Locals, including native Americans used the river for hunting, fishing and as an inland link for trapping, trading, and transiting between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. In the late 1800s, the river was used for transporting logs downstream to sawmills and shipping yards in the towns of AuGres and Oscoda. After logging, hydroelectric dams were built during the 1920s to generate power. Today, recreation is the most popular utilization of the river.[6]
Most of the main branch of the Au Sable flows through or adjacent to theHuron-Manistee National Forest. 23 miles (37 km) of the river, from the Mio Pond downstream to the Alcona Pond, was designated as aNational Wild and Scenic River on October 4, 1984. The watershed provides habitat forbald eagle and the endangeredKirtland's warbler. Five percent of the land in the watershed is National Forest and 29% is state forest.
Lumbering practices destroyedArctic grayling breeding grounds in rivers and contributed to their slow decline and eventual disappearance from Northern Michigan.
Thegrayling species of fish was once abundant in the Au Sable River, although the species has beenextirpated in Michigan since 1936.[12][13]Brook trout were released into the river in the 1880s and proved stronger than the grayling.There have been many attempts to bring the grayling back to the area, but none have been successful. The city ofGrayling, Michigan was named after the once plentiful fish. Brown trout is the current main catch.
Canoes along the Au Sable RiverView from bluffs of the Au Sable River
Activities include paddle sports (kayaking and canoeing), fishing, primitive camping, backpacking and hiking. There are several "developed" campgrounds as well as primitive campgrounds. It is a designated trout stream, and manycanoe liveries exist along the river, which offer paddling trips from a few hours to as long as a week. Impoundments of five of the six dams on the Au Sable create lakes that are used for power boating, water skiing and sail boating.In addition to brown, rainbow and brook trout in the river, there are perch, muskellunge and walleye, large and smallmouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the dam ponds. Salmon and steelhead trout are popular during spring and fall spawning migrations.
The nine-mile section of the Au Sable River main branch from Burtons Landing to Wakeley Bridge is called theHoly Waters[14][15] due to the frequent insect hatches, abundance of trout, and ease of wading.[16] The section is regulated year-round ascatch and release and limited tofly fishing only (nolive bait). The river flows through scenic woodlands where the ecosystem supports dozens of species of birds and other wildlife including deer, rabbit, muskrat, otter, mink, fox, squirrel, chipmonk, skunk and turtle.[17]
For serious fly-fishing anglers, several locations offer accommodations on the Au Sable River.
WaWa Sum Lodge' at Whirlpool Road is owned and operated byMichigan State University as a research facility and conference center. The main lodge was constructed in 1922 and the property includes 251 Acres on the Au Sable. There are seven dorm style bedrooms, each with three or four single beds. You must bring your own bedding or sleeping bags and towels. Sleeping capacity is 28. A great room and fireplace is there for socializing as is a screened-in porch. A separate building has a dining room that seats 16 and kitchen facilities.[18]
AuSable Riverview Resort at McMasters Bridge has several options. The "Big Cabin" has 8 bedrooms that sleep up to 20 guests, a chef’s kitchen and game room, dry sauna and fire pit. The "Cottage" sleeps 10 and has two separate sleeping quarters that are connected by a kitchen/dining room with a large sliding door patio. Four smaller "Cabins" accommodate 2-4 persons.
Gates Au Sable Lodge, located at Stephan Bridge, has been a local landmark for more than 50 years catering tofly fishing. Their restaurant and Fly Shop is open to the public.[19] Professional fly fishermen offer instruction and guided fishing trips on all branches of the Au Sable andManistee Rivers using the unique Au Sable riverboats andwading trips. A daily fishing report is produced for their guests that includes the current insect hatch status.
TheTrout Unlimited organization was begun in 1959 by 16 Michigan fishermen on the AuSable River.[20]
Schrems West Michigan Trout Unlimited is the Au Sable chapter of the national organization.[21]
Anglers of the Au Sable, with 1200 members, was founded in 1986 "to preserve, protect and enhance the AuSable River system for future generations of fly fishers."[22]
Au Sable River Property Owners Alliance was organized in the mid-1960s "To preserve, protect and enhance the Au Sable River watershed’s great natural endowments of wilderness scenery, unpolluted cold-water, and stable forest habitat for the enjoyment of future generations."[23]
The Au Sable River Queen, the only paddlewheel river boat operating in northern MichiganMap of Au Sable River Canoe Marathon course
TheAu Sable River Canoe Marathon starts inGrayling and ends inOscoda 120 miles (190 km) down the river. It is one of three annual marathon races that constitutecanoe racing's Triple Crown. The race begins at 9:00p.m. on the last Saturday in July and runs through the night into the next day. Winning times have ranged from 14 to 21 hours. The race was first run in 1947.[26]
First Dam Canoe Race (MCRA - Canoe Race) is a yearly event.[27]
TheAu Sable River Queen is a paddle boat that offers river excursions six miles west of Oscoda on the River Road Scenic Byway.[28]
Within this area isKirtland's warbler habitat, established to bring the songbird back from near extinction.
