West Branch Manistique River facts for kids

The West Branch Manistique River is a cool river located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It starts in Alger County. Then, it flows southeast into Schoolcraft County. Finally, it joins the bigger Manistique River. The Creighton River is its main smaller river that flows into it. A lot of this river goes through wet, swampy areas called wetlands. These wetlands are part of the Lake Superior State Forest. Even though the forest is named after Lake Superior, the river's water actually ends up in Lake Michigan!

What is the West Branch Manistique River Like?

The West Branch Manistique River flows through a huge area of wet, muddy land. This area is mostly clay wetlands. It is known as the Great Manistique Swamp. The river travels through this swamp for almost its whole journey.

Where Does the River Start?

The river begins in eastern Alger County. It starts from many small, wet areas called "perched wetlands." These are near a place called Melstrand.

Why is the Area So Quiet?

Not many paved roads go near the river. This area doesn't have much economic value. That means there are not many businesses or jobs there. Also, very few people live in this quiet region.

How Does the River Flow?

The river flows under the Seney Stretch of Michigan highway M-28. After that, it keeps going southeast. The river twists and turns a lot. It constantly changes its path. This happens because of silt, which is like fine mud. The river drops silt in some places and washes it away in others.

Where Does the River End?

The river also flows through the southwest part of the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. This is a special place for animals. After leaving the refuge, the river turns south. It then empties its water into the main Manistique River. This happens through a channel called Klegstads Slough. The end of this swampy river is about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Manistique.