McDonald Lake Canoe Launch
Kayak spot · United States
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
56Fair out of 100 for your dates
Best on Fri 6: Wind 2 kn gusting 5, Air 11 °C
Tue 3 · 34 out of 100
- Wind
- 10 kn
- Gusts
- 18kntoo gusty
- Air
- 21°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 40 out of 100
- Wind
- 7 kn
- Gusts
- 19kntoo gusty
- Air
- 21°C
- Rain
- 1.3 mm
Thu 5 · 66 out of 100
- Wind
- 7 kn
- Gusts
- 13kntoo gusty
- Air
- 13°C
- Rain
- 1.4 mm
Fri 6 · 80 out of 100
- Wind
- 2 kn
- Gusts
- 5kntoo gusty
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 4.5 mm
Sat 7 · 78 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 9kn
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sun 8 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 12 kn
- Gusts
- 23kntoo gusty
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 5.4 mm
Mon 9 · 27 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 19kntoo gusty
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Tue 334, poor
- Wed 440, poor
- Thu 566, good
- Fri 680, good
- Sat 778, good
- Sun 80, poor
- Mon 927, poor
- Tue 1026, poor
- Wed 1177, good
- Thu 1278, good
The spot in two facts
- Flat waterthe water
- Best Jun–Sep7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 3Nov | 34, poor | 10 kn | 18kntoo gusty | 21°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 40, poor | 7 kn | 19kntoo gusty | 21°C | 1.3 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 66, good | 7 kn | 13kntoo gusty | 13°C | 1.4 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 80, good | 2 kn | 5kntoo gusty | 11°C | 4.5 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 78, good | 3 kn | 9kn | 9°C | 0 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 0, poor | 12 kn | 23kntoo gusty | 9°C | 5.4 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 27, poor | 9 kn | 19kntoo gusty | 10°C | 0.3 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 26, poor | 11 kn | 20kntoo gusty | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 77, good | 4 kn | 15kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Thu 12Nov | 78, good | 6 kn | 18kn | 15°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–Sep
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for new paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan2of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb2of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar4of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr4of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May6of 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
- Oct6of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov3of 7: a trip from Wed 4 Nov
- Dec3of 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
McDonald Lake Canoe 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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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
1 place
- Riverside Park Canoe Launch 8.7 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About McDonald Lake Canoe Launch
A launch. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. None within 10 km, the nearest 16 km away. For new paddlers the best months are usually June, July, August and September, with about 7 good days in 7; in January and February, about 2. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Irving. Within 5 km we also list 1 kayak spot.
- 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 490 km there and back, shared | about US$27–US$47 |
| 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: Irving
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
about 15 min by car
about US$134/nightcountry average
About Irving 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 05m
About 3h 05m door to door from Chicago
Drive: Drive, about 3h 05m
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Irving · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Irving · GetYourGuide
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
U-Rent--Em Canoe Livery 16 km
Plainwell Kayak Company 25 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
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.