A field reference by Chris Izworski
The Au Sable River, mapped honestly
This is a working map of the Au Sable River in Michigan, built and maintained by Chris Izworski. It exists because most Au Sable maps online are wrong in small, frustrating ways: guessed pins, missing regulation lines, basemaps that fail to load, and no sense of how far it really is from one landing to the next. Every point here carries a verified coordinate, or an honest note when it does not, and every mainstem access point carries a real river mile measured along the surveyed channel from the Grayling public access down to the mouth at Lake Huron near Oscoda.
The river runs about 120 miles from Grayling to Lake Huron, the same distance raced each July in the Au Sable River Canoe Marathon. It is the birthplace of Michigan trout fishing and the home water of Trout Unlimited, and it carries some of the most storied fly water in the country.
The five reaches of the Au Sable
The map splits the river the way anglers and paddlers actually think about it. The Holy Water is the flies-only, catch-and-release mainstream from Burton's Landing down to Wakeley Bridge, about nine miles of legendary trout water. The Mainstream below it runs general regulations toward Mio. The South Branch holds the Mason Tract, a second flies-only stretch from Chase Bridge to the Lower High Banks. The North Branch threads through Lovells. The Lower river and dams begins at Mio Pond and steps down a chain of six hydro impoundments, Mio, Alcona, Loud, Five Channels, Cooke and Foote, before the last free run to the lake below Foote Dam.
Fishing the Au Sable
The Au Sable is Michigan’s most storied trout river and the birthplace of Trout Unlimited, founded on these banks in 1959. It holds wild brown, brook, and rainbow trout in cold, spring-fed water, with steelhead and salmon running the lower river below Foote Dam.
Regulations change from one section to the next, so always confirm the stretch you are fishing in the current Michigan DNR Fishing Guide. The well-known special-regulation water, both drawn in gold on the map:
- Holy Water, Burton’s Landing to Wakeley Bridge: flies only, catch-and-release, open year-round. About eight miles of wadeable dry-fly water near Grayling.
- Mason Tract on the South Branch, Chase Bridge to Lower High Banks: flies only, no-kill (the gold reach on the upper South Branch). Narrower and more intimate, and a quieter place to fish the Hex.
- Below Mio Dam: Great Lakes tributary rules for steelhead and salmon.
The hatches the river is known for, in rough order through the season:
- May: Hendricksons.
- Late May into June: Sulphurs and the Brown Drake.
- Late June into July: the Hex (Hexagenia limbata), emerging at dusk and after dark. The river’s signature night hatch.
- Summer: terrestrials, ants, beetles, and hoppers.
- Fall: streamers for big browns.
Fly shops and guides are marked on the map: Gates Au Sable Lodge and the Old Au Sable Fly Shop near Grayling, Drake’s, and the North Branch Outing Club at Lovells. Tap a marker for contacts, or use the Fish filter on the Places tab to show angler access, wade water, and shops. For daily conditions and hatch tracking, see Michigan Trout Report.
Guided float trips. The classic way to fish the Au Sable is a guided float, with the guide running a handcrafted Au Sable riverboat or a drift boat while you cast to the banks. Gates Au Sable Lodge is the river’s best-known full-service operation and floats every branch and the lower river; the Old Au Sable Fly Shop and Fuller’s North Branch Outing Club at Lovells run guided floats in the same boats, and independent guides include Au Sable River Guide Service and Betts Guide Service. Hex week in late June books months out, so reserve early.
Public land and wading access. Much of the corridor runs through the Au Sable State Forest and the Huron-Manistee National Forest. To see what is public, switch the basemap to Terrain: the USGS topographic tiles shade national forest and state land. In Michigan the public can generally wade and fish a navigable river like the Au Sable even where it flows past private land, but you cannot cross private property to reach the water or to carry around an obstacle, and where a bank is posted you should stay in the stream. For exact ownership boundaries, check the Michigan DNR land maps. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
More ways to explore the Au Sable
Multi-day trips and camping. The river is gentle enough for overnight and multi-day floats, with riverside state forest and federal campgrounds along the way. Use the Camp filter on the Places tab to show them. From Grayling to Mio the riverside campgrounds are state run and first come, first served; the federal sites farther downstream are the ones that take reservations. On the lower river below Mio, plan around the six hydro dams: each is a portage, and the water below them runs bigger and colder.
