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Milwaukee River
(main map)
Mileage refers to miles
downstream from the Kletsch Park Sluiceway. |
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5 |
(0.0)
Kletzsch Park Sluiceway. Parking. Picnic.
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6 |
(0.43) Kletzsch Park Falls. FALLS AHEAD: REQUIRED PORTAGE. Exit
on river right just before fenced viewing area. Kletsch Park Falls,
adjacent to the site of a former Native American village, was built by
the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933 (general park development
started in 1940). Parking. Restrooms in pavilion 1/4 mile north. Picnic.
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7 |
(1.4) Apple Blossom Lane. Motorized boat ramp (use caution).
Limited street parking. Residential area—please
be courteous of residents.
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8 |
(1.7) River Forest Drive. Natural bank. Street parking.
Residential area—please be courteous of residents.
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9 |
(2.8) Lincoln Park Fishing Pier. Fishing pier not accessible in
winter when Estabrook Dam is open due to low water levels (use Milwaukee
River main channel). The fishing pier is located on Sandy Island, which
was connected to the mainland via bridge in 1941 by the Milwaukee County
Workers Progress Administration (WPA). The island to the east, Mac
Island, was intentionally left isolated to serve as a wildlife refuge.
Restrooms. Street parking with additional parking lot/restrooms at Blatz
Pavillion to south.
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10 |
(3.8) Estabrook Dam. DAM AHEAD: REQUIRED PORTAGE! This dam is
usually closed from early spring to late fall, and open during the
winter. However, it is sometimes opened manually during high
flows—posing a potential safety hazard. Recommended take-out is on river
left before debris catchers (sharks’ teeth), especially when dam is
open! Put-in is at natural beach downstream of dam. Parking.
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11 |
(4.1) Estabrook Falls. FALLS AHEAD: REQUIRED PORTAGE! Required
portage on river right across from Estabrook Kilbourn Building (white
limestone cottage on river left). Start to merge right when antennas
become visible. Water access only. Popular fishing spot.
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12 |
(5.6) Hubbard Park. This beautiful Shorewood Park was once the
home of a series of amusement parks, known as Lueddeman’s-On-The-River
(1872), Zweitusch’s Mineral Springs Park, Coney Island Park (1900), and
Wonderland Amusement Park (1905 to 1909). Parking. Picnic. Hubbard Park
Lodge open seasonally.
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13 |
(6.2) Schlitz Brewery Ice Dam. HAZARD: PASS BY ON RIVER RIGHT!
This rundown dam just above Locust St. was built by the Schlitz Brewery
in the early 1900s to hold back water in winter months for ice
harvesting. During this time, ice wars were reported both near Locust
Street and North Avenue bridges. The “Beer Line” rail route used to run
on the west bank of the river from Locust St. to North Avenue—servicing
Schlitz, Pabst, and Blatz Breweries in the neighborhood. It is now a
hiking and biking trail managed by the River Revitalization Foundation.
A small rapid is present just under the Locust St. Bridge; during low
flows, anticipate a one to two foot drop.
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14 |
(6.6) Riverside Park/Urban Ecology Center. In the early 1900s,
the Milwaukee River upstream of North Avenue Dam was once lined with
swimming schools (remnants can still be seen in Gordon Park),
passenger ferries, boat liveries and rowing schools, and esteemed parks
such as Riverside Park (designed by Frederick Law Olmsted of Central
Park fame). Now Riverside Park is home to the Urban Ecology Center,
which offers organized river trips and educational activities for the
local community. Water access only. Restrooms.
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15 |
(7.3) North Avenue Dam. RAPIDS AHEAD: OPTIONAL PORTAGE. During
high flows, inexperienced paddlers may want to portage around this site.
