The Kickapoo River is known as "The Crookedest River in the World".  It certainly bends a lot.  It is a very canoeable river.  There is a section where the land is publicly owned known as the Kickapoo Valley Reserve (KVR).  Riverside camping is allowed in this area.  For more info on KVR, go to     (You need to Login or Register  

The river is very charming, however, on my most recent trip, the muddy banks were not.  Still, I'd do this trip again in a heart beat.

Here is a report from my latest trip ...

Kickapoo River Trip
Solo
Date: June 19th and 20th, 2004
Put-in: Ontario (WI)
Take out: La Farge (WI)
Water Level: Above average.  No hang-ups on gravel bars.  Numerous strainers, but easily avoided. Two log jams between Landing 12 and Bridge 13.  I was able to paddle over the first.  The second I was able to just barely snake through.  Two more log jams between Bridges 17 & 18.  Both I had to drag the canoe over the top and perform acrobatics to exit and re-enter the canoe.  Still, 95% of the paddle was beautiful.

Weather: Nice.  Not too hot or cold -- perhaps 70 during the day and high 40s at night.  No rain.

No bugs to speak of.

Campsite: Finding a site was very difficult.  They were not marked well.  Perhaps the recent flooding washed the signage away.  The site I eventually found (H) itself was fine.  However, the landing was tough.  Boot sucking-mud followed by a very steep and high incline. This site was just before Bridge 16 on river left.

Fauna: 2 muskrats, an immature bald eagle, rabbits, chipmunks, 3 owls, great blue herons, crows, spotted fawn, Canadian goose, duck with 4 ducklings, robins, swallows, sparrows, probably others I don’t remember.

Additional Info and thoughts:  The banks were all boot-sucking mud.  Portaging around obstacles was impossible because of this.  I sunk in the mud up to my knees at the take-out canoe landing.  I had to crawl a couple of yards till I reach firm enough ground to stand.

Numerous groups, mostly families, were on the river between Ontario and Bridge 12.  Things really thinned out after Bridge 5.  I saw no one else shortly after Bridge 12.  Saw no one at all on Sunday.

Cooked over the fire on Saturday night.  Made a LARGE blueberry muffin using my reflector oven and 7” bowl/plate from my mess kit.  On Sunday morning I used the esbit stove to heat water for coffee.

Used my Sawvivor for the first time.  I was happy with it.

Trip cost me $30 -- $20 for the shuttle; $10 for the campsite.  Pretty expensive for a solo.   The $10 covers up to six unrelated people.  Of course, you can arrange your shuttle with a group or at least share the expense.  A group would be cheaper per person.


Timeline:

June 19th
9:00 a.m. – La Crescent Kwik Trip
10:00 a.m. – Titanic Outfitters in Ontario
11:00 a.m. – Shuttle Completed and Launched at Titanic Outfitters
1:00 p.m. – Wildcat Mountain Canoe Launch (about 1 hour ahead of schedule)
5:45 p.m. – Arrive at Campsite H, just before Bridge 16.

June 20th
6:00 a.m. – Got up
8:00 a.m. – Launched from Campsite
10:15 a.m. – At take –out (Bridge 20)
10:45 a.m. – Leave La Farge
11:00 a.m. – Ontario
12:00 p.m. – La Crosse
12:30 p.m. – Home