The Apple River is a slow-moving, scenic river located in northwestern Illinois that offers some fun paddling opportunity during the springtime and after sufficient rainfall. The river can be dangerous with high flows after serious rainfall so check conditions before setting out. The put-in is at the Townsend Road bridge but there is only limited parking on the side of the road so park cautiously. The ride is an easy class I trip with few small riffles along the way and there may be possible debris and snags along the way but nothing too treacherous. The take-out for this trip is in the town of Elizabeth just before Elizabeth Scales Mound Road on private property so check with the property owner beforehand to make sure it is okay to access the river.