Route DEscription
Start/finish
The start/finish is located at the boat landing at Oak Island Park (500 River Dr, Wausau, WI 54403). Parking is available at the boat landing and this is overflow parking elsewhere in the park. If you use a trailer on the boat launch, you must pay a fee, otherwise the park / launch is free for paddlers.
There is a shelter, water, and bathrooms at Oak Island Park with many restaurants a short distance from the park in downtown Wausau.
Overview
Due to the recent Wisconsin River closure, the route has been modified to a two lap course. Each lap is unique to explore the islands in downtown Wausau. The route features the excellent paddling in downtown Wausau on the Wisconsin River. The loop is mostly unmarked (no buoys) with signs located at the start/finish and at each checkpoint along the route. There is one white arrow sign about 50 meters prior to each checkpoint (see below map for details). Note some of the checkpoints (especially checkpoint 1) are difficult to spot since there is a lot of brush/grass and limited soil to put signs due to high water levels.
Checkpoint 1 - north side of lap 1 near bottom of whitewater course on west shore of small island
Checkpoint 2 - channel between islands - east shore of island
Checkpoint 3 - south side of lap 1 on Isle of the Ferns - end of inlet after passing under footbridge
Checkpoint 4 - north side of lap 2 on Picnic Island - east shore on Picnic Island before footbridge
Checkpoint 5 - south side of lap 2 just north of the Thomas Street Bridge on east main shore
A map and GPS file may be downloaded below. The paddle is unsupported but cell phone coverage is good.
Description (2.87 miles)
The course starts and ends at Oak Island Park at the boat landing. Paddlers start paddling upstream along the east shore of the Wisconsin River past Isle of the Ferns until upstream paddling is no longer possible - to the world-class Wausau Whitewater course for checkpoint 1. Paddlers then turn downstream and tuck into one of the channels between the islands for checkpoint 2. Paddlers continue downstream with the Isle of Ferns river left until reaching the island’s southern most tip. Paddlers turn upstream and pass under a footbridge (the wooden footbridge) where the channel ends to arrive at checkpoint 3. Paddlers backtrack, then continue to head back upstream with the Isle of the Ferns river left. Paddlers complete lap 1 (1.35 miles) as they pass under the footbridge to Isle of the Fern Park.
For lap two (1.52 miles), paddlers will complete the circumnavigation of the Isle of Ferns Park along the east shore of the Isle of Ferns. After passing the north side of the island, paddlers take the second channel to head across the Wisconsin River to the west shore to the northern tip of Picnic Island. Paddlers head downstream to checkpoint 3 just before passing under the footbridge connecting to Picnic Island. Paddlers continue downstream river right on the west shore past the south tip of the Isle of Ferns then head across the Wisconsin River to the east shore without passing under the Thomas Street. Paddlers corner around a grassy island then find the final checkpoint on the east main shoreline. Paddlers turn upstream a final time and complete their second lap after passing under the footbridge to Isle of the Fern Park at the Oak Island boat landing where the adventure began.