Ludington & Manistee
Ludington
A Lake Michigan harbor town for beach and lighthouse trips, with the S.S. Badger car ferry and a big dune state park just north of town.
About 25 miles away (straight line)
River · Ludington & Manistee
Pere Marquette River
A free-flowing trout, steelhead and salmon river to Ludington: canoe and tube it from Baldwin in summer, fish winter steelhead from plowed access sites.
The Pere Marquette is the river for anglers who want trout, steelhead and salmon in free-flowing water, and for paddlers who like a winding, clear river through forest and marsh. If you paddle in summer, sort out your Forest Service permit first.
Liveries near Baldwin, such as Baldwin Canoe Rental, rent canoes, kayaks, rafts and tubes for the permitted stretch. In winter the Forest Service plows its access sites, and guides fish for steelhead and trout from late fall through winter. A string of state ramps from M-37 down to US-31 near Ludington handles small boats, and the lower river is slow no-wake from Indian Bridge downstream.
It begins at the Forks, where its Middle Branch and Little South Branch meet east of Baldwin, and flows west for about 67 miles to Pere Marquette Lake just south of Ludington. Its system drains about 740 square miles across Lake, Mason, Newaygo and Oceana counties, with more than half the watershed in Lake County. The National Wild and Scenic Rivers program calls it the longest river system in the Lower Peninsula with no dams or impoundments.
It carries two protective designations. Congress added the main stem from the Forks down to US-31 to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System on November 10, 1978, classified as scenic for 66.4 miles and managed by the Huron-Manistee National Forests, and it is also one of Michigan’s Natural Rivers. More than 500 archaeological sites spanning over 10,000 years have been recorded in its watershed.
Plan your stops before you go. Camping on national forest land along the river is limited to designated sites. The coordinates on this page mark Gleason’s Landing, a river access point in Lake County.
On the water
Motorboats and rules
Slow no-wake on the long Mason County stretch from Indian Bridge downstream toward Ludington.
Paddling
Expect rocks, logs, pools and eddies, with scenery that shifts from open marshes and broad valleys near Lake Michigan to tighter reaches upstream. From the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, you need a Forest Service watercraft permit to launch or take out at its access sites on the river.
Fishing
This is a renowned cold-water fishery, in the federal program's words, with a self-sustaining population of resident trout and runs of salmon and steelhead from Lake Michigan. The river was the site of the first brown trout introduction in the United States, in 1884, and a naturally reproducing salmon population is now established. Check current Michigan DNR rules before fishing.
Fish species
Species include brown trout, rainbow trout, steelhead, coho salmon, and chinook salmon.
In winter
Forest Service access sites are plowed, so you can reach the river all winter. Baldwin fly fishing guides fish it year-round, targeting steelhead, brown trout and rainbow trout from late fall through winter.
Public boat launches
M-37 Bridge access site
Single-lane hard-surface ramp with parking for about 12 trailers. Shallow water can make launching larger boats difficult. You need a Recreation Passport for vehicles at state boating access sites.
Sulak access site
Single-lane hard-surface ramp with parking for about 20 trailers. You need a Recreation Passport for vehicles at state boating access sites.
Walhalla Road Bridge access site
Single-lane hard-surface ramp with parking for about 10 trailers. You need a Recreation Passport for vehicles at state boating access sites.
Scottville Riverside Park
City of Scottville two-lane launch with a courtesy pier and a fish-cleaning station.
US-31 access site
Single-lane hard-surface ramp near Ludington with parking for about 8 trailers.
The Forks and Roller Bridge access sites
Carry-down launches for canoes and car-top boats on the upper river, each with a small lot. You need a Recreation Passport for vehicles at state boating access sites.
Boat, kayak and paddleboard rentals
- Baldwin Canoe Rental
Canoe, raft, kayak and tube rentals on the Pere Marquette near Baldwin, serving the permitted section of the river.
Listed because their own sites say they rent on this water. Not an endorsement, and we have no ties to them. Check with them for what is available.
Fishing, launching at a state site or parking at a state park? See licenses and passes for what you need before you go.
Anything not listed here is unverified. Do not assume public access across private riverbanks. Check the Michigan DNR boating access listings and the current fishing regulations.
Through the seasons
Winter
The Forest Service plows its access sites in winter, so anglers can reach the river year-round.
Location
Map of Pere Marquette River
2 places on an OpenStreetMap map
The pin marks one well-known point on the river, not its full course.
Places to stay near Pere Marquette River
Riverfront homes and cabins are listed by the local rental managers and booking sites below.
Hotels and inns
Upscale
Cartier MansionFeatured by the Ludington Area Convention & Visitors Bureau in its bed and breakfast guide
Mid-range
The Fresh Coast Inn at LudingtonFeatured by the Ludington Area Convention & Visitors Bureau in its bed and breakfast guide
Budget
Ludington Pier HouseListed by the Ludington Area Convention & Visitors Bureau · Listed by Pure Michigan, the state travel bureau
Listed as open May through October.
Search all hotels in Ludington: Booking.com · Expedia · Hotels.com · Google Hotels
We don’t take bookings or earn anything from these links. Rates, availability and any booking problems are handled by the booking site.
More places to stay in Ludington
- The Lamplighter Bed and Breakfast · A five-room bed and breakfast in an 1894 Queen Anne Victorian on Ludington Avenue, a few blocks from downtown Ludington.
- Pure Ludington lodging directory · The Ludington visitors bureau's list of hotels, inns, resorts, cabins, cottages and campgrounds in the Ludington area.
Vacation rentals
- Jaqua Vacation Rentals · milakeshorevacations.com
The rental arm of Jaqua Realtors, offering Lake Michigan shore cottages and homes in areas that include Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Ludington.
- Michigan Lakeshore Rentals · michiganlakeshorerentals.com
A rental manager along the Lake Michigan shoreline from Silver Lake and Pentwater north to Ludington.
- West Shore Vacation Properties · myludingtonvacation.com
A local company managing vacation homes and cottages in Ludington, Manistee, Onekama and the surrounding lakeshore.
Nearby towns
More lakes and rivers nearby
River · Ludington & Manistee
Pine River
A narrow, winding river near Cadillac for canoe, kayak and raft trips from Wellston liveries, blue ribbon trout fishing and year-round access.
- Public launch
- Rentals