The fabulous Fox River was our 4Day getaway destination. Our hosts were Northland Outfitters
on M77 in Germfask, 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. |