Father's Day Paddle on the Sugar River

On a bright sunny Father's Day we set out for a paddle on the Sugar River. I cast my vote for an early departure as the forecast called for hot, sunny weather. However, getting the family moving proved a challenge as our eight-year-old had enjoyed her first sleepover ever earlier in the weekend, so her tiredness slowed our pace. We finally got on the water somewhere around 11:00 am. According to my GPS we paddled an easy 8.5 miles from Attica to Albany on the Sugar River in Green County, Wisconsin. My husband's guidebook indicated something closer to 7.2 miles.


We put in on Highway C just east of the River in Attica, and left our shuttle car at the boat ramp at the park at the north end of N. Water Street in Albany. The Sugar River is fairly shallow in many spots, and if the water had been any lower we would have been walking in the water. On a clear river, I love walking in the water on a hot day and splashing around. On the Sugar River this does not appeal. The dark brown water and constant manure smell turn me off to getting into the water.

The Sugar River is well paddled, and although many downed trees can be found, the river is passable due to clean-up efforts. The twists and turns of the river and imagining what might be around the next bend keep things interesting. The water in this stretch of the Sugar River contains no rapids and rocks, just downed trees to paddle around.

We ran into a muskrat, a number of birds, and a few other paddlers, mostly floaters in rental canoes drinking their way down the river. When we arrived at Park it felt good to sit in the shade and sip an ice cold water while we got ready to shuttle ourselves and get back on the road.

A post paddle snack.

Sugar River from Attica to Albany, Wisconsin.