Canoeing
& camping can be a great adventure! We offer a variety of camping
trips on the AuSable River. On the Upper AuSable, the camping sites are
rustic. On the lower AuSable, camping ranges from rustic to full
service.
If you choose to camp
& canoe in the Grayling area, but do not want to take your camping
gear with you in a canoe, please stay at one of these local campgrounds
and take a day trip:
Plan
on an average paddling time of 6 hours per day and allow time to enjoy
your campsite. The key to a successful trip is to plan ahead.
Know
your skill level. For your first camping/canoeing trip, plan on one or
two nights on the river. Our Parmalee and Mio canoe trips are great for
one or two nights. |
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Recommended itinerary:
Day
|
Destination |
One
|
Whitepine Campground |
Two
|
Parmalee - spend another night on the river at the campground or we can pick you up at the end of day two |
Three
|
Mio |
Four
|
Alcona Dam |
Five
|
Loud Dam, 5 Channels Dam, Cooke Dam |
Six
|
Foote Dam, Oscoda and Lake Huron |
We hope that all canoeists will leave their campsite as they would like to have found it.
Please
camp only at regularly established campsites. This is especially
important on the upper part of the AuSable River from Grayling to Mio
because of the number of private homes and clubs on the AuSable River
banks. Less populated, the remaining river portion from Mio to the lake
contains large beautiful areas which are unspoiled and relatively free
of permanent human habitation.
When preparing for your
overnight canoe trip, remember to minimize the weight and volume of
your provisions. A heavily loaded canoe will be more difficult to
paddle and portage than a moderately loaded one. Leave nonessentials at
home.
For the average camper we offer the following for consideration:
- A good tent with sewn-in floor and screening will provide comfort in cold or foul weather and freedom from insects.
- Bring
a good sleeping bag, as temperatures can vary greatly, even down to
freezing along the river. Extremes between night and day are common.
- Campfires are fun, but for getting a hot meal quickly and keeping work at a minimum, pack a stove.
- Gear should be in waterproof (or water resistant) containers.
- Drybags
are a good investment. You will be amazed at how often you will use
your drybag after you buy it and how many uses you find for it. We
recommend a clear drybag or one with a window to easily locate items
inside.
- Other options are plastic utility buckets found
at home improvements stores, Rubbermaid containers, and Ziploc has a
jumbo ziploc bag on the market. At the very least, use plastic garbage
bags of at least 3ml and double wrap your goods.
- A
plastic tarp is also good as an additional safeguard for keeping things
dry in the canoe. You will find other uses for it at the campsite.
- Keep food and garbage in sealed containers to avoind attracting animals to your campsite.
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