Detroit River
Kayak spot · Canada
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
62Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Fri 6: Wind 3 kn gusting 10, Air 15 °C
Tue 3 · 35 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 17kntoo gusty
- Air
- 22°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 37 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 17kntoo gusty
- Air
- 18°C
- Rain
- 9 mm
Thu 5 · 36 out of 100
- Wind
- 7 kn
- Gusts
- 16kntoo gusty
- Air
- 17°C
- Rain
- 0.1 mm
Fri 6 · 91 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 10kn
- Air
- 15°C
- Rain
- 1.5 mm
Sat 7 · 84 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 6kn
- Air
- 14°C
- Rain
- 1.8 mm
Sun 8 · 66 out of 100
- Wind
- 7 kn
- Gusts
- 13kntoo gusty
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 2.4 mm
Mon 9 · 32 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 19kntoo gusty
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 279, good
- Tue 335, poor
- Wed 437, poor
- Thu 536, poor
- Fri 691, good
- Sat 784, good
- Sun 866, good
- Mon 932, poor
- Tue 1029, poor
- Wed 1171, good
The spot in two facts
- Flat waterthe water
- Best Jun–Aug7 good days in 7
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 | 79, good | 5 kn | 11kntoo gusty | 16°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 35, poor | 9 kn | 17kntoo gusty | 22°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 37, poor | 9 kn | 17kntoo gusty | 18°C | 9 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 36, poor | 7 kn | 16kntoo gusty | 17°C | 0.1 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 91, good | 3 kn | 10kn | 15°C | 1.5 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 84, good | 3 kn | 6kn | 14°C | 1.8 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 66, good | 7 kn | 13kntoo gusty | 9°C | 2.4 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 32, poor | 8 kn | 19kntoo gusty | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 29, poor | 8 kn | 16kntoo gusty | 14°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 71, good | 5 kn | 19kn | 10°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
best Jun–Aug
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for new paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan1of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb2of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar3of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr4of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May5of 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
- Sep6of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct5of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov3of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec2of 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
Detroit 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.
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.
Photos of Detroit River
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Detroit River
A launch on the Detroit River. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. None within 10 km, the nearest 31 km away. For new paddlers the best months are usually June, July and August, with about 7 good days in 7; in January, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Detroit. Within 5 km we also list 2 wind sports spots.
- River Detroit 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 31 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$980–US$1,770 each
about US$980–US$1,770 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 2 November 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to DTW, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | about US$114–US$235 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | about US$60–US$94 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$315–US$523 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$309–US$577 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$181–US$342 |
| Total | about US$980–US$1,770 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Detroit
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 · 72 places to stay
about US$134/nightcountry average
About Detroit 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 3h 40m
About 3h 40m door to door from Chicago
Fly MDW → DTW, direct, then 45 min by road
Flights MDW → DTW on your dates · AviasalesAdeSIM for your phone · Search on AiraloAd
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Detroit · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Detroit · GetYourGuide
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
No paddling school, club or hire mapped within 25 km.
Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.