A local kayak and paddleboard rental company is offering final paddle tours of the Sabin Dam prior to the dam's removal this summer.

The River Outfitters will offer "The Last Dam Paddle" tour starting this Saturday, May 12. Tours will be offered daily at 8am, 12pm, and 4pm through mid-to-late June, when the dam removal project is set to begin and river access near the site will be barred. The paddle tour will offer participants the opportunity to paddle from Sabin Dam to either the Boardman Lake or to Lake Michigan/West Grand Traverse Bay. Tours are $55 per person and include use of a kayak, paddles, and life jacket, as well as a souvenir t-shirt. A percentage of tour proceeds will benefit a planned future Grand Traverse Conservation District project to build a new Boardman River landing.

"The Sabin Dam is being removed this summer, and we only have through June to enjoy this beautiful paddle and see this historic dam one more time," according to The River Outfitters. "Sometime in the spring of 2019, this part of the Boardman River will be open again, but will look very different. Be part of history and enjoy pristine waters and gorgeous scenery on one of Michigan's best cold-water rivers and help us say goodbye to Sabin Dam."

Tour registration is available online here.

Photo credit: John Russell/Great Lakes Images LLC