Canoeing & Kayaking

The Vermillion River offers great opportunities for canoeing and kayaking. The best opportunities are downstream of U.S. Highway 52.

The reach between Highway 52 and Hastings is dominated by surrounding agricultural land use and is a relatively slow, meandering river. From the western edge of Hastings to the falls, the River enters a much different urban landscape. At the falls, fast-moving water drops through a bedrock gorge and piques the interest of whitewater kayakers. Below the gorge, the River transforms into the Vermillion River Bottoms. In the bottoms, you’ll find an intriguing floodplain forest landscape that parallels the Mississippi River until Red Wing, MN.

Access to land your craft can be done on publicly owned land. American Whitewater provides information and resources for canoeing and kayaking the Vermillion River:

Lower Vermillion River –Ravenna Township