Wildcat Creek, North Fork: Knop Lake to Mis-so-la

elapsed
time
1Trailhead at the Knop Lake State Fishing Area. (GPS: 40.2759, -86.3985)
0:00
2Paddling over the old Pyrmont Dam. (GPS: 40.2743, -86.4035)
0:10
3The Pyrmont Road (CR 800 W) bridge. (GPS: 40.2761, -86.4071)
0:25
4The CR 900 W bridge. (GPS: 40.2773, -86.4169)
1:05
5The Heath (CR 900 E) bridge. (GPS: 40.2729, -86.4399)
2:25
6The Mis-so-la Public Access Site is downstream of the CR 725 E bridge on the left bank. (GPS: 40.2666, -86.4575)
3:30

Trip Report

Water level at 3.75 feet and 500 cubic feet per second per the Lafayette USGS gage.

When you enter Knop Lake State Fishing Area, stay on the main gravel road and bear to the left. The fishing lakes are on your right. There is a grass parking lot with room for about fifty cars. The public access site can be reached by a steep, narrow, muddy trail that originates to the right of the sign in the photo. Follow the orange flags to the water. [Update 5/9/04 Construction began on a road to the creek!]

This section of the creek is about 9 miles in length and takes about three and a half hours to paddle. The creek has a tendency to pool up and slow down behind old dams and small rapids. You'll paddle mostly still water from one drop to another, and the creek is comparatively straight.

After about ten minutes of paddling, you'll reach the old Pyrmont Dam. You can explore the pond that pools up to the left and then paddle over the middle of the dam, which is broken and submerged. About an hour before you reach Mis-so-la, there is an unofficial access site on left bank downstream of the County Road 900 E bridge. We've never had a problem parking along CR 250 N, and there is a well-cleared trail from the road to the creek. If you have an extra hour to paddle, this is a nice place to start instead of Mis-so-la if you're paddling to Wildcat Park.

The take-out at Mis-so-la is clearly marked by a wood sign hanging from the County Road 725 E bridge. Take out on the left bank immediately after the bridge and follow a short trail back to the parking area.

At this level, there was plenty of water. There were a few trees down, but we only needed to get out of the canoe and portage twice. There is very little development along this segment of the creek although a few parts are somewhat argicultural. Mostly you will be paddling along steep bluffs and forested areas. In late October the fall colors are at their peak. We saw the trunks of saplings that were gnawed off by beavers and tracks in the sand where they were dragged to the water.

Trip reported by Michael Witt and Doug McKnight on 10/25/03.

Photo Gallery

Currently the takeout at Knop Lake is a narrow, steep, muddy trail. [Update 5/9/04 Construction began on a road to the creek!]
The trees showing their fall colors.
Paddling on a bend in the creek that cuts into a field.
Recent beaver activity.
Clams and assorted shells on a sand bar.
A snail crawling on a log.
A textbook portage.
Wildcat Creek between Knop Lake and Mis-so-la.

Access Sites

Knop Lake State Fishing Area: From Delphi, take State Route 421 South; go across the creek and then turn right on CR 550 W (this road is not marked very well); CR 550 W turns into CR 650 S. The entrance to Knop Lake State Fishing Area will be a gravel road on your right that is obscured by trees. It is operated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
County Road 900: From Knop Lake, turn right on CR 650 S; turn right on Pyrmont Road (CR 800 W); turn left on CR 550 S; turn left on CR 900 E. Park along CR 250 N, the trail to the water originates on the southwest side of the bridge.
Mis-so-la Access Site: From Knop Lake, turn right on CR 650 S; turn right on Pyrmont Road (CR 800 W); turn left on CR 500 S; turn left on CR 900 E; turn right on CR 300 N; turn left on CR 725 E. The parking lot for the access site is on the right immediately after you cross the bridge. Mis-so-la is operated by The Wildcat Creek Foundation.

Copyright 2003, 2004 Michael Witt