Paddling the dam ponds. Below Mio the river backs up behind six hydro dams into long flatwater ponds. The three to four miles above each dam, on Cooke, Foote, Loud, Alcona and Five Channels ponds, carry little or no current, so on a windy day they paddle like open lakes and a headwind can stop you cold. Check the forecast before you launch on the lower river with the Au Sable wind tool, give yourself extra time across the ponds, and never approach a dam from the water: take out early and use the marked portage.
The AuSable River Canoe Marathon. The 120-mile non-stop race from Grayling to Oscoda, run since 1947 on the last full weekend of July, is billed as the world’s toughest spectator race. It starts at 9 p.m. with a sprint through downtown Grayling and finishes in Oscoda the next afternoon, with crews following all night. The bridges on this map double as spectator stops; for checkpoint times see the official spectator guide.
Birding and the Kirtland’s warbler. The jack-pine country around Grayling and Mio is the world stronghold of the Kirtland’s warbler, one of conservation’s great comeback stories. Nesting areas are closed in summer, so the way to see one is a guided tour from the Mio Ranger Station, Hartwick Pines near Grayling, or AuSable Valley Audubon out of Oscoda, with the Kirtland’s Warbler Festival held the first Saturday of June. Wakely Lake, Tuttle Marsh, and the river overlooks are good general birding, and the river access points are eBird hotspots in their own right. More Michigan birding at Michigan Birding Report.
The River Road byway and landmarks. Along the lower river near Oscoda, the River Road National Scenic Byway passes Lumberman’s Monument, Iargo Springs, and the Highbanks overlooks, all on the map under the Hike and scenic filters.
Au Sable float times and distances
Each mainstem access point has a river mile, so the planner can give you a distance and an estimated time between any put-in and take-out. Estimates assume roughly 3.2 miles per hour on free-flowing river and 2.2 on the flatwater ponds, plus a portage at each dam. Below 4001 Bridge Canoe Landing, the last take-out on the National Scenic stretch, camping shifts to the federal dispersed system: 102 individually designated sites that require a reservation from May 15 to September 30 through recreation.gov. Developed Forest Service campgrounds at Gabions, Rollways and Monument, plus Old Orchard Park on Foote Pond, give vehicle-accessible options.
Plan your start time. Match your put-in to the float length and the daylight left. Liveries send their last boats out early in the afternoon for the longer Grayling-area runs, around noon for a float finishing at Wakeley and mid-afternoon for shorter ones, and on overnight trips they collect gear near midday, so start in the morning for anything past a few hours.
Plan anything, not just a float
Use the activity filter to show only what matches the day. Fish surfaces the access points and fly shops, Paddle the launches and liveries, Camp the state forest and federal campgrounds, Hike and Ski the Highbanks and Corsair trails and Wakely Lake, Bird the marshes and jack-pine plains for eagles, loons and rare warblers, Horse the Shore-to-Shore Trail along the lower river, Scenic the overlooks and fall color, and Stay and Shop the lodges, guides and local businesses. The River now tab carries live USGS flow at Grayling and Mio, a month-by-month hatch calendar, and the stewardship groups that keep the water cold. Every location card links to driving directions, and many link to the guide service, the reservation page, the agency site, or the gauge.
Every access point, mile by mile
Holy Water (flies-only, catch-and-release)
- Burton's Landing, Launch & wade. mile 6.0. Holy Water begins: flies-only, catch-and-release.
- Louie's Landing, Bank access. mile 6.7. Holy Water: flies-only, C&R.
- Keystone Landing, Launch & camp. mile 7.4. Holy Water: flies-only, C&R.
- Wa Wa Sum, Historic lodge. On the Holy Water.
- Thendara Road Access, Wade & float. mile 8.8. Holy Water: flies-only, C&R.
- Gates Au Sable Lodge, Lodge & fly shop. On the Holy Water.
- Stephan Bridge, Bridge access. mile 10.7. Holy Water: flies-only, C&R.
- Wakeley Bridge, Launch. mile 15.3. Holy Water ends here. Downstream regs change.
