120 Miles Solo Kayak Camping the Au Sable River

I embark on my biggest adventure ever, kayak camping the whole 120 mile Au Sable River in Michigan. After learning about the Au Sable River Canoe Marathon last year, a 120 mile 2 person team canoe race that happens annually the last weekend in July, I knew I had to attempt the full river solo. The competitors may do it in 14 hours but I'll start with 5 days which will be more than enough. I'll have to portage 6 dams along the way and camp 4 nights on the banks of the mighty river for this once in a lifetime journey.
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Thanks For Watching :)
Au Sable River Guidebook - amzn.to/3Uf3P6R
Amazon Camping Items:
- Kayak 10.5ft - amzn.to/481Xoce
- Water Filter Press Bottle - amzn.to/3LefjT0
- Camp Soap - amzn.to/45MDmRC
- Screened Bivy Tent - amzn.to/45E56HV
- Large Tarp - amzn.to/3Ps8Vdr
- Big Agnes Sleeping Bag - amzn.to/3Z4ZIv1
- Camping Pillow - amzn.to/3LeRpah
- Ultralight Sleeping Pad - amzn.to/3EpX3CF
- Foam Sleeping Pad - amzn.to/45RNs38
- Rechargeable Lantern - amzn.to/3EuH71U
- ESEE Bushcraft Knife - amzn.to/3LeFwRt
- 55L Dry Backpack - amzn.to/3Lb8Wjm
- Dry Sack 5 Set - amzn.to/3P6m9v1
- Pot - amzn.to/3Eurfwn
- Mini Stove -amzn.to/3PqOJsz
Amazon Filming Items:
- Drone - amzn.to/461ggX2
- Drone Case - amzn.to/3Ptrk9S
- Large Tripod - amzn.to/4639nnR
- Mini Tripod - amzn.to/3PsxK95
- Microphone - amzn.to/44IO6z0
- Camera Umbrella - amzn.to/45HTUdc
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You are much appreciated fellow outdoors enthusiasts!
#ausableriver #kayakcamping #camping

[@chadolson4566]

New to the channel but this is a trip I’ve been wanting to do for a few years. I live very close to the river and I would love to make this happen. Thanx for taking us along !!

[@AtlasAdventures]

Awesome! Glad you're here! Yes you definitely need to do it atleast once! I want to go back and do a 2 nighter this fall and d the section between Mio Dam and Loud Dam. Easily the best and most rustic area of the river.

[@nemideergoon1844]

That's the largest section

[@Ken-tq5dz]

I go camping out in Glennie and have thought about doing something similar. It's beautiful out there.

[@adbmiller24]

I am also new to the channel, I also live in Michigan but much farther south. This gives me a bucket list item! I can tell it's easily one of my favorite channels already! I have much catching up 👍 to do.

[@earthdog2244]

I live in Oscoda. Mouth of the river.

[@jamesart9]

Man, I REALLY hope folks appreciate the amount of work you put in setting up and getting those shots for us. I, for one, sure do. Thank you for a wonderful video.

[@markcinco8405]

😂 It's a crew of at least five people. Keep an eye on magically appearing and disappearing coolers. 💩

[@AtlasAdventures]

Thanks man I really appreciate it. The hardest job Ive ever had and wouldnt change it!

[@AtlasAdventures]

@@markcinco8405 Man I wish that were true haha

[@003fulle]

Michigan really is a gem. The Caribbean of the north.

[@jmurray28]

I have a place in Oscoda MI and have been on this river more times than I can count. You really did this trip right and captured the essence of this trip and the beauty of Michigan. Great vid.

[@AtlasAdventures]

Thank you and glad you enjoyed it!

[@randydoan1887]

My all time favorite river in Michigan. Canoed its length about 45 years ago when i was a much much younger man,took us 7 days,got really sunburned,but my buddies that went still talk about the trip.i never tire of the rivers beauty,still fish the ponds whenever i get the chance.thanks for the video,brought back memories.

[@markthomas2436]

That was a truly awesome adventure. Love the morning scenes. Those who never camp can never truly appreciate the mornings like we campers can. You feel so complete, calm, and content when you are watching the morning in the forest.

