Duluth creeks

various

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DifficultyIV-V+
Length20 mi
Avg Gradient300 fpm
Reach Info Last UpdatedApril 20, 2022

River Description

OK, I'm 'cheating' a bit here, lumping a bunch of streams together in one description/page. It seemed a shame not to have mention of these creeks on this AW river inventory, but it also seemed near absurd to detail each separately, as they all fall into a category I like to call 'stupid boater tricks' or 'micro creeks'.

Within the city limits of Duluth, there are a good number of creeks with incredible gradients and amazing slides and drops. To the best of my knowledge, most (if not every one) of these creeks have been run by area boaters.

The odds of any out-of-town (or at least out-of-immediate-area) boater catching them runnable would be quite slim. Hard-core boaters may watch for the few days (or few hours!) when they may be at 'runnable' levels, for an unbelievable 'in town' rush.

The following table hints at the variety and challenge available. (Listing is from North to South through town.)

Tischer Creek, ~1.0 mile, 400 FPM

Chester Creek, ~1.5 miles, 286 FPM

Miller Creek, ~1.0 miles, 400 FPM

Keene Creek, ~1.5 miles, 333 FPM

Kingsbury Creek, ~0.7 mile, 570 FPM

We would love to have first-hand reports (information, photos, videos) from anyone who has run any of these (or other 'in-town' runs around Duluth).


River Features

North End

Distance: 0 mi

The following listing is from north to south through Duluth, somewhat arbitrarily listing all distances from the intersection of E.Superiour Street and Lester River River Road (on the north end of town).

South-west Extent of Duluth-Area Creeks

Distance: 20.1 mi
Take Out

AM
Andy McMurray

Sep 1, 2014


Bottom Slides on Tischer Creek - Circa Fall 2007

AM
Andy McMurray

Sep 1, 2014


Midway Creek (South of town), after a LOT of rain, Fall 2007. We hiked up a mile or son and ran it down to the bridge. We did not run under the tunnel and the following slides due to wood hazard.