One of the sweetest little streams you'll ever float is the Mecan (ma-can) River in south

central Wisconsin. The river averages a narrow 15' to 20' wide and features a deceptively

quick current that slingshots you quickly around the tight turns. Plenty of deadwood and

low hanging branches give you a fun run for your money. The clearance is so minimal under

some of the small farm bridges that you have to squeeze under we cheered each boat that 

made it successfully. The stories told on the ride to our launch site by Mecan River Outfitters

Godfather, Paul Harvey, were half the fun (now we know the rest of the story). The old time

tavern feel of the Buckhorn Lounge in the nearby town of Princeton (you'll dig their Hillbilly

Wind Chimes) does your soul good, sitting on the Buckhorn's back deck overlooking the

Fox River (the Mecan flows into the Fox a little SW of Princeton). Overnight in Princeton 

at Ellison's Gray Lion B&B for a short walk back from a belly full of Schlitz (no PBR on tap,

so a fine plan B) and pizza at the Buckhorn.   

The fabulous Fox River was our getaway for 4Day 33, July 10-13. Tom & Sally Kenney from 

Northland Outfitters on M77 in Germfask were our hosts, 75 minutes west of the Mackinac

Bridge in the beautiful Upper Peninsula. We launched from the Fox River Overlook, about 6

paddling hours upstream from the Seney Township Campsite. Although there is no whitewater

or rapids on the Fox, this is one of Michigan's most challenging streams, a narrow & fast flowing

river, featuring frequent tight turns, and quite a bit of deadwood to paddle around or over. The

Fox is a wonderful wilderness experience! During our 4 days on the water, there was not another

paddler in sight - you are deep into a wonderful seclusion. Plan to work, as the logjams are

plentiful, but the Fox is so spiritual and so beautiful, that you'll want to come back again & again.

 

There are a few day trip options on the Fox:

1. 2 hours - Fox Overlook to the Fox River State Forest Campground

2. 4 hours - Fox River S.F.C. to the Seney Township Campground

3. 6 hours - Fox Overlook to the Seney Township Campground

 

You can take 2 or 3 days to run the Fox from the Seney Township Campground down to 

Northland Outfitters in Germfask. It takes us approximately 12 hours for this stretch. There

are no designated campgrounds along the way, and the only public access of any kind here

is at M28 - only 20 minutes downstream from the Seney Township site.

 

25 minutes beyond M28, you enter the Fox River Spreads, You'll know that you're at the

Spreads when the Fox splits into two smaller streams - and each of those streams splits, and

then splits again. The river becomes so narrow that you can reach out and touch the brush

leaning into the river from each shore. Take any one of the splits in the Spreads and know that,

within 30 minutes, all of the splits will reconnect. A very cool experience!

 

Less than a two mile walk from the Seney Township Campground is one of our favorite

taverns, Andy's Seney Bar. Located on M28 in Seney, Andy's is about 150' or so east of

where the Fox River flows beneath the M28 Bridge. To quote from the classic 1985 song,

"Some get there by canoe, some get there by car, they're all looking for Andy's - Andy's

Seney Bar". Andy's opened in 1978, the same year that we took our first 4Day canoe trip

with Northland Outfitters. An evening (or a day) at Andy's will be full of good times, with

table top shuffleboard, Pabst Blue Ribbon beers, and maybe doing a shot or two of George

Dickel Tennessee Whisky right along with Andy. If you do a few rounds of Dickel with Andy,

and your shoes are missing the next morning, save yourself some time by looking for 'em at

Andy's first.