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This generally placid stream with good current is not a run worth driving very far to get to. However, in spring or other times of increased flow, a couple of decent waves can form to provide a little entertainment for any boaters who may live in the immediate area. While this stream may be boated virtually its entire length (~13 miles, from a couple blocks downstream from its source as the outflow from Lake Geneva until it flows into Echo Lake NW of Burlington), a boater looking for 'action' will concentrate on the 2 mile stretch highlighted
here. While most of the river is just smooth flowing water, there is a small bit of increased gradient in the middle, where a couple minor waves may form.
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The best feature on the run is right at the bridge on Spring Valley Road, 0.5 miles S. of Lyons. Until the early 1990's, the river flowed across a uniform sloping concrete slab. A sweet diagonal wave/hole formed as the water hit the pool at its base. When the bridge was rebuilt, the concrete slab was broken up and removed, and the river was instead channeled through large limestone rocks lining the riverbed. Some 'external forces' (they know who they are!) have rearranged some of this rock to 'customize' the drop. At high enough flows, an upper wave may be surfable. Otherwise, flow is channelled over a rubble-dam before meeting the pool below. Surfs, ferries, and squirt moves are all possible, with great eddies in the pool to return you to the wave for more play.
For those not just doing a 'park-and-play' at the Lyons Wave, swiftwater flowing out of the pool continues around a bend and heads into Lyons, where a town park exists for convenient take-out.
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