Wisconsin River Canoe Trip, 2010

Columbus Day Weekend on the lower Wisconsin River from Muscoda to Boscobel is a great weekend getaway. It was an unusually warm weekend with day time highs about 80 degrees. A few of us even took the plunge for a short and invigorating swim in the river! Fall colors are usually good in mid-October. Camping spots are much easier to find than during the summer when a lot more canoeists are on the river. This was our second canoe trip this year as leaders with a group from the Chicago Outings group of the Sierra Club.

Our group met Friday night at the Victora Park Campground in Muscoda which is conveniently located on the Wisconsin River. Saturday morning we drove our cars to the Boscobel where we rented two canoes and parked our cars at the boat ramp. Our outfitter, Wisconsin River Outings, brought the drivers and our two rental canoes to Muscoda. We canoed a little over two hours on Saturday, and a little less than two hours on Sunday morning. During our trip we saw eagles, great blue herons, a few fish, and turtles sunning themselves on logs. At night we could occasionally hear owls and coyotes. This is about 225 miles from Chicago, but in many ways it seems much further into the wilderness.

Wisconsin River canoe trip links

Our outfitter:  Wisconsin River Outings

River information:   Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board

Wisconsin River canoe trip pictures

Saturday

  • Early Saturday Morning at Camp in Muscoda
  • Yvonne and George brought both of their canoes.
  • Loading Canoes at Dock
  • Early Saturday Morning at Camp in Muscoda.
  • Yvonne and George brought both of their tandem canoes.
  • We carried a lot of gear for only one night on a sandbar!
  • Loading Canoes at Dock
  • Big Yellow Dry Bag
  • Boat Dock in Muscoda
  • When our two rental canoes arrived after the car shuttle, everyone was able to load their canoes.
  • Reina, Jan, and George with our big yellow dry bag. None of our canoes tipped over, but dry bags are essential just in case.
  • Boat ramp in Muscoda on Saturday morning
  • Lunch break at the boat ramp at Port Andrew
  • After lunch at Port Andrew
  • Our Group on the Sandbar
  • Our lunch stop at Port Andrew, about one and a half hours after we left Muscoda.
  • Taking a break after lunch. Some of us hiked up the hill to buy a few things at a nearby gas station which had ice cream!
  • Our group of ten on the sandbar after dinner
  • Saturday Night Campfire
  • Loading Canoes
  • Sunday Morning on the Sandbar
  • We made popcorn on the campfire
  • Saturday Night Campfire.
    It was a clear night for star gazing and listening to wildlife.
  • Sunday morning on the sandbar with the sun rising in the fog
  • Our Campsite
  • Barry, Yvonne, and Reina
  • George Cooking
  • Our campsite Sunday morning
  • Barry, Yvonne, and Reina enjoying a morning campfire
  • George organizing supplies for a French Toast breakfast
  • George and Yvonne
  • Breakfast at camp
  • Loading Canoes Sunday Morning
  • George and Yvonne cooking French Toast
  • Breakfast at on the sandbar
  • Loading canoes Sunday morning
  • Almost Done Loading Canoes
  • Loading canoes and preparing to leave the sandbar
  • Leaving the SandBar
  • Enjoying the view from our sandbar shortly before leaving
  • Preparing to leave the sandbar on Sunday morning
  • Leaving the sandbar
  • Amy and Janet Relaxing on the River.
  • 3 Canoes on the River with Fall Colors
  • Canoes on Wisconsin River with Fall Colors
  • Amy and Janet relaxing on the river
  • Paddling with early fall colors
  • Canoeing just north of Boscobel
  • Four Canoes on Wisconsin River with Fall Colors
  • Barry and Sandra Canoeing on Wisconsin River
  • Three Canoes Arriving in Boscobel
  • Fall colors on a clear day
  • Barry and Sandra,
    Barry’s red canoe stands out.
  • Canoes arriving at the boat ramp in Boscobel at noon.