Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail |
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| Type | Water trail |
| Location | Shiawassee River, within Genesee County and Oakland County |
| Nearest city | Holly, Michigan and Fenton, Michigan |
| Length | 7 miles (11 km) |
The Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail is a special path on the Shiawassee River in Michigan. It's like a watery highway for people who love to paddle canoes and kayaks! This trail started small, about 7 miles long, in Genesee County and Oakland County. Now, it's much longer, stretching over 85 miles from Holly all the way to Chesaning.
Contents
Exploring the Water Trail
The Shiawassee River water trail starts in Holly, Michigan at WaterWorks Park. From there, it goes for 88 miles downstream to St. Charles, Michigan. Along the way, you'll see signs that tell you about the trail's history and what to expect.
Many towns, townships, and volunteer groups work together to care for the trail. They form the Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition. Their main goal is to help people enjoy paddling the river from Holly all the way to Saginaw Bay.
Boat Launches and Portages
The City of Fenton has a boat launch at Strom Park. Sometimes, you might need to carry your boat around a dam, which is called a "portage." There's a path for this around the Fenton Mill Pond Dam.
Another canoe launch is in Bush Park, built by a group called the Keepers of the Shiawassee. After Bush Park, the next official place to take your boat out is at Lake Ponemah. The City of Linden also has places to take out and put in your boat around the Linden Mill Pond Dam.
Growing the Trail
The trail keeps getting longer each year! University of Michigan-Flint's University Outreach program and the Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition work with local governments. They want to protect natural places like rivers and streams for everyone to enjoy.
History of the Trail
The idea to make the Shiawassee River a great place for paddling started with a group called Headwaters Trails Inc. They are a non-profit group in Holly. Their president, Sue Julian, and others worked hard to get other groups along the river involved.
Building the Launches
Headwaters Trails built a canoe launch at WaterWorks Park. The Village of Holly approved this, and money came from REI. The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation also gave money to build a footbridge. This bridge connects the parking area to the canoe launch.
Signs and mile markers were added along the trail up to Strom Park in Fenton. Money for these came from the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network in 2007. In 2009, a grant helped add more signs, mile markers, and launch points. This made a 25-mile path from Fenton to Argentine Township.
Headwaters Trails also bought land near Fish Lake Road in Holly. They plan to build a canoe launch there that everyone can use, even people with disabilities.
Keeping the River Clean
Many groups help keep the Shiawassee River clean and safe for paddling. These include the City of Linden, City of Fenton, Hope Lutheran Church, the Keepers of the Shiawassee, Headwaters Trails, and the Friends of the Shiawassee.
River Maintenance
Headwaters Trails sends crews out every year to remove large blockages from the river. They use "Best Practices" to do this. This means they only cut what is necessary and anchor logs along the riverbanks. This helps protect the banks and provides homes for fish.
These groups have also removed tons of trash from the river. They've found everything from tires and oil tanks to bicycles and food wrappers!
Cleanup Events
- The City of Linden, Argentine Township, and Hope Lutheran Church have a river cleanup on the third Saturday in June.
- Fenton hosts a river cleanup on the last Saturday in June every year.
- Headwaters Trails has several cleanups. Some are in May to get ready for their Adventure Paddle in June. Others prepare for the Fall Color Paddle in October. There are also cleanups from July to September.
Protecting the Riverbanks
Many conservation groups work to protect the land along the river. Groups like the North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy and the Michigan Nature Association help keep buildings away from the river's edge. This helps keep the river natural and healthy.
The water treatment plant in Holly cleans water before it goes into the river. Tests show that the water below the plant is just as clean as the water above it.
