Safety & Etiquette

Leave No Trace

The Milwaukee Urban Water Trail promotes the following elements of the national Leave No Trace Code of Outdoor Ethics that promotes the responsible use and enjoyment of the outdoors:

  • Plan ahead and prepare;
  • Travel on durable surfaces to minimize disturbance of natural areas;
  • Dispose of waste properly;
  • Leave what you find (unless its garbage!);
  • Respect wildlife; and
  • Be considerate of others and protect the quality of their experience!

For more information, visit the Leave No Trace program at: www.lnt.org.

In case of emergency, please call 911 or contact the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF-FM Radio Channel 16 or call your nearest Coast Guard Unit.

General Safety Tips

  • Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD)–a PFD is legally required for each person onboard and can save your life!
  • Don't be left up the creek without a paddle–always bring an extra paddle along.
  • Consider seeking formal boating instruction, attend a boating safety class, and practice paddling and rescue skills.
  • Dress appropriately for the weather and anticipate weather changes, especially when paddling in cold water. Bring extra dry clothes, stored in a waterproof bag.
  • Wear brightly colored clothing to improve your visibility to other boaters, and consider buying a brightly colored boat if you are planning on buying one!
  • Review your exit points and portages before launching and be aware of hazards.
  • When paddling along the inner harbor and Milwaukee River Estuary, exercise extreme caution, stay to the side, wear your PFD, and stay in marked channels to ensure your safety and minimize conflicts with motorized boats.
  • Bring water and safety equipment, including a first aid kit, sunscreen, rain gear, extra lashing line, and dry bags or storage containers.
  • Avoid contact with contaminated sediments, especially downstream of Estabrook Park and downstream of the Wire & Nail Pond Dam on Cedar Creek.
  • Do not paddle under the influence! Breweries are "take-out" and not "put-in" access points.

Parking

Please remember to always respect private property and publicly owned property along the water trail. Please only park in designated parking areas and parking lots. If there is no parking explicitly denoted on the map, please use street parking and comply with posted parking restrictions.

Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species

It’s everyone’s job to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species to Wisconsin’s lakes. Be sure to:

  • INSPECT your boat, trailer, and equipment.
  • REMOVE any attached aquatic plants or animals (before launching, after loading and before transporting on a public highway).
  • DRAIN all water from boats, motors and all equipment.
  • NEVER MOVE live fish away from a waterbody.
  • DISPOSE of unwanted bait in the trash.
  • BUY minnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer.