We canoed the Namekagon and St. Croix rivers over Memorial Day weekend. Our friends Stephanie and John and Lori and Carl accompanied Amy and me. We covered about 45 miles over three days, a pace similar to our trip on the Buffalo River.
My favorite part of the trip, besides spending time with our friends, was the spectacular, dynamic views offered by Namekagon. The river travels circuitously between wetlands, sandy, pine-covered hills, and deciduous forest, enabling us to sneak up on wildlife and experience wonderment at each turn. We spotted black bears running through the forest (away from our canoes, thankfully), weasels (otter, pine martin, fisher), and waterfowl (green heron, blue heron, egret, ducks, mallard).
Amy, Lori, and Stephanie (the Cobber Posse)
John, Carl, and me (honorary members of the Posse)
View from our (tick-infested) campsite on the Namekagon
Our route, approximately
