City of Coloma Access behind Public Works Building

This is the take out for trips beginning 3 miles upstream at the county park in Watervliet. It is also the put-in for trips heading 4.5 miles downstream to Bundy Road access. Once the pathway is cleared for the season this stretch is considered Beginner level, including  low summer water levels.

The river downstream to Bundy Road most recently had pathway clearing work done in July of 2020. At normal water levels, that segment is considered Intermediate in terms of level of skill and a short portage may be required. However, at extreme low water levels, there may be exposed logs which have to be carried over and Advanced maneuvering skills are recommended. DO NOT start this trip late in the day or you run the very real risk of losing your way in the dark in the false channels near Bundy Road.

An interesting (and possibly confusing) feature of the stretch of river from Coloma to Bundy Road is that Google Maps is wrong. Approximately a half mile or so upstream of Bundy Road, the map will show the river making some very long meandering oxbow bends. In fact, the river cut through two narrow pieces of land several years ago and created two dead-end looping false channels, one on each side of the main river channel. At low water, this is not a navigational challenge DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS because the current only follows the new cut-through channel. But at very high water, there is a current in the main channel and the false channels (which have not been cleared of fallen trees).

Note that if you start at the Coloma access behind the Public Works building, you will pass under two bridges. The first bridge (Paw Paw Street) is a quarter mile downstream and there is a place to put-in/take-out on River Right just past the bridge (where the old electrical sub-station was recently removed) but it is much easier to use the upstream Coloma Public Works Building access. The second bridge is Defield Road one mile downstream and there is a difficult take out on River Left before the bridge which is normally only used as an emergency take-out. Remember, the Bundy Road take-out is BEFORE you see the Bundy Road bridge and is on River Right where you can see the road.

To find this access site, from downtown Coloma, head north on Paw Paw Street, then turn east on North Street at the Wesco gas station. Continue east past the Public Works building and through a stop sign. Then go down a steep paved driveway and follow to river. After unloading boats, park vehicles on grass away from loading area.

Dead End/Road End parking is available.

Carry-In boat access.

Length of access is less than 50 yards.

The launch area is a river bank that can be muddy in spots.