Please note that while some people may take canoes, it is open water, and a canoe could quickly become waterlogged and swamp. Canoes aren’t a recommended mode of transportation to Government Island. However, sea and touring kayaks are a fantastic option, which was what we were paddling for this trip. As always, wear a PFD.
Are you looking for more kayak and camping adventures? Here are some recommendations.

The Trip To Government Island

We picked a mid-May weekend for our trip to Government Island. The day we were to embark on our adventure could have been clearer. It was pretty foggy when we crossed the Mackinac Bridge from the Lower Peninsula and it was difficult to see the bridge once we were on it!
When we arrived in Cedarville, Michigan, it was still too foggy to put into the water. So instead of hitting the water right away, we spent the morning hiking the nearby Bush Bay (Narnia Trail).
Once the sun came out and cleared up much of the fog, we headed back into Cedarville.
We parked at Loons Point RV and Campground, where we left our vehicle overnight. Loons Point is a fantastic campground on Lake Huron that offers tent campsites and RV sites. It’s the best option for staging trips to Government Island.

Kayaking to Government Island

We launched our kayaks at Loons Point. From there, we had two options for getting to Government Island. We could take the direct route towards the west shore of Island Number Eight and then cross to Government Island or paddle between Island Number Eight and Hill Island. We opted for this second and more indirect route as there was still substantial fog, and we couldn’t see Government Island from Loons Point. Also, we were paddling into a stiff headwind and wanted to minimize our time in open water.

Hitting The Water

Heading out, we paddled a way out from shore to avoid a rocky point (think rocky sandbar) that extended out from Hill Point Resort on Island . Once we passed, we paddled between Island Number Eight and Hill Island, passing the tiny White Loon Island on the way. We crossed under the bridge that connects both islands. Crossing under the bridge was challenging with the headwind and against the current. Also, the channel became narrow under the bridge and crowded due to people fishing from shore and boats.

Once we passed under the bridge, we paddled along the east coast of Island Number Eight. A shallow channel exists for a good portion of this stretch between the shore and more of a swampy area full of birds. We were able to paddle without too much difficulty here. However, with about half a mile of paddling along Island Number Eight, we encountered open water with significant wind and waves. Compounding the difficulty with the wind and waves was the south end of Island Number Eight. There are some large rocks on the south end here, and they can be challenging to avoid when the wind is from the south or southeast, as it was during our trip. Of course, you could always paddle further offshore to avoid the rocks.

Reaching Government Island

We landed on Government Island around the northern third of the island’s east coast. Here, the coast is essentially rocky beaches, but there was a decent beach where we could easily pull up our kayaks. On Government Island, there are several established campsites, and there was one near where we made landfall. Upon landing on Government Island, we realized this campsite would expose us to the wind, so we opted to get back in our kayaks and explore further.
Government Island’s main landing is at the southern end, where a rustic toilet is situated. However, we headed north along the island’s eastern shore to avoid paddling into more headwinds. Once we got out of the wind, the lake was calm. We continued paddling along the coast until we came to the Magpulin Channel, which flows between Government Island and La Salle Island. This channel was little more than a stream at this point, as the navigability of the channel is contingent on the water level. However, we turned around rather than risking getting stuck with our loaded sea kayaks. Which is why we didn’t travel along the island’s west shore in our kayaks.

Camping on Government Island

The northern coast of Government Island features an incredibly sheltered bay, sandy beaches, and a few established campsites. The best part of this side of the island is the large, sandy bay protected from everything but winds from the north. Government Bay makes for a great spot to beach and spend the day (and night!) camping, swimming, and fishing off of Government Island. These elements factored into our decision to head towards the north shore rather than continue to the south landing.

The Campsite

We picked a reasonably sheltered campsite in the middle of the island’s north shore. Although partially exposed, it offered good beach access and featured a fire ring and picnic table.

Someone had recently cleaned some northern pike at the campsite we were staying at and left the remains, so we cleaned the remains and set up camp around 4:00 p.m. It was nice to get out of the wind and warm up in the sun, as we were both chilled after paddling into the wind and waves.

Campsite and Trail Maintenance

Unlike some northern Michigan wilderness locations, campsite and trail maintenance is done regularly on Government Island. Recently, some campsite maintenance was done, as a significant pile of cut cedar boughs and trees must have fallen over. This pile made for tremendous fire-starting material. Seeing that these campsites are visited and cared for regularly is good. Only some wilderness camps in Michigan are cared for on a routine basis. However, the Les Cheneaux Watershed Council does the maintenance in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.  