Paddlers can take-out either side of the river just upstream of the
North Avenue Bridge, and use trails on either side of the river. Put-in
anywhere after the rapids, just upstream of the pedestrian bridge. In
1835, a timber dam was built at this site as part of a failed plan to
link the Milwaukee River via manmade canals to the Wisconsin and
Mississippi Rivers. This dam was ultimately washed out in 1866 and a new
dam built in 1891 to control flooding. The North Avenue Dam was removed
in fall of 1997 to restore natural flow and artificial rapids were
created. A pedestrian bridge now spans this site. Downstream of the
pedestrian bridge, paddlers can see the flushing tunnel on river left,
which was constructed in 1888 to pump water from Lake Michigan into the
Milwaukee River to flush out sewage, animal excrement, and debris. Area
accessible from Riverboat Road. Street parking available.
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16 |
(7.7) Milwaukee Rowing Club. Launching and landing; no mooring.
Gate is child resistant, but not locked. Please close gate at all times,
be courteous to rowers, and do not block building doors. Street parking.
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17 |
(7.8) Lakefront Brewery. Street parking. Paddlers can use parking
lot, but preferably not on Friday and Saturday nights. Restrooms.
Restaurant. Brewery tours available.
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18 |
(8.0) Trostel Square
Condos
(river right). Use two signed “public” piers for launching and landing;
do not use private piers. Street parking only. Please be courteous of
homeowners adjacent to piers.
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19 |
(8.0) Ogden Realty (river left). Good stop for visiting historic
Brady Street. Street parking only. Restaurants/shops nearby.
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20 |
(8.3) Laacke and Joys (river left). Pier can be accessed from
water to obtain paddling supplies! Paddlers can launch from land if used
during business hours. Building and surrounding fence is locked and
access to street prohibited after business hours. Street parking only.
Canoe/kayak rentals.
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21 |
(8.3) Schlitz Park (river right). Schlitz Park is a mix-use
complex of businesses, restaurants and even a Milwaukee Public School in
what was once the Schlitz Brewery. Street parking only.
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22 |
(8.8) Pere Marquette Park. This park is named after French
Missionary and Explorer, Pere Marquette, who was one of the first known
Europeans to visit Milwaukee on his quest to convert Indians to
Christianity in the New World. Today, this park is the home of
Riversplash, River Rhythms concerts, the Milwaukee River Rowing
Challenge, and other river events. Paddlers should use the south pier
(north pier for tourist cruise boats). Street Parking. Restrooms.
Milwaukee County Historical Society. Performing Arts Center (across the
river). Many restaurants nearby.
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23 |
(8.9) Plankinton Alley-Wells. Good alternative to Pere
Marquette Pier during festivals. In the early 1800s, Solomon Juneau
settled “Juneautown” east of the river, while Byron Kilbourn came in
1834, founding “Kilbourntown” on the west side of the river. The
settlements became rivals, and even laid out their streets so that they
would never meet—causing many bridges to be built at any angle. A
“bridge war” was narrowly averted in 1845 when the west-siders decided
to demolish parts of the Juneau Avenue and Wells Street bridges. The
City of Milwaukee was established a year later. Alley good for
drop-off/loading. Street Parking. Restaurants nearby.
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24 |
(9.1) Rockbottom Brewery/Plankinton Alley (river
right). U-shaped piers adjacent to brewery and at end of Plankinton
Alley to the south for public use (piers in between are private).
Brewery pier is accessible by water only. Alley good for drop
off/loading. Street parking. Restaurants nearby.
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25 |
(9.1) Mason Street
(river
left). Stub-in street good for canoe drop off/loading. Street
parking. Restaurants nearby. City Hall. Pabst Theater.
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(9.4) St. Paul/Riverwalk Park. The Historic Third Ward, which was
once a thriving commercial and shipping district, is now home to a mix
of condos, restaurants, shops, businesses, and the Milwaukee Public
Market. Street parking. Restaurants nearby.
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27 |
(9.5) Buffalo Street/Milwaukee Ale House. U-shaped pier is
public; Milwaukee Ale House pier for patrons. The last commercial
steamboat traveled upstream of Buffalo Street in 1959. Buffalo street
good for drop off/loading. Street Parking. Restaurant.
