Canoe, Kayak & Stand Up Paddleboard the St. Joseph River

Program Details

  • Fri-Sun and holidays, May 22 through October 4 Closed Mon-Thurs (except holidays) Check our Facebook page for river and weather related closures.
  • St. Patrick’s County Park: Brown Barn
  • 11am to 4pm
    (Long trip rental ends at 2pm);
    Vessels must be returned by 7pm.
  • 1-person kayak: $26 short trip and $33 long trip.
    Stand Up Paddleboard: $25 short trip only (not available on Fridays)
    Canoe or 2-person kayak short trip: $28
    Canoe or 2-person kayak long trip: $35 (not available on Fridays)
    Plus gate fee
  • See description below about Thursday Evening Canoe Paddle
Boy and girl in canoe
Get your family and friends together and canoe the beautiful St. Joseph River! Also a great idea for clubs, businesses and groups of all ages! Packages include shuttle service,
canoes, paddles and required life jackets. Parental signature required for renters under the age of 18. Not recommended for children 3 years of age or younger. Limited kayak and SUP rentals available. Need five or more canoes? No problem, call ahead to reserve a caravan of canoes at least ten days prior to your trip. Have your own vessel? We provide shuttle service for $10 during shuttle operations. Beginners and families may also use our pond for practice and fun for $7/hour.

To ensure the safety of our patrons, and promote a positive experience, we reserve the right to limit river trip options or discontinue rentals when our daily rental capacity is reached.

Water Level Information

SJCP will not open canoe/kayak rental when the river conditions are deemed unsafe. We use streamflow at the dam in Niles, MI as the main determining factor. How fast a river or stream is flowing is measured in cubic feet per second (CFS). In general, the larger the volume, the faster the water is moving and submerged debris may add to the danger.

  • 6,000 CFS or more – Canoe/kayak rental is CLOSED
  • 5,000 – 5,999 CFS – Strenuous conditions, not recommended for beginners, but rental is usually open
  • Below 5,000 CFS – rental is open, and conditions are usually acceptable for beginners to paddle

Click here for USGS St. Joseph River at Niles, MI current conditions.

Group Canoe Rental

Need eight or more canoes? No problem! Call ahead to reserve your caravan of canoes at least 10 days in advance. A discount is available when you reserve 15 or more canoes. For pricing, trip options, and other frequently asked questions click on the canoe reservation packet below.

To schedule a group, please follow the instructions.

  • Please call park staff at 574-654-3155 and schedule a date and time for your trip.
  • Once your date has been confirmed, thoroughly read, sign and return the Leisure Program Agreement in the canoe reservation packet.
  • Completed agreement along with payment must be received to guarantee your reservation.

Thursday Evening Canoe Paddle

  • Every Thursday June-August, weather conditions permitting.
  • 5, 6, and 7 pm departure times
    Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to departure time to fill out necessary paperwork.
    For the safety of our paddlers we may cancel the 7 pm departure due to darkness late in August. Check our Facebook page for updates.
  • Short trips only; $23/canoe, 2-hour limit
  • Livery services not available on Thursdays.
  • All vessels must be off the water by 9:30pm.

Useful Documents

  1. Canoe Group Reservation Packet (PDF)
  2. Canoe-Kayak-Fishing Brochure (PDF)
  3. Driving Directions to St. Patrick's County Park (PDF)