Copper Creek, Michigan, US

logging road to Presque Isle (4.5 + 5.0 miles)

River Description

Though this small creek was first run many years back, it has not seen many paddlers since owing to the "remote" put-in. This put-in is by way of an unmarked logging road about 3.2 miles south of the Porcupine Mountains State Park off Cty 519, just south of where 519 crosses the headwaters of Sand Island Creek. Depending on seasonal conditions, it is a drive or walk of 1.1 miles east on this road to the creek.

Soon after putting on, there is a short sequence of small ledges but other than this, the creek is mostly a float through a pretty valley for the first two and a quarter miles. It is possible to avoid this by carrying through the woods for about a mile to start further down but why walk when you can ride? Following a bend to the left, one encounters the first of the three named falls that drew paddlers here in the first place. The three falls as encountered are; Ogima Falls, Ogimakwe Falls, and Abinodji Falls. All three are varied pitch bedrock slides that rate from class III to IV at most flows. These are followed by a little over a mile of continuous class II-II+ water consisting of boulder bed interspersed with small ledges which runs down to the confluence with the Presque Isle.

Copper Creek runs into the Presque Isle below the canyon, where you will still run part of the fast, wavey "Conglomerate Staircase" section and the four ledge sequence around Lepisto Falls. When Copper Creek is running, it will likely be at a high flow for the Presque but, with a little caution, this can be great fun. An intimate creek run for openers followed by a big water play run offers the best of both worlds. Now if it would only happen more often when it's warm! Take-out is at South Boundary Rd bridge in Porcupine Mountains State Park.