- Wakely Lake, Foot-access lake & trails. Quiet area, flies-only lake.
Mainstream
- Hartwick Pines State Park, State park. State park, Rec Passport.
- Borchers AuSable Canoe Livery, Livery & B&B. Livery and lodging; seasonal.
- Drake's Fly Shop, Fly shop & guides. Grayling.
- Grayling Public Access, Town put-in. mile 0.0. General regulations.
- Old AuSable Fly Shop, Fly shop & guides. Grayling.
- Canoe Marathon Start, Race landmark. Grayling.
- Penrod's AuSable Canoe, Livery. General regulations.
- White Pine Canoe Camp, Canoe-in camp. mile 17.7. General mainstream.
- Connors Flats Launch, Boat launch. mile 20.2. General mainstream.
- Rainbow Bend Campground, Camp & access. mile 21.8. General mainstream.
- McMasters Bridge, Bridge & launch. mile 23.1. General mainstream.
- Parmalee Bridge, Launch & camp. mile 32.1. General mainstream.
South Branch and the Mason Tract
- Chase Bridge, Launch. Mason Tract flies-only begins.
- Mason Tract Access, Pathway access. Mason Tract: flies-only.
- Canoe Harbor Campground, Camp & shore. Mason Tract: flies-only.
- Smith Bridge, Take-out. Mason Tract: flies-only.
North Branch
- Lovells Canoe Launch, Launch. North Branch general regs.
- North Branch Outing Club, Historic lodge. On the North Branch.
- Kelloggs Bridge, Bridge access. North Branch general regs.
- North Branch Access (Morley Rd), River access. North Branch general regs.
Lower river and dams
- Whirlpool Launch (Mio Pond), Launch & shore. mile 36.3. Above Mio Pond.
- Rainbow Resort, Livery & cabins. Mio area.
- Camp 10 Bridge Launch, Launch. mile 41.6. On Mio Pond.
- Mio Dam, Hydro dam. mile 44.7. Below Mio Dam: steelhead and salmon tributary rules.
- Hinchman Acres, Livery & cabins. Mio area.
- Kirtland's Warbler Tours, Birding: Kirtland's warbler. View only on guided tours; nesting areas closed.
- Mio Au Sable Launch, Boat launch. mile 45.0. Below Mio Dam: tributary rules.
- Au Sable Scenic Overlook (Mio), Overlook & access. mile 47.8. Au Sable National Scenic River.
- Comins Flats Launch, Boat launch. mile 52.3. Au Sable National Scenic River.
- McKinley Landing, Boat launch. mile 59.8. Au Sable National Scenic River.
- Highbanks Overlook, Overlook. River Road byway.
- Au Sable Loop Overlook, Overlook & campground. National forest; no fee at Au Sable Loop.
- Gabions Campground, Federal campground. Huron National Forest. Reservation season May 15 to Sep 30.
- 4001 Bridge Landing, Canoe landing. mile 67.3. Last take-out on the National Scenic River. Day-use fee.
- Alcona Park, County campground. County park; camping fees apply.
- South Branch Trail Camp, Shore-to-Shore horse camp. National forest equestrian camp; reserve May 15 to Sep 30.
- Alcona Dam Launch, Dam & launch. mile 72.3. Impoundment. Portage at the dam.
- Alcona Canoe Rental, Livery. Glennie area.
- Thompson's Landing, River access. mile 78.9. Semi-primitive nonmotorized stretch.
- Rollways Campground, Federal campground. Huron National Forest. Reservable.
- Westgate Overlook, Overlook. River Road byway.
- Loud Dam, Hydro dam. mile 86.0. Impoundment. Portage.
- Loud Pond Launch, Boat launch. mile 87.2. Loud Pond impoundment.
- Five Channels Dam, Hydro dam. mile 90.3. Impoundment. Portage.
- Iargo Springs, Springs & overlook. River Road byway.
- Canoer's Memorial, Paddlers' memorial. National forest day-use site.
- Lumberman's Monument, Monument & overlook. River Road byway.
- Monument Campground, Federal campground. Huron National Forest. By Lumberman's Monument.
- Corsair Trails, XC ski & hiking trails. Huron National Forest.
