Apparently there is a local legend about an "actual" bigfoot roaming the dense forests that fill in the space between the corn, soybean and alfalfa fields that line the local hills and valleys. The folks at BigFoot Canoe (and kayak) Rentals have never seen one, but you never know.
Season 11, episode 9 of Finding Bigfoot on the Discovery Channel filmed an episode nearby - spoiler alert - they didn't find one. But it's worth the trip even without a legitimate chance of a sighting.
We rented a canoe for trip from Bridge 16 to a landing a mile or so past Ion. Their website says this is the most challenging part of the river. I've canoed, tubed and kayaked in the Upper Iowa river above Decorah dozens of times, and this was our first experience on the Yellow River. For comparison's sake, I would estimate this stretch at about 15% more "dangerous" (relatively speaking) and exciting than a typical stretch between Bluffton and Decorah on the Upper Iowa. The staff told us that we had to know what we were doing to paddle the stretch, so they seem to agree with my assessment. A little faster, narrower, turnier, and more and slightly steeper rapids in places. It also seemed to have much less river traffic; we didn't see anyone else all afternoon.
The staff at BigFoot were friendly and helpful. They returned my telephone inquiry call promptly, and were prepared for my arrival as scheduled. They seem to have plenty of kayaks and canoes, so pick your poison. read more