Mackinaw River
Kayak spot · United States
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
88Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Tue 3: Wind 11 kn gusting 29, Air 22 °C
Tue 3 · 91 out of 100
- Wind
- 11 kn
- Gusts
- 29kntoo gusty
- Air
- 22°C
- Rain
- 1.4 mm
Wed 4 · 87 out of 100
- Wind
- 12 kn
- Gusts
- 24kn
- Air
- 16°C
- Rain
- 2.4 mm
Thu 5 · 87 out of 100
- Wind
- 12 kn
- Gusts
- 24kn
- Air
- 15°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Fri 6 · 86 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 16kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sat 7 · 90 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 13kn
- Air
- 13°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sun 8 · 82 out of 100
- Wind
- 10 kn
- Gusts
- 26kn
- Air
- 12°C
- Rain
- 0.6 mm
Mon 9 · 84 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 21kn
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 292, good
- Tue 391, good
- Wed 487, good
- Thu 587, good
- Fri 686, good
- Sat 790, good
- Sun 882, good
- Mon 984, good
- Tue 1089, good
- Wed 1192, good
The spot in one fact
- Flat waterthe water
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know the river level, weirs or your skill.
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 92, good | 11 kn | 21kn | 18°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 91, good | 11 kn | 29kntoo gusty | 22°C | 1.4 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 87, good | 12 kn | 24kn | 16°C | 2.4 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 87, good | 12 kn | 24kn | 15°C | 0 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 86, good | 8 kn | 16kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 90, good | 5 kn | 13kn | 13°C | 0 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 82, good | 10 kn | 26kn | 12°C | 0.6 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 84, good | 8 kn | 21kn | 10°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 89, good | 8 kn | 19kn | 13°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 92, good | 6 kn | 14kn | 16°C | 0 mm |
Wind and gusts are in knots, rain in mm. River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Best time to go
No month stands out
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for expert paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan6of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb7of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar7of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr7of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May7of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun7of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul7of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug7of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep7of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct7of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov7of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec6of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Dec
Tap a month to see this spot for a trip then.
Typical weather, not a forecast, and not the river's level: a month that is often good to be outside may still be low water.
Map
the spot and its town
Mackinaw River on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Mackinaw River
A launch on the Mackinaw River. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. None within 10 km, the nearest 16 km away. The town to stay in is El Paso.
- River Mackinaw River
- Grade No grade is stated.
- Who it suits No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
- Schools, hire None within 10 km, the nearest 16 km away.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$919–US$1,640 each
about US$919–US$1,640 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: fuel, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | about 430 km there and back, shared | about US$27–US$40 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$349–US$584 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$637 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or bring your own | about US$201–US$376 |
| Total | about US$919–US$1,640 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: El Paso
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
about 20 min by car · 6 places to stay
about US$134/nightcountry average
About El Paso its beds, food and every spot near it
About US$134 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
Getting there: about 2h 45m
About 2h 45m door to door from Chicago
Drive: Drive, about 2h 45m
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in El Paso · GetYourGuideKayak hire in El Paso · GetYourGuide
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
North Shore Boat and Board Rental 16 km
The nearest named schools, clubs and kayak or canoe hire within 25 km, in a straight line. Listings, not a recommendation. Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits