Quick Facts
Location: Greenfield (Milwaukee), WI.
Put-in: 42.97092 -88.06561 (4001 S.122nd Street)
Take-out: 42.9659, -88.0468 (Kulwicki Park)
Shuttle Length/DriveTIme: 1.3 miles/5 minutes
Shuttle Route
Gradient: 45 FPM Ave, 55 FPM max mile.
*
Never rely on class/rating or gradient to decide if you should run a river/rapids!*
More important are *'character factors'* such as: (1) continuous versus pool/drop, (2) wide-channel with multiple routes versus narrow channel with just one route, (3) straight routes versus complex technical moves required routes, (4) gradual river banks versus rocky shores or steep-walled gorges, (5) heavily wooded (prone to strainers, sweepers, deadfall) versus shrubs, grasslands, or non-vegetated surroundings, et cetera.
Character: Extremely narrow, overhanging trees and shrubs, likely deadfall, minimal eddies and little chance for egress.
Typical width: 5-10 ft.
Drainage area at put- in: 1.1 sq.mi.
Drainage area at take-out: 1.9 sq.mi.
General Overview
Cannot recommend that anyone even think of trying this run! It would be necessary to do visual recon of as much of the run as possible immediately before putting on. It's not *
whether* there is wood, it's whether it is possible to get under/over/around the wood in your boat, *
or* (if it must be portaged) if there are any eddies or slackwater upstream, *
and* if it is reasonably possible to get out of the river (if the banks are not vertical and eroded).
So why put a description of this creek on here? To illustrate that gradient is not 'all that'! Even with 45FPM average and 55FPM max gradient, there are NO NAME-WORTHY FEATURES (rapids would barely rate class II).
However, even a boater with class IV skills would likely have difficulty staying out of trouble here! Sharp turns in an *
extremely narrow, heavily wooded stream* are a recipe for disaster.
Much of the immediate surrounds of the creek are public (City of Greenfield) lands for the first half of the listed run. However, downstream of the Falcon Ridge Trail (after Beloit Road), nearly all shoreline is private property until our listed take-out in a park. Scouting that part of the run would be trespassing, and clearing wood would not be legal without permission from property owners.