Michigan / Huron River /

Kent Lake Dam Portage

Carry-in (canoe and kayak) · on Huron River · near South Lyon · Michigan

Open per Michigan DNR Boating Access Sites's data, updated weekly. Seasonal gates, low water and storms are not always posted; check before you tow.

At the launch

Type
Carry-in (canoe and kayak)
Fee
Recreation Passport required
Ramp surface
concrete
Car parking
10 spaces
Restrooms
No
Managed by
Michigan DNR Parks and Recreation
Coordinates
42.51272, -83.67654

Directions (Google) Apple Maps

On Huron River

The Huron River is a river in southeastern Michigan, about 130 miles long. It rises in the Huron Swamp in Springfield Township in northern Oakland County, flows through Livingston, Washtenaw, Wayne and Monroe counties, and enters Lake Erie southeast of Rockwood. Its lower reach forms the boundary between Wayne and Monroe counties. Its watershed covers 908 square miles, and the river passes through Dexter, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Belleville and Flat Rock. There are 19 dams on the main stem. Lakes formed behind dams on the main stem include Kent Lake (Kent Lake Dam, 1946), Barton Pond, Argo Pond, Ford Lake, Belleville Lake and Flat Rock Pond. It is the only state-designated Country-Scenic Natural River in southeast Michigan. More about Huron River.

Boating rules on Huron River

  • Portage required around the dam within Island Lake Recreation Area source
  • Flook Dam portage (Portage Lake chain, near River Mile 69) closed for the 2026 paddling season source
  • Barton Dam portage and Barton Pond access (Ann Arbor, River Mile 54) closed until 2027 source
  • McCabe Road bridge (Green Oak Township, River Miles 84-83) temporarily closed to paddling during bridge work in 2026 source
  • PFAS 'Do Not Eat Fish' advisory (2018) and 'Avoid Swallowing Foam' advisory apply to the river source

Community

Where people who use Huron River talk about it.

Nearby launches

Sources

Why it is listed as public: listed by Michigan DNR Boating Access Sites. Something wrong, or is this launch private? Corrections help everyone; a reporting form is coming soon.