Waukesha Counties Largest Lake, Pewaukee Lake

If you are ready to tackle Pewaukee Lake you are in for a treat. This is one of many lakes in the state of Wisconsin that require multiple trips to conquer it all. The first year I got my kayak I was out on Pewaukee Lake once a week. It doesn’t hurt that I work a half mile away from the east end making it easy to go before or after work when time, weather, and daylight allow.

Pewaukee Lake has two main boat launch sites. One is right next to the old train station in the Village of Pewaukee on the north end of the beach. This is on the east end of the lake. It is labeled with a sign near the peer. It’s a nice launch site when it’s not full of people. You either have to go early in the morning before eleven or after five’o clock during the week. Weekends, depending on Village activities can be a nightmare to launch and kayak so if that is your ideal launch site for the day I would do a drive by and be prepared to launch on the other side of the lake if you’re wanting a less chaotic day. If you decide to paddle even on a busy day there is a lot to do on this end. The beach itself has two restaurants directly across the street. There are multiple bars and restaurants on this end of the lake and it makes for a great day trip. Pewaukee Lake is a very popular lake for motorized boats, Jet Ski’s, and even is home to the Pewaukee Lake Sail Club. The east end is pretty busy with boats so always be aware of your surroundings. Most of the boaters are pretty respectful of kayakers but there is the occasional boater who feels the need to provide some unnecessary wake for the kayakers.

The second launch site is on the west side of the lake in the Town of Delafield. It’s a little tricky to find. It’s on Maple Avenue approximately one and a half miles north of Golf Road. It is one of two Waukesha County Park launch sites and it’s a great facility. The yearly pass for residents is twenty-eight dollars and as long as you are launching a non-motorized craft that is the only pass you need. Plus you have access to the other County Parks and the dog parks which are equally great. This launch site has full service bathroom facilities and it’s a really a great area of the lake to paddle. There are a lot of restaurant and bar options in this area, a island with a few homes, and a small natural area.

I have only paddled around the entire thing once it. It took me about five hours. It was my very first extended solo trip. Unless I go out before work at like six in the morning I always launch from the Delafield launch. I did the full lake on a Sunday. The plan was to paddle to the Village of Pewaukee and get out a grab a snow cone or some other treat from town before heading back out to finish the other half of the lake. I got all the way to the Village and realized I left my wallet in the car 7 miles away. Needless to say I just kept going and was pretty disappointed the rest of the way. Pewaukee Lake is a huge lake it is very long from east to west approximately 5 miles if you go straight across. Kayaking doesn’t lend its self to going straight across so hugging the shoreline paddling its entirety is approximately 14 miles. Depending on the day and the area of the lake it can be really rough or like glass. On most days it’s somewhere in between and on the day you go out some areas can be harder than others and it all depends on weather conditions.

It’s a great place to paddle I have probably paddled the lake more than fifteen times. There are some great homes to look at and drool over and there is a lot of nature. It’s a fairly shallow lake and by the end of summer some areas are pretty weedy. The city does trim the weeds around the beach but beyond that it all grows naturally. You can paddle through the weeds but when it’s really dense and hard to paddle through.

Pewaukee Lake is the start of the Milwaukee areas Lake Country. It’s a great lake to take longer trips. Some of the lakes in the region are nice but can be pretty short easy paddles. Which isn’t bad when you are in a time crunch but when you want to paddle for a longer time or tackle different parts of a lake on different trips Pewaukee is the place to do it? Like any trip you plan to start do your homework. Check the weather, it is a long way back in pouring rain and storms. Decided how long you want to be out. Pack water and a snack if you plan on being out for more than two hours. Be aware that if you go out on a weekend during the day assume there is going to be a lot of boat traffic. There are many other lakes to visit and enjoy in the area. Paddle safe and enjoy your day.

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.