Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
55Fair out of 100 for your dates
Best on Tue 3: Wind 3 kn gusting 7, Air 15 °C
Tue 3 · 90 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 7kn
- Air
- 15°C
- Rain
- 0.1 mm
Wed 4 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 11 kn
- Gusts
- 23kntoo gusty
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 14.6 mm
Thu 5 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 16 kn
- Gusts
- 36kntoo gusty
- Air
- 5°C
- Rain
- 1.4 mm
Fri 6 · 73 out of 100
- Wind
- 2 kn
- Gusts
- 8kn
- Air
- 3°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sat 7 · 26 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 19kntoo gusty
- Air
- 6°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sun 8 · 33 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 13kntoo gusty
- Air
- 6°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Mon 9 · 75 out of 100
- Wind
- 4 kn
- Gusts
- 14kn
- Air
- 6°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Tue 390, good
- Wed 40, poor
- Thu 50, poor
- Fri 673, good
- Sat 726, poor
- Sun 833, poor
- Mon 975, good
- Tue 100, poor
- Wed 1134, poor
- Thu 1282, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 3Nov | 90, good | 3 kn | 7kn | 15°C | 0.1 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 0, poor | 11 kn | 23kntoo gusty | 9°C | 14.6 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 0, poor | 16 kn | 36kntoo gusty | 5°C | 1.4 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 73, good | 2 kn | 8kn | 3°C | 0 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 26, poor | 9 kn | 19kntoo gusty | 6°C | 0 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 33, poor | 6 kn | 13kntoo gusty | 6°C | 0.3 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 75, good | 4 kn | 14kn | 6°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 0, poor | 9 kn | 24kntoo gusty | 4°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 34, poor | 5 kn | 12kntoo gusty | 6°C | 0 mm |
| Thu 12Nov | 82, good | 3 kn | 10kn | 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).
- Jan2of 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
- 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
- Sep6of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct4of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov2of 7: a trip from Wed 4 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
Tom Lake Public Water Access Site 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.
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Tom Lake Public Water Access Site
A launch on the Swamp River. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. None within 10 km, the nearest 28 km away. For new paddlers the best months are usually June, July and August, with about 7 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. No town nearby. Neebing, 55 km away, is the nearest town we list; we have not checked places to stay there. Nearest place to stay we found: South Carlson Pond Camp, East Cook, 8 km. Nearest beds: Lutsen, 55 km. Nearest airport: Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT), 74 km.
- River Swamp 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 28 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$825–US$1,530 each
about US$825–US$1,530 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, 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 ORD to CMX, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | about US$127–US$262 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$154–US$255 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$637 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$201–US$376 |
| Total | about US$825–US$1,530 |
No town nearby, so no stay is in it. Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: nearest beds 55 km away
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
No town nearby
Neebing, 55 km away, is the nearest town we list; we have not checked places to stay there. Nearest place to stay we found: South Carlson Pond Camp, East Cook, 8 km. Nearest beds: Lutsen, 55 km. Nearest airport: Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT), 74 km.
See places to stay near Lutsen, 55 km away · Booking.comGetting there: about 6h 10m
About 6h 10m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → CMX, direct, then 2h 50m by road
Flights ORD → CMX on your dates · AviasalesAd
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Tom Lake Public Water Access Site · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Tom Lake Public Water Access Site · 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.