[@AtlasAdventures]

Couldn't agree more! Nights can feel kinda weary but mornings are comforting for sure. Thanks for the kind words

[@drive9997]

I’ll second that

[@aszilagyi100]

I have followed the yearly canoe race twice as a spectator. And I find it amazing the winners can make that run in 17 hours.

[@AtlasAdventures]

Yea they’re some tough individuals for sure!

[@Choplinn]

Winners finish around 14 hours!

[@JoshuaMiller80]

Mawage and twoo wuv...fowevah!

[@AtlasAdventures]

You au cowwect!!! 🤣

[@SGM97B]

Looked fun. Bit of advice though, don't use the cutting edge of your knife with your fire starter, use the back edge.

[@AtlasAdventures]

It was a lot of fun! I know to use the spine but on this knife its too rounded so cant create a spark and was the nly knife I had unfortunately

[@jjj5413]

Princess Bride, of course! Great video. Love kayaking and going up north. Great combination ;)

[@uofm1334]

Thanks for sharing some beautiful views of our great state!

[@AtlasAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@the1brod2]

Thank you for this video. Many years ago our family got a free vacation for 2 weeks at a very nice cabin about 25 miles downstream from Grayling. We would always schedule it so that we could watch the start of the race, and then drive back to the cabin so that we could cheer the racers as they flew past. Our kids who are now approaching 60 years of age still rate these vacations at the top of their list, even with no TV.

[@TylerShacklefordDurden]

That's refreshing you were able to leave your stuff and not have it stolen while you hit up the store and bar. I would be panicking the whole time it was out of view.

[@rodneycyrulik2232]

The princess bride. You should do the Current River in the Ozarks. 75 miles of awesome scenery.

[@user-yt9xm3zz9c]

The Princess Bride. Nice trip. I would like to kayak and trout fish that river some day.

[@paulh7589]

Dad and I took this same trip three years in a row almost 50 years ago. It was great Dad time. We had so much fun. Your video brought back a flood of memories. Thank you.

[@pmbair]

I used to canoe the Ausable in the 50’s and 60’s. We liked the upper part much better. We used to watch the start of the canoe marathon some times. We had an Old Towne wooden canoe and later a Herters fiberglass canoe that weighed 120 lbs.. Our camping gear was WWII surplus or Herters. This was before Dollar General too. There were three river systems we spent a lot of time on; Ausable, Manistee, and Muskegon. The Ausable I liked the least, actually. In the 70’s, they ran out of money to maintain the canoe camps on the Muskegon. The high banks canoe camps were built by the CCC boys during the depression. They were my favorite place to camp come October. Used to archery deer hunt and fish Northern Pike. We preferred Michigan made Daredevil lures or Lazy Ike’s. Haven’t been on the Ausable in years..

[@iroach7715]

My family camps up there for deer season every year for the past 40 years. You went past the scenic lookout not far from where I hunted before. Before the Alcona dam. Nearest town is Glennie.

[@danross344]

This is an excellent video, my mom lived on the strategic air command base after they sold it to individuals, all the houses. I used to canoe from the foot dam, to Oscoda. I can’t believe you did all those scenes, of you paddling away, then you had to go paddle back to get your camera. That was a lot of work. I love all the wildlife that you captured on camera. It is a beautiful river.

[@DblCheese]

KZbin Algorithm worked today! Awesome video! Been going back and forth if I should get a kayak or not and I think this video sold me.

[@ndy3287]

16:20 the princes brideeeeeeee

[@AtlasAdventures]

Hell yea!! Great movie 🤙

[@roboginger]

Good to see outdoor content on youtube in Michigan.

[@bkruger377]

Thanks for taking the time to video this so we could make this trip with you.

[@richwallace4632]

Dude, strike your ferro rod with the spine of your knife. Loved the video.

[@AtlasAdventures]

Spine on this knife is way too rounded off and cannot create a spark… Believe me, I have tried many times. I should get something else to spark it but it hasn’t dulled my knife. Thanks for enjoying

[@earthdog2244]

I live in Michigan. I haven't ran the river in years. Brings back memories. Thanks.

[@BigJoshB]

I live on the ausable River have for 41 years. Fishing is amazing. And the view is incredible. It's funny that trip in the marathon race is accomplished in under 17 hrs. Take your time enjoy the beauty and always start in grayling

[@DustedTurtle054]

As a fellow Michigander, thanks for a new idea for next summer!

