Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
84Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Mon 2: Wind 6 kn gusting 12, Air 18 °C
Mon 2 · 89 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 12kn
- Air
- 18°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tue 3 · 80 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 22kntoo gusty
- Air
- 20°C
- Rain
- 4.6 mm
Wed 4 · 84 out of 100
- Wind
- 10 kn
- Gusts
- 24kn
- Air
- 18°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Thu 5 · 85 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 15kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 2.7 mm
Fri 6 · 83 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 10kn
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 1.5 mm
Sat 7 · 82 out of 100
- Wind
- 4 kn
- Gusts
- 12kn
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sun 8 · 74 out of 100
- Wind
- 7 kn
- Gusts
- 24kn
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Sun 199, good
- Mon 289, good
- Tue 380, good
- Wed 484, good
- Thu 585, good
- Fri 683, good
- Sat 782, good
- Sun 874, good
- Mon 981, good
- Tue 1080, good
The spot in two facts
- Flat waterthe water
- 8.1 kmthe section
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know the river level, weirs or your skill.
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 1Nov | 99, good | 5 kn | 13kn | 20°C | 0 mm |
| Mon 2Nov | 89, good | 6 kn | 12kn | 18°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 80, good | 9 kn | 22kntoo gusty | 20°C | 4.6 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 84, good | 10 kn | 24kn | 18°C | 0.3 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 85, good | 6 kn | 15kn | 11°C | 2.7 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 83, good | 5 kn | 10kn | 10°C | 1.5 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 82, good | 4 kn | 12kn | 9°C | 0 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 74, good | 7 kn | 24kn | 9°C | 0 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 81, good | 7 kn | 17kn | 10°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 80, good | 6 kn | 13kn | 12°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.
Map
put-in, take-out, its town
Rainbow Jim Bridge Boat Ramp on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
More kayaking near here
5 places
- Lucas Road Boat Launch 3.7 km away
- Smithville Boat Ramp 7.6 km away
- Smithville Landing 8.1 km away
- US-131 Roadside Park Boat Ramp 11.3 km away
- Baxter Bridge Boat Ramp 20.4 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Rainbow Jim Bridge Boat Ramp
A river section on the Manistee River, from a put-in down to a take-out. It runs 8.1 km along the river. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. OpenStreetMap marks the water open to canoes and kayaks. None within 10 km, the nearest 22 km away. The town to stay in is Fife Lake. Within 5 km we also list 1 kayak spot.
- River Manistee River
- Grade No grade is stated.
- Length 8.1 km along the river.
- Who it suits No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle.
- Access OpenStreetMap marks the water open to canoes and kayaks.
- Schools, hire None within 10 km, the nearest 22 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$1,080–US$1,950 each
about US$1,080–US$1,950 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, taxi, 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 30 October 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to TVC, estimated from distance and season, 3 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | about US$114–US$234 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | about US$74–US$121 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$348–US$583 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$636 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$201–US$375 |
| Total | about US$1,080–US$1,950 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Fife Lake
17 min by car
about US$134/nightcountry average
About Fife Lake 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 30 October 2026.
Getting there: about 3h 55m
About 3h 55m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → TVC, direct, then 55 min by road
Flights ORD → TVC on your dates · Skyscanner
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Fife Lake · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Fife Lake · GetYourGuide
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
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