Beginner
3.5 Miles, 1.5 to 2.5 Hours
Start: M-13 Boat Launch
Finish: Wickes Park
This is a unique final segment that passes through the natural features of the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge and then opens up into a large river system in an urban area. This section features slower water, but paddlers will likely encounter more motorized boats when approaching Saginaw.
The Cass River enters the Shiawassee River approximately 2 miles downstream of M-13. As the Cass River ends and flows into the Shiawassee, the river opens up into a very wide expanse of water. Soon after entering the Shiawassee River, the Tittabawassee River will flow in from the left (west). Paddlers should stay to the right when padding downstream toward Saginaw to avoid going in the wrong direction or down another tributary. After the confluence of the rivers, Wickes Park will be on the paddlers right side, which is the east side of the Saginaw River.