Baird Creek, WI

Gauge Information

River Description

This reach is being included not half so much on it's own merit, but moreso as a 'companion piece' to other runs in the area. (Devil's River, Bower Creek, Neshota/West Twin) It is quite likely that these will all be 'up' at the same time. All are short runs, allowing for a 'daily double', or triple, or quad even!

Also, this reach lies wholly within a city park, through which there is an excellent system of trails for hiking and for off-road biking.

While topo maps show additional gradient upstream, (1) there is little convenient access (other than hiking up), (2) the stream is generally narrow and very brushy, and (3) it lacks the bedrock foundation which creates the rapids in the listed reach.

Put-in at the Moon Valley Drive bridge, just off of Baird Creek Road, within eye/ear-shot of I43 passing overhead. A series of short ledges in this little creek will provide busy entertainment for novice boaters. Caution is urged, as deadfalls and snags are common, especially later in this reach. Get out as soon as the gradient peters-out and deadfall becomes plentiful to avoid the worst of it and minimize the hike back to your vehicle.

References

Midwest River Inventory has some additional information on this reach.

Special Note: The real HUC for this reach should be 04030204. It has been 'faked' below to allow this reach to 'sort' (when listing is pulled up 'by drainage') into the "Southwestern Lake Michigan" rivers, rather than the already bloated list of "Northwestern Lake Michigan" rivers. If this somehow causes problems for anyone using this listing, please send a message to the Regional StreamTeam Leader (which can be done via the "Add a Comment" button which should appear under the "Comments" tab).