Middle Branch of the Ontonagon - Watersmeet to Bond Falls Flowage
Two of us did this trip in solo canoes in early May 2021. Temperatures were in the 50's during the day and the 30's at night. The water level was ~260 cfs on the USGS gage. Total trip distance is about 22 miles. We did the trip as an overnight night, but it could easily be broken into two day-trips or even one long day.
Day 1
Watersmeet to Burned Dam Campground
There is an excellent parking area and landing at the Hwy 45 bridge in Watersmeet. For the first 2/3rds of day, the river is narrow and scenic with a couple of class I rapids. Then there is a wide shallow stretch (which could require some wading in lower water) before the river turns north in the last mile as it approaches Mex-I-Min-E Falls and Burned Dam Campground. Mex-I-Min-E Falls is a class III+ drop that could possibly be run by skilled paddlers with appropriate whitewater gear. The portage is short and easy. Burned Dam Campground is a free USFS campground with 6 sites. There is no drinking water or garbage service here.
Day 2
Burned Dam Campground to Bond Falls
This is beautiful stretch surrounded by mostly high hills until the last couple miles before the flowage where it becomes lowland silver maple forest. There are numerous class I-II rapids. A bony class II-III rapids sometimes appears just as the river enters Bond Falls Flowage. It all depends on the water level in the flowage. If the flowage is filled to capacity (usually in the spring), the rapids is submerged. If the flowage is drawn down(usually in the fall), the rapids exist and may require a short portage as it can be quite boney. There is about a 2 mile paddle across the flowage to get to the takeout.
Resources
"Canoeing Michigan Rivers" by Jerry Dennis and Craig Date
"Water Trails of Ontonagon County" by Dean Juntunen which is included in the book "Multi-Use Trails Guide For the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan - Volume 2"
USGS gage:
waterdata.usgs.gov/mi/nwis/uv...