One of Grayling Michigan's real claims to fame is its reputation as one of the state's premiere canoeing destinations.
The approximately 120-mile stretch of the Au Sable River running from Grayling in the north central Lower Peninsula to Oscoda on the Lake Huron shore appeals to every sort of canoeist (or kayaker), from real beginners to the most veteran paddlers and avid racers.
Wildlife watching, fishing, swimming, camping and picnicking opportunities along the Au Sable make it a popular outdoor recreation destination, especially with groups and families.
While the river is perfect for a tranquil summer float, it also draws a speedier crowd of canoeists to the annual 120-mile Au Sable River Canoe Marathon each July. The first marathon took place in 1947 and over the years winning two-person teams have logged times ranging from 14 to 21 hours to make the entire run. Last year's marathon drew 77 teams from the U.S., Canada and England with 62 teams finishing the race and the winners clocking in at just shy of 14.5 hours.
The 67th annual Au Sable River Canoe Marathon takes place in July of 2014.
Most of the river runs through quiet and often undeveloped scenic shoreline. The river mostly runs through the Huron National Forest or lands owned and managed by Consumers Energy, which has six hydroelectric dams between the towns of Mio and Oscoda. The Au Sable has a National Wild and Scenic River designation on the eastern end of the river as it travels toward Lake Huron.
Many trips along the Au Sable start in Grayling, and trips can range from a pleasant 2- to 3-hour float to a multi-day paddling and camping trip along the waterway.
We opted for a nice 8-milefloat from Borchers Canoe Livery near downtown Grayling to Burton's Landing at a small state forest campground east of town.
As you can see from the photos here, the river was quite calm during our visit on the sunny day in mid-June and not over- crowded, which seemed a nice change to me from the crowds I'd expect to see if we were somewhere like along the Huron River in metro Detroit.
The current in this section of the river ranged from three to five miles per hour, so we made our trip to the landing in about 2-1/2 hours where our ride from Borchers showed up within five minutes of our arrival to pick us and the canoe up for the return trip to the livery.
We saw plenty of ducks and other birds along the way while we paddled down the river, although I understand it's possible to spot trumpeter swans, wild turkeys, deer, river otters, mink and even the occasional bald eagle at many places along the Au Sable, depending what time of day or what section of the river you're traveling.
Fishing also looked like it was good the day we went and we saw a number of fishers along the way.
The Au Sable started out as a grayling fishery, and state officials released brook trout there in the 1880s. The grayling largely disappeared by 1908, although a 1987 reintroduction returned that fish to the Au Sable in 1987.The Au Sable still has a reputation as one of the best brown trout fisheries east of the Rockies and earned designation as a blue-ribbon trout stream by the Michigan Department of Resources.
There were plenty of public landings along our route and places where we could stop and picnic or swim.
The Au Sable's name is French for "with sand", and the river was shallow enough that you could clearly see its sandy bottom in many spots along the way.
Tim, as you can see, was pretty happy about getting back on the river after a long layoff from canoeing in recent years, and this was a great way to reintroduce ourselves to the sport.
Be sure to check out my story about our stay at Borchers Bed and Breakfast inn.
Thinking about paddling your own canoe? Check out Canoeing Michigan Rivers: A Comprehensive Guide to 45 Rivers, Revised and Updated by Jerry Dennis or Weekend Canoeing in Michigan: The Rivers, The Towns, The Taverns by Doc Fletcher.
© Dominique King 2013 All rights reserved
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