Manistee River

River History

For centuries the Manistee was a travel and fishing route for the Odawa and Ojibwe people, and it once held native Arctic grayling. In the logging boom of the late 1800s, spring log drives filled the river with white pine bound for the sawmills of Manistee, which became one of Michigan's busiest lumber ports. On October 8, 1871 — the same night as the Great Chicago Fire — fire swept through Manistee.

Consumers Power built Tippy Dam (1918) and Hodenpyl Dam (1925) for hydroelectric power, ending fish runs above Tippy. As the cut-over land regrew into the Huron-Manistee National Forests, the river became one of the best trout and salmon fisheries in the Midwest, and the stretch below Tippy Dam was designated a National Recreation River. Grayling disappeared from Michigan by 1936, and restoring them is now under study here.

Interactive River Map

Tap a pin for details. Pinch or use the + / – buttons to zoom.

• Launch / take-out
• Dam / portage / hazard
• USGS gage
• Camping

USGS gage pins are exact. Pins marked (approx.) are approximate — confirm exact launch spots before a club trip.

River Overview

Headwaters

The Manistee starts in sand hills and springs in southeastern Antrim County near the Otsego County line, a few miles southeast of Alba, then heads south past Grayling before swinging west across the state.

Mouth

Manistee Lake, then Lake Michigan at the city of Manistee.

USGS Flow & Water Conditions

Primary USGS Gage

Station

04124000 — Manistee River near Sherman, MI

Location

Mid-river, Wexford County

USGS Interactive Map

Explore every USGS stream gage on and near the river. Tap a site for live flow and gage height.

Additional Gages

• 04123500 — near Grayling (upper river)
• 04124200 — near Mesick (below Hodenpyl Dam)
• 04125550 — near Wellston (below Tippy Dam)

Water-Level Considerations

Paddling Character

Recommended Boats

• Recreational kayak
• Touring kayak
• Canoe
• SUP (upper river)

Best Conditions

Normal summer flows with light wind for the dam ponds. Fall colors on the high banks are outstanding.

Potential Hazards

• Sweepers & strainers
• Two hydro dams
• Fluctuating flows below dams
• Cold water
• Salmon-season angler crowds
• Wind on dam ponds

Michigan Water Trails

The Manistee River is not listed as its own water trail on Michigan Water Trails.

Contact

Networks Northwest

Map layers

Access sites, beaches, campgrounds, lighthouses, natural areas, parks, rest stops

For river trips, use the sections in this guide and the Forest Service access sites listed below.

Source: michiganwatertrails.org. Access sites on each trail page appear on its live map.

Dams & Portages

Two Consumers Energy hydroelectric dams split the river. Trips end on the pond above each dam and restart below it.

Public Kayak & Canoe Launches

Camping

Wildlife & Scenery

• Bald eagles
• Great blue herons
• White-tailed deer
• Black bears
• River otters
• Beavers
• Waterfowl

Notable Scenery

High sandy bluffs, jack pine and hardwood forest, the Manistee River Trail suspension bridge near Hodenpyl

Best Wildlife Viewing

Hodenpyl to Red Bridge, early morning

Best Fall Colors

Hodenpyl–Tippy corridor, early–mid October

Fishing

• Brown trout
• Brook trout
• Steelhead
• Chinook & coho salmon (below Tippy)
• Walleye & pike (ponds)

Regulations

Trout and salmon rules vary by section. Check the current Michigan DNR fishing guide.

Popular Sections

Below Tippy Dam (fall salmon, steelhead); upper river trout water

Safety

Required / Recommended Gear

• PFD worn at all times
• Paddle + spare
• Whistle
• Bilge pump
• Dry bag
• First-aid kit
• GPS / navigation
• Emergency communication
• Cold-water protection in spring & fall

River-Specific Concerns

Flows below both dams can rise with power generation. The upper river is cold and remote, and the lower river gets crowded with anglers in fall — keep clear of lines and drift boats.

Best Time to Paddle

Spring

Cold, higher water. Steelhead season below Tippy.

Summer

Best paddling; weekends busy near liveries.

Fall

Peak color mid-October; salmon crowds below Tippy.

Winter

Cold-water-equipped paddlers only.

Best Months

June, September, October

Access & Regulations

National Forest

Huron-Manistee National Forests along much of the middle and lower river

Designation

Tippy Dam to M-55 is a National Recreation River

Permits

No watercraft permit required (USFS day-use fees at some sites)

Camping Rules

Follow Forest Service and state forest rules

Trip Planning

Best One-Day Trip

Tippy Dam → High Bridge area

Best Two-Day

Tippy Dam → M-55 with camping

Best Three-Day

Upper Manistee from CCC Bridge

Best Beginner

Upper river near CCC Bridge

Best Paddle + Hike

Hodenpyl → Red Bridge with the Manistee River Trail loop

Best Fall Trip

Hodenpyl–Tippy corridor

Club Trip Assessment

Quick Reference

River

Manistee River

Length

~190 mi

Mouth

Lake Michigan at Manistee

USGS Gage

04124000 near Sherman

Club Level

1–3

Best Section

Tippy Dam → M-55

Dams

Hodenpyl, Tippy

Recommended Boat

Touring or recreational kayak

Sources & Current Information

• USGS 04124000 — Manistee River near Sherman, MI
• USGS Interactive Water Data Map
• USFS — Manistee River
• Wikipedia — Manistee River
• Michigan DNR

Last updated: October 8, 2026. Water levels, hazards, launches, camping rules and closures change. Verify current USGS flow, weather, river conditions, access and regulations immediately before launching.