well as deer and muskrats. This trip can easily be broken into two segments.
SHUTTLE 6.3 miles. The take-out is along Duck Creek Road, which is less a road than a snowmobile trail. Whatever you call it, it’s rough and rutty. You may want to park your vehicle or bicycle before the road gets dodgy. (A kayak caddy is great for such occasions.) From the take-out, head south on Duck Creek Road, then turn right on US 51. Turn left on WI 16 and head east. Coming into Wyocena, bear left on Old WI 16. Turn left on WI 22, cross the river, and then turn right onto Lovers Lane. The boat launch will be on your right. Put in at the semi-developed boat launch at Lovers Lane. There’s plenty of room for roadside parking.
TAKE-OUT N43° 30.240' W89° 24.900'
PUT-IN N43° 29.820' W89° 18.540'
• THE • FLAVOR •
FOR THE FIRST 0.5 MILE, you’ll paddle on a flowage past some Wyocena buildings. There’s a cool old truss bridge followed by an iconic barn on the right. Depending on how high the water is, you’ll probably see some branches and roots of scrub partially submerged. The dam will be on your right, and you’ll portage to the right of the dam; there’s a sign indicating this, too. The creek jackknifes northward below the dam. There are a couple sloughs you can explore for up-close encounters of the old dam, of which there are three components.
“Treeflection” in the backwaters of the Duck Creek confluence at the Wisconsin River
The creek then heads west along straightaways, where you will need to duck (no pun intended) and maneuver around some obstructions. It’s a pretty scene back here tucked away from development. The creek is wide and the water usually deep. Where it’s on the shallow side, it’s clear and the bottom sandy. The banks alternate between very low and 8 feet high. As the creek begins to meander in earnest, the banks will gently rise—some sandy, some supporting tall stands of pine. After a right-hand bend comes the CR G bridge (N43° 30.090' W89° 20.711'), a solid access point for a shorter trip.
Below the bridge, Duck Creek is almost entirely marsh, but the current remains surprisingly steady. A railroad bridge, power lines off in the distance, and two separate farm buildings are the only signs of civilization you’ll see for the next 5 miles. The sense of isolation is surprising and special. Expect to see—and hear—majestic sandhill cranes, especially in spring and fall. While this second stretch is mostly marsh, the creek does meander quite a bit, narrowing around bends as it does so. And there are some hills in the distance, with a periphery of pine. Still though, avoid paddling here on a windy day since the creek is essentially flat for the last few miles.
Eventually the meandering will slacken, and as the creek straightens out, it becomes wider, too. Off to the left you’ll see the twin smokestacks of the Alliant Energy Plant above Lake Columbia. Next comes the US 51 bridge, below which the creek will gently curve to the left and then to the right leading up to the take-out. There are two parallel bridges: one at the take-out at Duck Creek Road, the other a railroad bridge. The take-out is on the upstream side of Duck Creek Road on the left.
• THE • FUDGE •
ADDITIONAL TRIPS From the take-out to the Wisconsin River and back is another 5 miles through floodplains and various channels (some leading to dead ends, others leading to Lake Columbia). This no-man’s-land (or -river) is certainly fun and interesting, but it can be disorienting. There is a time and a place for purposefully getting lost, at least temporarily losing one’s way—how else are discoveries made?—but make sure you plan and prepare for such sojourning. The current here is next to nothing, so you can do a there-and-back trip using the Duck Creek Road bridge as your put-in and take-out.
An alternative upstream trip on the middle branch of Duck Creek is quite pretty and can be added to this trip or done on its own. Put in at Schliesmann Road east of Wyocena and take out either at Wyona County Park off CR GG (4.2 miles) or at the Lovers Lane boat launch (5.5 miles). The water is terrifically clear and the current is peppy. There is a dam to portage around midway.
CAMPING Duck Creek Campground is located along the banks of this trip (W6560 CR G; 608-429-2425). Indian Trails Campground is situated on a small lake in Pardeeville, a few miles east of Portage (W6445 Haynes Road; 608-429-3244).
5 Fox River A: INDIAN HILLS CAMPGROUND TO PORTAGE CANAL
• THE • FACTS •
Put-in/take-out Indian Trails Campground/Portage Canal on Agency House Road
Distance/time 8.7 mi/Allow for 4–5 hrs
Gradient/water level 1 fpm/See the NOAA gage in Pardeeville. Look for a minimum height of 7 feet. Call Indian Trails Campground (608-429-3244) for real-time water levels. Higher water is better for paddling up the canal. Also, check the wind forecast to try to avoid high winds from the north or west when paddling across Swan Lake.
Water type Quietwater and flatwater
Canoe or kayak Either
Skill level Beginner
Time of year to paddle Anytime
Landscape Sedge meadows, oak savanna, prairie remnants, tamarack swamp, historic lock and canal through urban downtown
OVERVIEW This day journey for the adventurous type explores the historic Fox River, where it begins as a narrow, meandering creek through woodsy meadows, empties into a lake, quietly exits the lake amid a pristine setting of tamaracks and barrens in a protected wildlife area, and finally becomes a river as it takes up its long trek to Green Bay. Passing through an unspoiled landscape as it enters the city of Portage, the river is linked to a famous canal that once connected to the Wisconsin River. Expect to see sandhill cranes, great blue herons, deer, wood ducks, fish, and lots of turtles, including the cool spiny softshell.
SHUTTLE