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The Laketon access site on the Eel River provides a convenient take-out point with good parking and launching facilities within the Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area near North Manchester, Wabash County. This site serves as an ideal terminus for paddlers navigating the Eel River, a major waterway (Stream Order 8) with an average flow of over 9,000 cubic feet per second. The area encompasses 3,546 acres of wildlife habitat with rolling uplands and oak-hickory woodlands.
The Eel River in this section features moderate current with an average velocity of 3.45 feet/second and a gradient of 31.1 feet/mile, making it suitable for kayakers and canoeists with some paddling experience. Note that paddlers may encounter a small dam at North Manchester upstream of this access point; in low water conditions, canoes can be portaged over it. The public fishing site south of Liberty Mills offers an alternative upstream launch point for longer canoe trips taking out at Laketon.
This access site is part of a larger recreational area with diverse paddling opportunities across nine lakes (Shock, Spear, Hammond, Allen, Barrel, Price, Wyland, Bass, and Goldeneye), making it a good base for exploring multiple waterways in the region.