[@dab1068]

Only the best movie ever! Princess Bride. Ah the memories. We used to canoe the Au Sable river every fall with the family many, many moons ago when I was young. Thanks for bringing back some memories.

[@Platypus_Farts]

Most of my family lives in Au Sable. Countless childhood memories of this river. Turtles, snakes, trout, herons, and hawks all enjoy special places in my heart.

[@AM-br4ix]

I went down the Susquehanna River in PA years ago with my Cousin and a few of his friends on Big intertubes that we tied together and had a small hard tire we tied to our 4 tubes we placed a lunch on. I was bitten alive by the time I got back...took a cold shower and a few hours later with the fan in front of me I was better.

[@JohnRimkunas]

Great video! Was great to watch a trip here in the Midwest. You gave me a goal for next year.

[@hobojoe3844]

305 rivers to my name . I did the mississippi back in 76. So I'm old now but still canoeing . Only different is I avoid camp sites when possible . An eat off the land Good job young sir

[@splashpit]

Why avoid the camp sites ?

[@hobojoe3844]

@@splashpit because they cost money Is why I avoid them. plus I always have a dog with me. So by avoiding. Public camp site I don't have to chain my mutt up.

[@thomengel9720]

You're living my dream. Congratulations.

[@Pelican5077]

Did this trip with some college buddies way back in the summer of 1972. In canoes. Would love to do it again someday.

[@fishhaulergreatlakes8208]

They rolled tall tree trunks down those slopes into the river to float downstream to transport or mills. It was scarred over 150 yrs ago.

[@markramsell454]

The river sections were beautiful. And, I always hated paddling the open section, seemed like I was going uphill in the wind.

[@chrisl7511]

Absolutely a great northern Michigan attraction, the whole river is beautiful, good salmon and trout fishing

[@kentemple6498]

Excellent video. Absolutely beautiful. I can’t imagine the work you put into this with all the self filming as you ride away and go back for you camera. Unless it’s a Drone? Then all the editing. Thanks for doing this. Very enjoyable for the viewer.

[@russellwolter5153]

A buddy and myself canoed the entire river when we were in highschool. We started a little way upstream in Bradford Creek. Took us 6 days and we called my father to come pick us up when we reached Oscoda. We camped on the island out front of Lumberman's Monument. Great trip and great memories.

[@AtlasAdventures]

In high school! That’s pretty awesome! It’s an incredible experience and I’m definitely gonna do it again

[@weatherincorporated6088]

Great video. Just a suggestion. Use the backside of your knife (non sharp side) with your flint steel. start your fire, don’t dull your knife !! Cheers

[@jimbo91262]

Very entertaining half hour. Quite brilliant really. Bravo!

[@burnoutmusic7667]

I’ve done the au sable an uncountable amount of times! Anyone who’s thinking about it, DO IT!

[@denisekerry4555]

Did this in the 1979. My grandpa came with the family!!! Soooo much fun!!!

[@jenniferwithani2455]

I grew up spending my summers on the ausable, what a beautiful place. Thanks for taking us with you.

[@timfronimos459]

thanks for posting. I have canoed the Au Sable many times since childhood.

[@AtlasAdventures]

The Au Sable is always great. Thanks for watching Tim 😊

[@markbarlow2215]

Awesome video! Beautiful scenery and water, loved seeing Atlas at the finish line ❤

[@AtlasAdventures]

Thanks! Best part if you ask me!

[@laurakauffman9144]

Thanks!

[@AtlasAdventures]

No, thank you Laura! Everything helps 😊

[@Not_Built_For_This_World]

My brother has a Clackacraft and we've spent 8 hours traveling only about an eighth of a mile on that river. Ask one of the locals from Lovells where to find "The black Hole" and about 150' from that is "Jackson Hole". Brookies the size of your forearm, 20"+ Browns and they'll even bite in midday (although not steady). Just before dawn is the heaviest action.

[@ghpjerry]

This gives me a different appreciation for what we have as natural resources in this GREAT LAKE STATE! TY for exploring and respecting this amazing water way. We jumped from top of the train bridge south of the Foote Dam (31:43) back in the day, but the paddle as you get closer to the lake is pretty intense when going against the current. UGH! We used to camp & canoe the Foote Dam part every year for about 15yrs when in HS & after. So many beers, shrooms & green were consumed. We used to camp by the old AF base until we got kicked out by DTE, we haven't been back. If you ever see a sticker about "The Dam Store", it's from this, the Foote Dam. The "Whirlpool" is a good meeting place before the train bridge we jumped from. God Bless!