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28 |
(9.6) Chicago Street. A major fire in 1892 destroyed much of an
early Irish neighborhood that used to exist in this area. Street
parking with parking structure across the street. Restaurants nearby.
Near Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Eisner Museum, Off Broadway
Theater.
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(9.7) Waterfront Condos. Thought to be original location of
George Walker’s settlement/trading post. Walker’s Point never achieved
“downtown” status as did Juneautown and Kilbourntown, which eventually
became downtown Milwaukee. Walker’s Point was Milwaukee’s first National
Historic District and retains much of its 19th century architecture.
Street Parking. Restaurants nearby.
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(10.1) Performance Yacht Services. No access to street before and
after business hours. Parking. Restrooms. Summerfest Grounds.
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(10.2) Bruce St. Boat Ramp. This County Parks boat ramp is
heavily used by motor boats, and can be difficult for paddlers during
high winds. Paddlers should also exercise extreme caution in the turning
basin and Port of Milwaukee areas due to shipping/barge traffic. The
ramp is directly across from the current harbor entrance to Lake
Michigan, which was created in 1857 to create a straight channel to
facilitate shipping (the original mouth of the river was abandoned about
a half mile to the south). Jones Island is directly across from the
ramp, now the location of the sewage treatment plant and Port of
Milwaukee, but once the location of a Kaszube fishing village. Parking.
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Menomonee River
There are no formal
access points on the Menomonee River. One-way excursion distances are
listed below for reference. Mileage refers to miles upstream of the
Chicago Street access. Paddling on the South Menomonee Canal is not
recommended due to coal barge traffic servicing the Valley Power Plant.
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28 |
(0.0)
Chicago Street.
Street parking with parking structure across the street. Restaurants
nearby.
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(1.0) Emmber Lane Bridge. (13th Street). Hank Aaron
State Trail traverses the entire Menomonee Valley from Miller Park to
downtown Milwaukee, and runs along the south bank of the river at this
location.
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(2.3) 28th Street. River becomes very shallow near
Falk Corporation, which dates back to 1892 and to a time in the early
1900s, when Milwaukee was the “Machine Shop of the World”. Farm
machinery, electric motors, cranes, and rail cars were all produced in
the Menomonee Valley, and these machines were used locally to convert
wheat to flour, hogs to ham, and barley to beer.
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(1.3) Burnham Canal (15th and Bruce). In the 1860s,
Milwaukee was the world’s largest shipper of wheat! From 1870 to 1890,
the Menomonee River was straightened and several canals created to aid
shipping and trade of wheat, lumber, iron ore, and other products.
Today, the Burnham Canal is still home to several industries, and is a
popular fishing area.
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Kinnickinnic
River
Mileage refers to miles
upstream from the Bruce St. Boat Ramp. |
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31 |
(0.0) Bruce Street
Boat Ramp.
Good as both a put-in and take-out for round-trip excursion to explore
the Kinnickinnic. Parking.
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(1.1) Skipper Buds Marina. The Kinnickinnic (KK) once consisted
of a vast marsh, a vibrant crawfish fishery, and multitudes of
shipyards. The KK, along with our other local rivers, have provided safe
harbor for ships for hundreds of years. Accounts from the 1860s state
that during storms masts in the harbor were so numerous they looked like
a forest. Parking. Barnacle Buds restaurant. Restrooms.
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(1.7) Pier Milwaukee. The KK still remains vital to the local
boating industry, containing several marinas. The river becomes
non-navigable for motor boats past Pier Milwaukee (Becher St.).
Restrooms. Parking during normal business hours (9AM to 5PM).
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(2.4) Chase Avenue Bridge. MMSD pump station on southeast bank
marks location of a flushing tunnel built in 1907 to pump water from
Lake Michigan to the Kinnickinnic River to flush out foul smelling
sewage, animal waste, garbage, and other debris. The pump station is
still functional. No access. Distance for reference only.
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(2.6) I-94/I-43
Overpass. No access. Distance for reference only. River becomes very
shallow here and becomes concrete lined at 6th Street.
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