Bluff Creek
FS5306 (off Bond Falls Road) to Choate Road (6.06 miles)
| Difficulty | I-II |
| Length | 5.4 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 24 fpm |
| Gauge | Middle Branch Ontonagon River Near Paulding, Mi |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 169 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | December 19, 2024 |
River Description
Ever been to Bond Falls and walked all along the river between the main drop and the main dam upstream? Did you look closely to see all the short cement 'spreader dams'? (My term for them.) Even when there is fairly substantial flow coming into Bond Flowage, there tends to be only minimal flow released down the historic river channel ... just enough for tourists to enjoy the falls. (And without the 'spreaders', these low flows would course much differently ... much more of the width of the falls would be dry!)
But, then, where does the rest of the water in Bond Flowage go? It is diverted via a short canal into Roselawn Creek, flowing into Bluff Creek, and then (miles and mile later) into the W.Br.Ontonagon ... eventually to provide more water for the Victoria Falls Hydro plant!
(NOTE: This is much like the Paint River above Horserace Rapids, which is diverted via a canal over to Peavy Pond on the Michigamme River, to provide more available water for a hydro plant there.)
As a result, this relatively small U.P. creek will have water when nearly everything else is too low to boat! (At least some representations have suggested that this is 'always boatable'!)
Unfortunately, the gradient is not big, and there do not appear to be any notable drops (at least, not visible on aerial views), but we've heard there are folks who have paddled this.
Anybody got any details? Worth doing? Any rapids worth naming? Help your fellow boaters by adding a comment below!
River Features
Put In
Do not attempt to access this run anyplace close to Bond Falls Flowage! Roselawn Creek goes underground (through long culverts) a number of places before it becomes reasonably boatable. This marked location is the first access after the final culvert.
On some maps, a road marked 'FDR5306' branches to the northwest here, crossing over the underground/culverted stream.
Sleepy Hollow Road
Since (A) the gradient to this point is ~17FPM, and (B) from our listed put-in to here, no significant rapids are apparent on aerial views, and (C) there is better gradient downstream (including a mile at ~42 FPM) ...
It may prove advantageous to use this as a put-in, shortening the trip to just over 3 miles.
Choate Road: Take Out
(Viability of parking is unknown at this time. Can anyone provide info?)
Run could continue to the confluence with Sucker Creek (just a bit downstream), and proceed to paddle on that an additional 6 miles. Most will be lower gradient (10-15 fpm), but there is a half-mile stretch which picks up to a 32 FPM equivalent. The next apparent take-out might be at FSR6987, but make sure you can identify this location from the water!
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