The character of the Shiawassee River water trail can be described as country scenic, wooded wetland, rural residential, or trail town. This provides a diversity of paddling experiences along our water trail, offering opportunities for isolation, wildlife viewing, group paddles, or multi-modal trips.

Recreation on the water trail includes kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding along with motorized boats and jetskis on the impoundments in Fenton, Linden and Byron, Lake Ponemah and Tupper Lake. Several local and county parks are along the water trail and offer opportunities for picnicking, fishing, and connections to nonmotorized trails. The water trail features a paddle up restaurant in Fenton, two paddle-up campgrounds, thirteen public parks, and eight trail towns offering amenities to travelers.

Historic features along the trail include Fenton's Historical Museum, Linden Historical Museum, Knagg's bridge and trading post, Corunna's Historic Village, Owosso's 1223 Steam Locomotive Rail Museum, Curwood Castle, and Comstock Cabin.

The Shiawassee River Water Trail features many historic towns. The Village of Holly, Fenton, Linden, Corunna and Owosso are all along historic Native American trading routes, and became river-based trading towns from the early to mid-1800's water power mills. Shiawassee River trail towns provide an abundance of rural and small town to semi-urban experiences, all in view from the river. There are several lovely towns along the Shiawassee River that provide places to dine, stay overnight, shop, and be entertained.