Going camping is a favorite summer pastime for many Wisconsinites. Summer is also a great time to explore Wisconsin’s many scenic waterways. In this month’s Wandering Wisconsin we help you plan a trip where you can do both! The Wisconsin Canoe Company offers canoe and kayak rentals and the opportunity to spend the night camping on a sandbar in the middle of the Wisconsin River.
How it works
You can reserve day trips or overnight trips on the Wisconsin Canoe Company's website. You can go solo, in a twosome or with a group. Once you've decided whether it's an overnight trip or a day trip, you'll need to decide how far you want to go. Ryan Schmudlach is the owner of the Wisconsin Canoe Company and he says 10 miles is a more relaxed choice with more socializing than paddling. He says 18 miles is just right for an overnight trip and 25 miles is a leisurely three day trip but it could be done in two days with ambitious paddlers.
The company provides transportation so visitors only need to worry about the paddling part.
"We kind of park everybody at the end of their trip, which is a little bit unique," Schmudlach explains. "So then when we can take people up river, drop them off and they kind of paddle back to their cars and so they're able to finish on their pace. You know, you're not worried about trying to paddle as fast as you can to [the bus]. That's kind of one of the big selling points of our transportation system."
What to know before you go
The lower Wisconsin River has relatively low water levels so when conditions are right, sandbars dot the river and provide a perfect place to stop and rest, have snack or a drink and a unique place to spend the night.
"It's a dispersed kind of camping experience. There are no campsite numbers, there's no fire pits, there's no picnic tables, there's not bathrooms. So it's kind of everything that you're gonna bring, you need to bring with you," Schmudlach says.
Schmudlach says there's plenty of room in the canoes but often large groups will rent one just for carrying camping gear. There's always the possibility of a canoe or kayak tipping, so waterproofing is a good precaution.
He says often one of the biggest surprises for people is the lack of bathrooms. He says there are portable toilet options you could bring along or just use a hole and shovel. There's very little shade on the river, so sunscreen is a must. And if you're spending the night on a sandbar expect things to get sandy.
"This is a very sandy environment — you are on a sandbar. Sand will get everywhere. And if you're not careful, the worst place to get it is in your food. So you know it's certainly worth a little bit of careful planning when you set up your your kitchen and when you're cooking and keeping people away from the food and kicking sand. You know, nothing ruins your sandwich or your brat quite like a crunchy bit of seasoning."
Weather is, of course, a big factor in these trips. Heavy rain causes the water levels to rise and the sandbars to disappear which means overnight stays can't happen. There's also the possibility of storms popping up while on the water. In that case, Schmudlach recommends getting off the water immediately and seeking shelter.
Why though
"When you're going down this river valley, you're kind of surrounded by these tree-lined bluffs on both sides, no houses, no docks, no motorboats, really. You've just got these big, beautiful sandbars. I mean, imagine miles and miles of deserted beaches and you can kind of paddle up, coast on to any one you see and hang out for a little while, have some lunch, play in the water, jump off the sandbars. It's just kind of something you have to experience," Schmudlach says.
