Shoe Lake Boat Launch
Kayak spot · United States
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
85Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Tue 3: Wind 7 kn gusting 18, Air 21 °C
Tue 3 · 92 out of 100
- Wind
- 7 kn
- Gusts
- 18kn
- Air
- 21°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 83 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 14kn
- Air
- 16°C
- Rain
- 6.1 mm
Thu 5 · 87 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 19kn
- Air
- 14°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Fri 6 · 83 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 10kn
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 3.3 mm
Sat 7 · 75 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 17kn
- Air
- 7°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Sun 8 · 80 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 16kn
- Air
- 8°C
- Rain
- 0.6 mm
Mon 9 · 79 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 20kn
- Air
- 7°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 288, good
- Tue 392, good
- Wed 483, good
- Thu 587, good
- Fri 683, good
- Sat 775, good
- Sun 880, good
- Mon 979, good
- Tue 1071, good
- Wed 1180, 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 | 88, good | 7 kn | 15kn | 15°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 92, good | 7 kn | 18kn | 21°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 83, good | 8 kn | 14kn | 16°C | 6.1 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 87, good | 6 kn | 19kn | 14°C | 0.3 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 83, good | 5 kn | 10kn | 10°C | 3.3 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 75, good | 8 kn | 17kn | 7°C | 0.3 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 80, good | 5 kn | 16kn | 8°C | 0.6 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 79, good | 6 kn | 20kn | 7°C | 0.3 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 71, good | 7 kn | 13kntoo gusty | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 80, good | 5 kn | 15kn | 8°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 grade III paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan5of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb5of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar5of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr6of 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
- Nov5of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec5of 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
Shoe Lake Boat Launch 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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More kayaking near here
1 place
- Heart Lake Canoe Launch 0.4 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Shoe Lake Boat Launch
A launch. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. None within 10 km, the nearest 20 km away. The town to stay in is Lake Orion. Within 5 km we also list 1 kayak spot and 1 mountain bike area.
- 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 20 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$1,160–US$2,080 each
about US$1,160–US$2,080 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, 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 FNT, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | about US$114–US$234 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$154–US$255 |
| 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$1,160–US$2,080 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Lake Orion
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
about 10 min by car · 4 places to stay
about US$134/nightcountry average
About Lake Orion 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 4h 15m
About 4h 15m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → FNT, direct, then 1h 10m by road
Flights ORD → FNT on your dates · AviasalesAd
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Lake Orion · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Lake Orion · GetYourGuide
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
Clinton River 20 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