The Au Sable Siver Shoreline near Iargo Springs in Iosco County, Michigan
TheLumberman's Monument is adjacent to the river, about 15 miles (24 km) west of Oscoda. The 14-foot bronze monument stands on a high bank with the Au Sable River providing a scenic backdrop since 1932. Lumbering along the river began in the 1860s and was finished by the 1910s.[29]
River Road, on the north bank and running parallel to the river, is a designatedNational Scenic Byway for the 23 miles that go into Oscoda.[30]
There are six dams and hydro-electric plants in the basin of the Au Sable, with a total capacity of 41MW and an average annual output of 500 GJ. The six facilities were constructed between 1911 and 1924.[31]
TheGrayling Fish Hatchery on the Au Sable was founded in 1914 by timber baron Rasmus Hanson with assistance fromHenry &Edsel Ford. Although unsuccessful in restoring the grayling, the hatchery raised and released millions of rainbow and brown trout. The State of Michigan purchased it in 1926, then the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, finally to the non-profit Grayling Hatchery Incorporated in 2017.[32]
Canoer's Memorial: The inscription on the memorial says "The crossed paddles are a canoeist’s salute. These paddles are erected as a tribute to those professional members of the Michigan Canoe Racing Association who were once active in the promotion and participation of canoe racing in Michigan. As you view the waters of the AuSable or watch canoes racing on our Michigan streams, remember these departed members and their dedication to the sport of canoe racing.” The first casualty happened in 1953 claiming the life of 17-year-old Jerry Curley. The Curley family spearheaded the efforts to erect the monument, and it is now maintained by Oscoda Township onU.S. Forest Service property.[33]
River Road Scenic Byway - Highbanks Sand Dune
TheWolf Creek Trail system is a beautiful trail and boardwalk along the Au Sable River and around Wolf Creek. This trail does not have any mandatory fees for use making it free for everyone. The non-motorized trail is open to all hikers, mountain bikers, cross country skiers, snowshoers, with loops designed as long as 4.2 miles and as short as 1.8 miles. The Wolf Creek Trail, part of the Huron National Forest, has four separate loops with a total of 4.8 miles of walking paths with 3 of these miles running adjacent to the Au Sable River. This trail system is a popular hiking, walking, and cross-country skiing spot for locals and tourists alike. Many hikers will use the main trailhead at the bustling Department of Natural Resources canoe launch and park, right off of M-72/33 on the east side of the bridge that crosses the Au Sable River. The park also has toilets, picnic tables, grills, a source for drinking water, and plenty of parking. Most cross-country skiers will use the trailhead off of South River Road approximately 2 miles east of Mio. Skiers will encounter a few downhill slopes, but nothing too difficult, making for an overall easy ski trail.[34]
Iargo Springs are natural springs near Oscoda that flow for nearly 1000 feet to the Au Sable River. Boardwalks provide scenic views of waterfalls and ponds.
A three-part documentary entitled,Au Sable was released in 2024 onYouTube and aired on local public-access TV stations.[35] It was subtitled, "The River. The Race. The Legends." Narrated byGeorge Blaha, voice of theDetroit Pistons andMichigan State Spartans, it was created by Justin Garant and Darren Cleavenger-Grimsley, two employees ofConsumers Energy, primary sponsor of the ARCM since 2012.[36] The Production Team from Consumers Energy provided assistance, as did the volunteers from the AuSable River Canoe Marathon staff.
On June 15, 2024, the project won anEmmy Award forOutstanding Sports Documentary from the Michigan chapter of the organization.[35]
The Au Sable has adrainage basin of 1,932 square miles (5,000 km2)[37] and an average flow of 1,100 ft3/s (31 m3/s) at its mouth.[38] The river drops 650 feet (200 m) from its source at the junction of the Bradford and Kolka Creeks[38]and drains land in the following counties:[39]
A MichiganRecreation Passport is required for motor vehicles to access state parks, recreation areas, boating access, campgrounds and trails. Parks and recreation areas are mostly self-supporting, and the Recreation Passport is separate from camping, lodging, harbor and shelter fees.[41]
TheMichigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) maintains over 20Public Access Sites on the Au Sable River for fishing and boating egress and ingress. Many havevault toilets andHand pumps for potable water. Some allow camping but all require a current Recreation Passport.[42]TheUnited States Forest Service (USFS) maintains numerous camping and public access sites in the Huron-Manistee National Forests. All dams on the AuSable River are owned and operated byConsumers Energy (CE).
This is adynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help byediting the page to add missing items, with references toreliable sources.
^U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data.The National MapArchived 2012-03-29 at theWayback Machine, accessed November 7, 2011
^Goble, C. W.; Auer, N. A.; Huckins, C. J.; Danhoff, B. M.; Holtgren, J. M.; Ogren, S. A. (2018). "Fish Distributions and Habitat Associations in Manistee River, Michigan, Tributaries: Implications for Arctic Grayling Restoration".North American Journal of Fisheries Management.38 (2):469–486.doi:10.1002/nafm.10049.
^"Borchers Outfitters".canoeborchers.com. Borchers AuSable Canoe Livery & Bed and Breakfast. RetrievedJune 28, 2023.
^"The Rivers".Oldausable.com. Old Au Sable Fly Shop. RetrievedJune 28, 2023.
^Zapoli, Julie."Holy Water".anglersjournal.com. Active Interest Media. RetrievedMarch 22, 2025.
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