[@franktyler8538]

Brett Affleck with another hit! 🍻

[@TheFishingMommy]

lol I was like why’s he look so familiar

[@jackjarrett3738]

Winner.. Best kayak burrito!

[@AtlasAdventures]

Haha thanks! My best ones yet

[@MostlyMajestic]

Awesome video. A group of friends and I canoed the Grayling to Mio leg over a weekend. We stayed at both locations you chose. It was about 20 years ago for us. I appreciate the memories.

[@andrewgoss1682]

I went fly fishing on the au sable in the summer of 2022. Thanks for sharing.

[@turtle_herd5250]

The Au Sable is my favorite river in Michigan. When I was a kid my family would camp, tube, and ski on Cooke Dam Pond. And we've done many kayak trips from Rea Road (just below Foote Dam) to Whirlpool. It's such a beautiful river to enjoy the scenery and wildlife. And there's a few good spots to take breaks and swim.

[@csw166]

Wow! Great job! Felt like I was with you for the trip. THANKS so much made my day. I have a cabin 15min from rainbow. I only canoed from their to where my cabin is always wondered what the entire river trip would look like. Thanks.

[@tomlorenzen4062]

Nest was in a White Pine. Nice video!

[@IndapussJenkins]

My family has a place up in Lewiston, maybe 30 minutes from Mio. Love the Au Sable. Almost as much as my wife loves "The Princess Bride" lol

[@anotherbeard667]

5:15 he'll be feeling that Chipotle for sure! 😄

[@brianaustin637]

I love this river and had never seen it from that perspective. Great trip! Thank you!

[@michaelbroyer3918]

This is a very good kayak camping video. While not perfect it is apparent that Atlas Adventures loves kayaking and camping. His videography skills are very, very good. Keep posting more videos Atlas!

[@AtlasAdventures]

Not sure there can be a "perfect" video but thank you Michael! Check out my video that dropped today, its very different to say the least

[@parajared]

That's clever using your paddle as the tent poles

[@AtlasAdventures]

Thank you!

[@albarnes1746]

.ahh a fan of the princesses bride ..great movie ,,nice video of the ausauble..

[@joevincent614]

great trip. thanks

[@risasb]

Same distance we traveled from EUG to PDX on the Willamette in 2010. A little more liesurely, I was 60 ... thanks for letting us ride with you.

[@nitikasheoran9861]

I am one video away from falling in love with this man .

[@ASteinmann]

Im new to Kayaking and my goal is to one day Kayak the Au Sable or one of the other amazing rivers in Northern Michigan. I have curently been Kayaking a couple of the rivers down here in SW Michigan. I feel like I need to get a little more experience before I tackle a trip like yours. Amazing video brother.

[@RamBo-uu9so]

Back in 1979, we had a forth of July canoe race down a river in the U>P, around a 14 mile race. The same guys won it 15 years in a row. It was their practice run for the AuSable river race. They had fans all around and on bridges. We were in high school getting ready to play football. We all took off at one minute intervals. The A-Team was ahead of us at first. We passed them and won the race. The fans of the A-Team were not happy that a couple kids beat the ATeam. After that we never had another 4 July canoe race. The ATeam was devastated. That shows their true colors.

[@danharazin3605]

Awesome that you talked about the ARCM. It’s an amazing event and I highly recommend it to anyone. The AuSable River Festival is always the last full week in July, in Grayling.

[@-BUGZ-]

My Dads side of my family grew up in Oscoda, MI and Tawas, MI and we used to canoe and kayak the Mighty quite a bit. I’m used to the smaller, Rifle river in mid michigan so the size was scary to me as a child but my Dad made it a fun time! Love this river! Thank you for this video.

[@joshuagolembiewski5383]

Watched this about a month ago and have thought about it here and there. Thanks for the inspiration friend, I think I’m going to attempt the same. I love the Au Sable river!

[@kna.living]

i literally screamed that i missed this update! watching this filled me with excitement and awe. Yay! i ocant wait to do this myself!

