WELLSTON, Mich. (Michigan Back Roads) – The Pine River is a designated Wild & Scenic River, and some people also insist it offers the most beautiful paddle/floats in the entire Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

No matter which season you choose, this river is relatively close by and has all the services necessary for a safe and fun wilderness adventure. The most picturesque section is the lower 26 miles which was designated a National Scenic River in 1992. There are miles of pristine, fast running river water with deep canyons and dense forest. Part of the river flows through the Pere Marquette State Forest and part flows through the Huron-Manistee National Forest.

MORE NEWS: Michigan Awards $350K to Jump-Start Nine Mass Timber Building Projects, Opens New Funding for U.P.

The scenery on the river when the forest is blanketed with new snow is nothing short of breathtaking and the folks at the Pine River Paddle Sports Center make it easy to enjoy this special season on one of their guided winter floats. Anyone can take advantage of this winter activity. It doesn’t require hiking, skiing, or trekking through the snow.

Pine River Paddle Sports Center offers as many as 10 trips per week. You don’t need any equipment; this guided float is on a raft. At the end of the trip, you can either take the ride back or hike the Silver Creek Pathway which runs on both sides of that section of the river. That hike is about 2 miles and is an optional added feature to the adventure. As with all the access to this river there are a limited number of permits