The Fox River(Start Point in Vernon, Wisonsin)

The Fox River is a great afternoon trip. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time in your day because if you are paddling with the current you can go really far before you realize you need to go back to where you started. I have paddled it twice so far. On both trips I started at the same location in the town of Vernon. It’s a free launch site off of National Avenue (Hwy ES) it’s unmarked and easy to pass it your first time out. The last street you pass going west is called Edgewood Avenue it’s a subdivision on your left. Shortly after you pass that road you will see a bridge and a large gravel area on the right side of the road with a garbage can. That is the parking for river access. It’s a pretty steep path to the river launch site it can be a little tricky doing it yourself. The steep grade and the loose gravel make it a little slippery.  The only benefit is it’s free.

Now for the trip you decide to take. Whether you go north or south from the launch point you will find a pretty windy river in either direction. After two trips in this area of the river I would say the more enjoyable paddle is to start out going north. On my first trip I went about 3 miles paddling in 1 direction. I was within another 30-45 minutes of Lawnsdale Road (Hwy I) the majority of the area is a Protected Wildlife Area. There was a lot of wildlife. There was a young eagle flying overhead, a beaver zipping across the river after a canoe had just passed going in the opposite direction, a bunch of turtles sunning themselves, and a few fish making a splash as they came to the surface of the river for a quick snack. It’s a great ride north. There is large train bridge you get to go under and the 4 hours I was out my first trip 2 trains went by.

A few weeks ago I went south off the same ES launch site in Vernon. It has been a pretty dry summer so far. There were a few points in the river where I hit bottom and almost got stuck a few times. I paddled for about 2 miles in one direction until I came across a few broken clay birds and got stuck in the river again and couldn’t get beyond it. So I gave up and turned around and headed back. I am sure I could have gotten out and pushed till I got to deeper water again but 4 hour rides are generally my max. The paddle against the current on the return trip was definitely harder with the 3-4 shallow spots where I could barely get a full paddle in the water. The forces of the water at those shallow points were more intense. The water pressure was greater which meant if I would have taken less or slower strokes I wouldn’t have made it through those points. Depending on the type of paddling you would like to do I would say this portion of the river was moderately difficult. Who knows after some rain it could be an easier paddle. Outside of difficulty of this area of the river it had just as much wildlife as going north off ES. There were a lot of turtles sunning themselves and a lot of birds. There are a few homes lining this area but the journey still feels very remote. There is less noise in this area than there is going north and the train is a lot farther from this point of the river. Outside of going under I-43 there isn’t much traffic noise either. This area is pretty far from major highways reducing the noise pollution. This area has a lot more trees and vegetation which blocks a lot of the noise. The river to the north is surrounded by cattails and reeds which seem to block less of the noise.

No matter which direction you go you can’t go wrong. It can be a long day in either direction so plan accordingly. Bring a few bottled waters, a granola bar, a banana and a smart phone in case of an emergency. A good rule of thumb is to decide how much time you want to spend on the river and whether you want to start out going with the current or against the current. If you start going with the current remove 15 minutes from your half way point. If you decide to start going against the current you can add 15 minutes to your turn around point.

A side note on this area of the Fox River. The Mukwonago River joins the Fox River just south of the boat launch. It actually joins the river just before you paddle under the I-43 overpass. The Mukwonago River eventually connects to Phantom Lake. It’s definitely doable in a longer day trip.