- Cooke Dam, Hydro dam. mile 94.6. Impoundment. Portage.
- Sawmill Point Launch, Boat launch. mile 95.1. On the lower ponds.
- Foote Pond Overlook, Scenic overlook. National forest day-use overlook.
- Tuttle Marsh Wildlife Area, Wetland & birding area. State and national forest wildlife area; day use.
- Old Orchard Park, Park & campground. County park on Foote Pond.
- AuSable River Queen, Riverboat cruise. Ticketed cruises; seasonal.
- Foote Dam, Final hydro dam. mile 107.9. Last dam. Free-flowing below.
- Below Foote Launch, Boat launch. mile 108.6. Free-flowing. Steelhead and salmon.
- Whirlpool Angler Access, Angler access. mile 113.4. Below Foote. Steelhead and salmon water.
- Eagle Run, River trail & access. Lower Au Sable near Oscoda.
- Oscoda Canoe Rental, Livery. Oscoda, near the mouth.
- Au Sable River Mouth, Mouth at Lake Huron. mile 119.6. Approaching Lake Huron.
About the data
The river channel and the impoundment shapes are drawn from OpenStreetMap survey geometry. Access coordinates are verified individually rather than scraped, and the few approximate pins are labeled as such. River miles are computed by projecting each access point onto the stitched channel, which is why the mouth lands at about 119.6 miles, within a rounding error of the marathon distance.
Car spotting and shuttles
Every access point on this map has parking, so a two-car self-shuttle always works. If you would rather run your own boat and have your car waiting at the take-out, several liveries offer a car-spot or shuttle. Call ahead.
Facilities. Every access point has parking. Vault toilets are at the developed campgrounds and at the River Road day-use sites, including Lumberman’s Monument, Iargo Springs and the Highbanks overlooks; drinking water is generally only at the developed Forest Service and state campgrounds. Many upper-river accesses are carry-in or shallow gravel landings, while the lower pond launches have hard-surface boat ramps. The smaller launches and bridge accesses are primitive, so pack out what you bring in.
Au Sable River planner FAQ
How accurate are the float times on this map?
The planner estimates time on the water at about 3.2 miles per hour on free-flowing river and 2.2 on the flat impoundment ponds, and it adds a portage at each dam. These are planning estimates, not guarantees: real paddling time shifts with flow, wind, how often you stop, and how hard you paddle. For segment-by-segment detail, see the full Au Sable River guide.
What do the colors and markers mean?
Each reach of the Au Sable carries its own color: the Holy Water, the mainstream, the South Branch and Mason Tract, the North Branch, and the lower river and dams. Markers show the access type, such as public launches, bridges, liveries, campgrounds, overlooks, and dams, and every mainstem access point carries a measured river mile.
Where does the live river flow come from?
Flow is pulled live from the U.S. Geological Survey gauges on the Au Sable, near Grayling and below Mio, and shown in cubic feet per second. The map notes how current each reading is so you can judge conditions before you drive.
Can I plan a trip on the South Branch or North Branch?
Yes. The planner covers the mainstem from Grayling to Lake Huron, the South Branch through the Mason Tract, and the North Branch through Lovells. Choose any put-in and take-out on a branch and the map returns the distance and an estimated float time.
Can I camp along the Au Sable River?
Yes. Riverside state forest and federal campgrounds let you turn a float into an overnight or multi-day trip; use the Camp filter to show them. The state campgrounds from Grayling to Mio are first come, first served, while the federal sites farther down take reservations. On the lower river below Mio, six hydro dams mean portages and bigger, colder water, so plan those stretches carefully.
Where can I see the Kirtland’s warbler near the Au Sable?
In the jack-pine country around Grayling and Mio, the bird’s world stronghold. Nesting areas are closed in summer, so join a guided tour from the Mio Ranger Station or Hartwick Pines near Grayling, both marked on the map.
What is the AuSable River Canoe Marathon?
A 120-mile non-stop canoe race from Grayling to Oscoda, run since 1947 on the last full weekend of July. It starts at 9 p.m. with a sprint through Grayling and finishes in Oscoda the next afternoon, and the bridges on this map make good spectator stops.