Turtle Creek

Special thanks to Friendsofturtlecreek.com for many of these tidbits.

• Turtle Lake Boat Ramp to Turtle Lake Road:  0.8 miles.  Half of this would be a lake paddle on spring-fed Turtle Lake.  The other half would  be over an extremely small channel that would likely require very high water to be navigable.
• Turtle Lake Road to Island Road:  3.2 miles.  Artificially straightened, and perhaps requiring a few culvert portages, this marshy section would likely not be for most but could have its appeal.  Google has a nice street view image of this section.
• Island Road to Dam Road:  2.5 miles.  More straightened channels running through thick marshes.  This could have some subtle beauty to it.  An alt take-out would likely be Hwy P.
• Dam Road to North Terrace Street:  2.8 miles.  For 1.5 miles the creek finally meanders naturally for the first time, but in the last mile, the creek is impounded by a dam to form Comus Lake.  Take out above the dam at the public Comus Lake boat ramp.
• North Terrace Street to School Section Road:  6.3 miles.  Good marsh prospect with perhaps a logjam or two.  Launch below the dam but be wary of a second lowhead dam.  On my to-do list.
• School Section Road to East Creek Road:  6.9 miles. 
  
  • School Section Road to Hwy 14:  2.2 miles.  Great section, with terrific water clarity.
  • Hwy 14 to Hwy C:  2.4 miles.  A bit more weedy, but still a great section with good water clarity.  Spooner Park is an alternate access.
  • Hwy C to E. Creek Road:  2.2 miles.  A nice section with some scenic springs.
• East Creek Road to Hwy 140:  6.8 miles.
  • East Creek Road to O'Riley Landing:  1.9 miles.  Good stretch with scenic wild rice. 
  • O'Riley Landing to S. Carvers Rock Road:  3.1 miles.  Little Turtle Creek comes in and significantly increases the size of the main channel.  This is still a pleasant stretch with good clarity and an attractive gravel bottom.
  • S. Carvers Rock Road to Hwy 140:  1.9 miles.  This stretch is more wooded and hilly.  There are several hidden limestone outcrops on this leg.
• Hwy 140 to Sweet Allyn Park:  5.2 miles. 
  • Hwy 140 to Turtle Creek Parkway/Smith Road:  3.8 miles.  A good leg with deep clear water.  The latter parts are a bit weedy though.
  • Turtle Creek Parkway to Sweet-Allyn Park:  1.4 miles.  A more shallow, but terrifically scenic stretch with fantastic clarity.  The highlight is a historic five arch stone bridge.
• Sweet-Allyn Park to S. Lathers Road:  1.5 miles.  Likely a nice prospect.  The take-out at S. Lathers Road is good and used by paddlers…but vague No Parking signs don’t make it clear where you can park.
• S. Lathers Road to Town of Turtle Creek Canoe Launch:  2.2 miles.  Likely a nice prospect.
• Town of Turtle Creek Canoe Launch to Milwaukee Road/Turtle Creek Greenway Trail:  5.5 miles.  A nice trip through the Turtle Creek floodplain and outskirts of Beloit with occasional riffles, an attractive gravel bottom, and lush jungle-like vegetation.
• Milwaukee Road to Colley Road:  0.4 miles.  Good prospect.
• Colley Road to Turtle Creek Park:  1.6 miles.  Good prospect.  Take-out is west of Dearborn Street.  Disembark north of the creek and park to the west.  Bank is a bit steep here.  A nicer launch is south of the creek by Turtle Tap.  Turtle Tap is private, but supposedly there is a strip of public land you can use to launch from.
• Turtle Creek Park to Dickop Street:  1.0 mile.  A very good prospect.
• Dickop Street to John Jose Canoe and Kayak Launch:  0.8 miles.  A final short section on Turtle Creek, then a paddle upstream on the Rock River to reach a take-out.