Forget West Virginia’s Gauley or New River. Now you can get your whitewater kicks much closer to home — in Petoskey — with the opening this Saturday of the new Bear River Valley Recreation Area featuring a short section of challenging rapids.
The new mile-long route, the only whitewater course in Michigan’s lower peninsula, starts out flat and includes drops ranging from Class I to Class III rapids.
And for adventure buffs who don’t want to haul their own gear, rental inflatables and kayaks are available at Bahnhof Sports in Petoskey.
Members of the Northern Michigan Paddling Club are looking forward to showing off the new whitewater route Saturday at what they’re calling “Rendezvous 2011″ during the official 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Bear River Valley Recreation Area. The ceremony will be held at the Bear River Shelter.
To find out more about the whitewater boating, click here .
For lodging or other Petoskey information, click here .
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