[@AtlasAdventures]

So glad you liked it and inspired you! Let me know how your trip goes :)

[@jonas189]

I love the Au Sable, but it's been years since I've been to it. When I was younger my parents would rent a cabin in Oscoda and we would canoe the Au Sable, it such a beautiful river and the fishing in Lake Huron off the coast of Oscoda was amazing. Thank for bringing back those great memories with your video!

[@calebgillett6091]

I fish the Au Sable very beautiful river

[@geemac7267]

Princess Bride. That is a beautiful area.

[@benmuir1253]

Next is the Yukon river where they do a 462 mile canoe race in 50-60 hours from Whitehorse to Dawson City called the Yukon Quest.

[@leapfrog7409]

Awesome trip and awesome video. I'd love to try it some day. Your quote sounds like it's from HMS Pinafore.

[@alexandergooding4860]

The princess bride, great movie. Love the video, makes me want to plan one!

[@AtlasAdventures]

Do it. You won’t regret it 👍

[@davidhealey4759]

Thank you for showing my backyard growing up. Brings back wonderful memories.

[@JohnSmith-me2vq]

The princess bride. I love the video BTW!

[@Rooster0529]

I have been on the river every month of the year and have never seen it as empty as this. So happy for you. I love the Ausable.

[@AtlasAdventures]

I did edit out the parts with people, but maybe it was empty because it was mid week… thanks Rooster!

[@k29-]

Thank you for taking us along. I know some of this river and it brings very fond memories.

[@randymiller1604]

That was an amazing video thank you

[@adamhenderson001]

Great trip! Great to see video from local areas!

[@w.c.6678]

At 14:20 I love how your clothes went from dry/light to wet/dark with seemless editing. Hard mounting a kayak in that fashion. Great video. Really. Thx and God Bless!

[@matthewgrice6902]

Thanks for the video.

[@joycedimaggio3816]

Looks like a trip I definitely would like to take!! Beautiful.

[@rickfromvirginia]

Congratulations on this epic video! It was well worth the wait to see this one! It's definitely something I could never do. Your video and editing skills are really showing in this adventure! I like the bivy idea, I think this reduced the weight you had to carry big time! I also liked the quick food idea using aluminum foil. Also I like the water bottle filter system you used! 0:37 You always seem to amaze me with your adventures! As always, a big thanks for sharing! Rick From Virginia

[@AtlasAdventures]

Thank you Rick that really means a lot! Yes, the bivy setup is easily a lot lighter than even a hammock setup'

[@JoshEbersole]

Man that looks awesome. I’d like to do something like this some day.

[@8Scorpions]

Pretty cool video, I like how simple you kept the camping gear. Thanks for the adventure 👍🏻👍🏻

[@garygerard4290]

This was a very entertaining adventure, thanks for making it. Your Editing Dept. gets an A+

[@TheGreatOutdoors]

Kudos! Beautiful journey. Thanks!

[@diegoforest]

Very cool dude! Fantastic filming that is not easy on a epic trip like that. Cheers!

[@tayashlii]

Hello from Australia 👋🏼 love watching your videos :)

[@ronwilson5476]

I have a cabin 8 miles from where the AuSable runs through Mio. My cabin is back behind the Pink Store which those who know the area will get where that is. I have been going to this area since 1964 and I have tubed, kayaked, canoed, and fished the backwaters of the dam there in Mio as well as many miles down river. The AuSable river is one of the most beautiful rivers I have ever seen. It is one of the few clear clean rivers left and the landscape is absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed this video because I saw many landmarks and areas that I recognize. Nice work!

[@AtlasAdventures]

Very cool! I've definitely drove by the Pink Store but I'm sure I'll stop in the at some point since I'm in the area a lot but yes, the Au Sable is an amazing river with everything you'd want. Thanks Ron, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@TheRubicon1079]

Great video! I love kayaking myself and still havent taken it out for a few day camp trip on the river. Looking forward to it soon. Thanks for the motivation!

[@pjsbulldog67]

Excellent video,enjoyed the trip with you.

[@danrt52]

Nice! felt like a little meditation. Really appreciate your camera setups.

[@silky900]

Absolutely amazing trip

[@dave4474]

Beautiful state. 👍

[@Cad1900]

Great adventure and great video!!! It’s inspiring. I would love to make that journey in my kayak.