Indian River in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Upper Peninsula of Michigan

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...

 rises out of Hovey Lake at 46°17′36"N 86°42′20"W on Hiawatha National Forest

Hiawatha National Forest

Hiawatha National Forest is a National Forest in the Upper Peninsula of the state of Michigan in the United States. Commercial logging is conducted in some areas. The United States Forest Service administers this National Forest; it is physically divided into two subunits, commonly called the...

 land in Alger County

Alger County, Michigan

Alger County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,601. Its county seat is Munising. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located within the county.-History:...

 and flows south and east through a lake district and on through Schoolcraft County

Schoolcraft County, Michigan

-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Seney National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 8,903 people, 3,606 households, and 2,498 families residing in the county. The population density was 8 people per square mile . There were 5,700 housing units...

. The river flows into the 8,659 acre (35 km²) Indian Lake at 46°17′36"N 86°42′20"W and flows out at 45°59′30"N 86°17′15"W. It then flows east and south about 2.5 miles where it merges with the Manistique River

Manistique River

The Manistique River is a 67-mile-long river in the U.S. state of Michigan that winds southward through the central Upper Peninsula from its headwaters near Lake Superior to its mouth in Lake Michigan. It drains approximately of the Upper Peninsula, including most of Schoolcraft County and small...

, which then flows through Manistique

Manistique, Michigan

Manistique is a city in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 3,583. It is the county seat of Schoolcraft County and the only incorporated community in the county. The city lies on the north shore of Lake Michigan, at the southwest corner...

 and into Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...

 at 45°56′56"N 86°14′45"W.

Major tributaries include the Little Indian River

Little Indian River (Michigan)

The Little Indian River is a river in the upper peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It rises in a small lake on Hiawatha National Park land in Alger County, Michigan at , flows through a lake district, then on through Schoolcraft County, and into the Indian River at .Most of its course roughly...

, Murphy Creek, Big Murphy Creek, and Smith Creek.

Indian River is a National Wild and Scenic River with 12 miles designated "Scenic" and 39 miles designated "Recreational". This river is popular with paddlers although the section from Hovey Lake to Doe Lake is not maintained for canoes or kayaks and requires a lot of portages. From Doe Lake to Indian Lake is periodically maintained for clear passage by the forest service but portages may still be required due to the abundance of dead-falls.