Hiking On Government Island

Government Island features a lovely trail that runs the length of the island. Some maps show this trail as a figure eight trail, with an intersection around the island’s middle half. However, All Trails shows it as missing the western lower half section. The trail itself features mainly cedar woods and cedar swamps. The eastern edge of the trail skirts the shoreline. Hiking here can be challenging, as there are some rocky drop-offs. Slipping could be painful here, so it’s recommended not to.

Starting at the middle of the trail’s north-end section, we headed east and then south along the island’s eastern edge. We passed some old concrete ruins. Government Island has had several purposes over time, including being used as a coast guard station. It’s hard to determine the exact purpose of this building, as few landscape features indicate what it could have been used for. Perhaps somebody used to store bootlegged liquor during prohibition.

Much of the island is heavily forested. It opens up around the various campsites, but otherwise, it is relatively dense overall, making the trail rather easy to find. There are also trail blazes, though those can be intermittent. As always, it’s a good idea to bring a compass with you, such as an orienteering compass.

Heading West

Hiking from the island’s eastern shore to its western involves crossing through cedar swamps and walking uphill. The elevation change isn’t significant, however. The island is more than a third of a mile wide here, so it’s a short hike. However, the trail opens up to more thin cedar forests from the view of the lake. It’s different from the feeling on the eastern shore. There are some well-loved campsites on this side of the island, and it’s evident that visitors have used much of the dead fall for firewood. Also located at this campsite is a wilderness privy(see our YouTube video). This side of the island has an expansive beach. However, it’s all rocky and not sandy like the northern shore.

Heading North

Turning north, we walked along the western shore. We tried to follow the trail blazes, but there are few here. And unlike other parts of the island, the underbrush is sparse here. If you need help locating the trail, head north inside the tree line, and you should be fine finding the trail again around the south end of the Magulpin Channel. It does become swampy here, so be careful not to venture too far off. You’ll head east once you’ve reached the trail’s northern end. The area surrounding the north section is pretty open. If you keep Government Bay on your left, you should be fine following the trail until you find the blazes. The great thing about hiking and camping on a small island is that you’re always close to water if you get lost. And then all you have to do is keep the water to one side of you until you find your campsite! Of course, you should always familiarize yourself with the terrain and location before you arrive. Safety first, after all.

Settling In For The Night

Arriving back at camp after spending about an hour exploring the island, we set to work getting a fire going and making dinner. Tuna and rice packets (an exceptional dinner) were on the menu and cooked on our JetBoil. We had set up our Kelty Tanglewood 3-person backpacking tent before beginning our hike, so we only had to focus on food prep once we finished hiking. While eating dinner, a deer came in and stayed just 30 yards off of our campsite for a while. Having this deer come close underscored how wild this island can be during the off-season.

By this time, it had become breezy even in our semi-sheltered campsite, which was fine as it kept the bugs down. The skies quickly became overcast as storms were moving in from the northwest. With the breeze and clouds, it was getting chilly as night neared, so we settled into our tent for the night. As a side note, we debated using a backpacking tent or hammocks. We opted for the tent, but most of the campsites on Government Island offer decent hammock camping possibilities.

Morning

Overnight, the storms woke us up here and there. It wasn’t anything significant, but it was loud enough. When morning came, though, it was stunning. Making coffee with our Jetboil (a substantial part of our adventuring life nowadays) and eating granola bars while overlooking Government Bay was a perfect way to start the day. The water in the bay was flat, and there wasn’t any breeze on the island’s north shore.

The warm sun encouraged the bugs to come out as we broke camp. However, they were mostly an annoyance and not a real problem. Loading up our kayaks, we left Government Island behind and headed back to Loons Point.

Heading Back

Leaving Government Island behind us, we headed north northwest across Government Bay straight to Bay Point on La Salle Island. With the favorable (IE, no) wind and the protected bay, we opted to be more direct in our route back. There was also zero fog, so with excellent paddling conditions and visibility, we made our way across the bay. Once we were just off of Bay Point, we paddled along the eastern coast of La Salle Island. Here, the water became a bit choppier because it was more open but still quite manageable. Once we were across from the northern tip of Hill Island, we paddled across the lake. With a beautiful and easy morning for paddling, it took us about an hour’s worth of paddling to make it back to the mainland.

