Your launch may be at a bridge called 16, a name that was given to a small community that existed there in the late 1800’s. Spend four hours on the Yellow River, stopping to fish or have a shore lunch with friends on a hot July day and you would swear that you were in Colorado or somewhere out west having the time of your life. There are beautiful vertical walls lush with liverworts and often the more observing kayakers will stop by the walls and pet the Lichens or Liverworts as they are known because they have a feel that is so special and unforgettable. Takeout may be at Ion, a ghost town now with nothing left. A huge flood destroyed the whole town of 149 people back in 1916. There was a hotel, a hardware store, a sawmill and a gristmill. An old timer, Bill Aard, saw his best friend cut in half at the sawmill. Bill never traveled more than 20 miles out of the valley during his whole life. He died at 103 years of age.

There now exists just downstream from Ion a well known native seed and plant nursery and The Natural Gait. Many people stay at The Natural Gait in one of their exquisite log cabins for their venture down the Yellow River. The Natural Gait has beautiful scenery from the bluff it feels like you can see forever. It is a magical place, well worth visiting.

North East Iowa is the best kept secret of Iowa, many folks are so pleasantly surprised when they come and visit. Rivers and bluffs abound, the Mississippi River runs by North East Iowa. The fall trees are spectacular to view. Many people come to enjoy the show of all the colors that the trees have to offer.