Paddle With
Special Events
Below is a list of upcoming events for the Friends of the Rouge organization.
CLICK HERE to view the full calendar of events in the booking system.
Every event listed below has a Sign-up Link that will take you directly to the date of the event in the booking system. After selecting the boats you'd like to rent, scroll all the way to the bottom to select the desired available time you'd like to book.
Black Paddle Trip
Join Friends of the Rouge and the Black Pack for a trip from Dearborn Hills to Ford Field Park. The Black Pack hosts events for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to experience the outdoors!
Summer Magic Paddle Trip presented by the Inkster Task Force
Come paddle with Friends of the Rouge and the Inkster Task Force and experience some Summer Magic! This trip will begin at Venoy Dorsey Park and end at Inkster Park. Experience the Rouge wildlife in this beautiful tree-covered stretch of the Lower Rouge Water Trail with many river bends to navigate.
Date: Saturday, August 03, 2024
Location: Venoy Dorsey Park to Inkster Park
Sign-up Link: Reserve Your Spot
Location: Venoy Dorsey Park to Inkster Park
Sign-up Link: Reserve Your Spot
Industrial Paddle Trip
Paddle the Industrial Channel of the Rouge River beginning at Melvindale's Kessey Fieldhouse and ending at Belanger Park in River Rouge on the Detroit River. See the original Ford Rouge Complex, one of a kind drawbridges, and the new Gordie Howe International Bridge. Participants bringing their own boat must have a double hulled kayak and personal flotation device (PFD).
Fall Birding Paddle Trip presented by the Detroit Bird Alliance
Friends of the Rouge and the Detroit Bird Alliance host its Fall Open Water Birding Paddle Trip on Newburgh Lake. See the amazing fall colors and explore the bird species of the Rouge! If you love birding and you love to paddle, this is the trip for you!
Date: Saturday, October 05, 2024
Location: Newburgh Lake - Livonia, MI.
Sign-up Link: Reserve Your Spot
Location: Newburgh Lake - Livonia, MI.
Sign-up Link: Reserve Your Spot
Haunted Paddle Trip
Be prepared for a scare! Friends of the Rouge will host its annual Haunted Paddle Trip on the Rouge. Paddle from Dearborn Hills Golf Course to Ford Field Park and experience the spooky scenes created by Friends of the Rouge and community partners! See the Bog Monster, the Killer Clown, and the Rouge Witches. Don't be afraid!
Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024
Location: Ford Field Park - Dearborn, MI.
Sign-up Link: Reserve Your Spot
Location: Ford Field Park - Dearborn, MI.
Sign-up Link: Reserve Your Spot