Wildlife On Government Island

Wildlife is standard for northern Michigan. A collection of birds inhabits the various coves and shoals of the Les Cheaneaux islands, including herons and cranes (you can see them in our YouTube video above). On Government Island, we encountered squirrels, frogs, and deer. We had a deer come close to our campsite to browse on grass and drink from the lake. It was interesting how close she came to our camp and how long she stayed nearby.

About The Les Cheaneaux Islands

The Les Cheaneaux Islands are a group of islands off the southeast coast of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. While many islands are private property, some feature nature preserves that are only reachable by boat. One of these, Boot Island, features the Nordquist Nature Preserve. The only non-private island is Government Island. Learn more about the Les Cheanueaux Islands here. Many of these islands have vacation homes, and a few resorts and bed and breakfasts exist scattered among the islands.

Conclusion

We’re blessed to have the ability to go on so many adventures this year. Kayaking and camping on Government Island has to be one of our best. It was probably only eclipsed by canoeing and camping in Sylvania Wilderness. But that’s for another time. As always, stay safe and wear a PFD!

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The best places to kayak in Grand Rapids include:

• Reeds Lake
• Fennessy Lake
• Grand River (North of 6th Street Dam)
• Green Lake
• Rogue River
• Versluis Lake

Reeds Lake

Reeds Lake is located in East Grand Rapids and is an absolutely beautiful lake to kayak in. It’s quite popular with all types of boats, including kayaks and paddleboards. Reeds Lake is also near several parks and restaurants, making it a fantastic way to spend a day on the water. The West Michigan Coastal Kayaking Association often has their monthly kayaking meet ups here.

Fennessy Lake

Fennessy Lake is located on the far western edge of Ottawa County. Just a short drive outside of Grand Rapids. The public ramp is located off of Fennessy Drive. It’s a small parking area (basically Street parking). It’s a quiet lake, that due to its size, doesn’t attract a ton of boating traffic. However,r this makes it the perfect spot for an evening kayak trip.

Green Lake

Located just south of Grand Rapids in Caledonia, Green Lake is sure to offer you some memorable paddling trips. One note-the parking lot and ramp is essentially full every decent boating day. So this is another local lake you’ll want to arrive at early in the day. Kayak in the morning and then stop at Maria’s Italian for lunch!

Grand River

While the Grand River in Grand Rapids no longer has rapids (though-some are trying to fix that), it can still make for a great day of kayaking. The best place to kayak is going to be from the DNR ramp on West River Drive down to Riverside Park. This can be paddled back up, or you could stage a vehicle to not have to paddle up River.

While you could travel down River a bit below Riverside Park, you’ll soon run into 6th St. dam which will leave you with a difficult portage. Then, there are several other low-head dams just below 6th Street Dam that will result in portaging, or navigating around. So unfortunately, your best bet is to get out of the river above 6th Street Dam.

Rogue River

The Rogue River in Rockford is a fantastic place to kayak in the Grand Rapids area. It’s split into two areas: the ‘upper’ Rogue, which is accessed from a few different locations above the Rockford Dam, and the ‘lower’ Rogue, which is the confluence from the Rockford Dam to the Grand River. The upper Rogue River is typically the more popular kayaking destination. There are a couple of kayak liveries that serve this area. There’s also a place to either put in (but most take out) right above the dam in downtown Rockford. With the local restaurants (such as Dam Dogs), it’s a perfect way to spend an afternoon. The lower Rogue does present a bit more of a challenge. There’s more rocks and the current is more swift. This stretch, especially when the water is high from storm or winter run off, can be quite dangerous.

Versluis Lake

Versluis Lake is accessed by visiting Verlsuis Park. It’s about a 50 acre lake in Plainfield Township. It’s a good lake for kayakers that don’t want to compete with the boating traffic at other nearby lakes. It can also be a decent place to do some kayak fishing.

Kayak Safety

Keeping safe while kayaking is incredibly important. For a basic list of kayak safety gear, check out this article. We also have a list of recommended kayak safety tips. Always wear a PFD and tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.

Where to Kayak in Grand Rapids

Green Lake, Fennessy Lake, and Reeds Lake are the best places to kayak near Grand Rapids. However, there are several other great kayaking adventures to be had locally. Please stay staff and wear a PFD!

Reading More

Heading out on other Michigan-based adventures? Be sure to check out Bush Bay Trail (also called the Narnia Trail), in Cedarville, Michigan. Also, check out our essential backpacking gear recommendations!

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