Detroit River Light

The Detroit River flows west and south for 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario—an area collectively referred to as Detroit–Windsor—and forms part of the border between Canada and the United States. The Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel, and the Michigan Central Railway Tunnel connect the cities. The river's English name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit (translated as "River of the Strait"). The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and Windsor, and is one of the world's busiest waterways. It is an important transportation route connecting Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior to Lake Erie and eventually to Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Erie Canal. When Detroit underwent rapid industrialization at the turn of the 20th century, the Detroit River became notoriously polluted and toxic. Since the late 20th century, however, a vast restoration effort has been undertaken because of the river's ecological importance. In the early 21st century, the river today has a wide variety of economic and recreational uses. There are numerous islands in the Detroit River, and much of the lower portion of the river is part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The portion of the river in the city of Detroit has been organized into the Detroit International Riverfront and the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor. The Detroit River is designated both an American Heritage River and a Canadian Heritage River—the only river to have this dual designation.

The Huron River is a 130-mile-long (210 km) river in southeastern Michigan, rising out of the Huron Swamp in Springfield Township in northern Oakland County and flowing into Lake Erie, as it forms the boundary between present-day Wayne and Monroe counties. Thirteen parks, game areas, and recreation areas are associated with the river, which passes through the cities of Dexter, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Belleville, Flat Rock and Rockwood that were developed along its banks. The Huron River is a typical Southeast Michigan stream; mud banks, slow stream flow and a low gradient define this river. It runs through the following counties, in order from the headwaters to its mouth: Oakland, Livingston, Washtenaw, Wayne, and Monroe. There are 24 major tributaries totaling about 370 miles (600 km) in addition to the mainstream. The Huron River watershed drains 908 square miles (2,350 km2). It is the only state-designated Country-Scenic Natural River in southeast Michigan. This includes 27.5 miles (44.3 km) of the mainstream, plus an additional 10.5 miles (16.9 km) of three tributaries. The river was named after the Huron band of Native Americans who lived in the area. In Native languages, it was called cos-scut-e-nong sebee or Giwitatigweiasibi. It was part of a Native American trade route. The river has many dams, 19 on the main stream and at least 96 in the entire system. Most dams are only a few feet high, built to slightly increase and maintain water levels in existing lakes to provide drought protection and flood control, a use that is now environmentally controversial. However, at least a dozen dams were built for mill or hydroelectric power and several formed large new lakes behind them. Some of these on the Huron River mainstream are Kent Lake, Barton Pond, Argo Pond, Ford Lake, Belleville Lake, and Flat Rock Pond. The Huron River flows through numerous parks and is a prime canoeing river with a generally slow current and only a few minor rapids or obstructions, except for the short Delhi rapids which is runnable by experienced canoeists and kayakers except during low water. The river is heavily fished by sportsmen for rock bass, sunfish, bluegill, black crappie, white bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, catfish, trout, muskie, and below Belleville Dam, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and Steelhead. Suckers and carp are also common fish in the river. In 2009, faculty and students from the University of Michigan produced "Mapping the River," a multimedia presentation combining dance, poetry, music, and projected images which explored the role of the Huron in communities along it.

Pointe Mouillee State Game Area (; point mwee-YAY or moo-LAY) is a state game area in the U.S. state of Michigan. It encompasses 7,483 acres (30.3 km2) of hunting, recreational, and protected wildlife and wetland areas at the mouth of the Huron River at Lake Erie, as well as smaller outlying areas within the Detroit River. Pointe Mouillee State Game Area was established in 1945 and is administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Millman Island is an island in the Huron River, near Lake Erie, in Wayne County, Michigan. Its coordinates are 42°02′35″N 83°12′38″W; the United States Geological Survey gave its elevation as 571 ft (174 m). It is shown (unlabeled, as a peninsula) on an 1818 survey map, and labeled "Millman Island" on a 1936 map.

Sturgeon Bar (or Sturgeon's Bar) is a small island in the Detroit River. It is in Wayne County, in southeast Michigan. Its coordinates are 42°04′07″N 83°11′17″W, and the United States Geological Survey gave its elevation as 571 ft (174 m) in 1980. Numerous types of fish spawn at the island; a 1982 report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed lake sturgeon,: 4 gizzard shad,: 6 goldfish,: 11 carp,: 14 emerald shiner,: 15 channel catfish,: 19 bullhead catfish,: 19 bluegill,: 23 smallmouth bass,: 25  and crappie.: 26 

The Jefferson Avenue–Huron River and Harbin Drive–Silver Creek Canal Bridges are two separate bridges, sharing a continuous railing, that were jointly listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 10, 2000.The Jefferson Avenue Bridge carries West Jefferson Avenue (known south of the river as the U.S. Turnpike) across the Huron River, which connects Brownstown Charter Township in Wayne County to Berlin Charter Township in Monroe County. Along with the Clinton–Kalamazoo Canal and Main Street Historic District, it is one of three properties listed on the National Register in Michigan to span two counties. The Harbin Drive Bridge is located entirely within Wayne County. Both bridges are located about one mile (0.6 km) inland from Lake Erie on a historically important route between Detroit and Toledo. The Jefferson Avenue Bridge is also designated as a Michigan Historic Site.

The Hull's Trace North Huron River Corduroy Segment is a portion of Hull's Trace (also called Hull's Trail), a military road running from Urbana, Ohio, to Detroit. Hull's Trace was one of the first federal and military roads in the United States. This segment, the only known extant portion of the Trace, contains the remains of a corduroy road, and is located at approximately 36000 W Jefferson Avenue in Brownstown Charter Township, Michigan. The North Huron River Corduroy Segment of Hull's Trace was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. As of 2014 it has been preserved and made accessible to the public as the Hulls Trace Unit of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park.

Celeron Island is an island in the Detroit River. It is in Wayne County, in southeast Michigan, and the southernmost island within Grosse Ile Township. Its coordinates are 42°04′47″N 83°10′24″W, and the United States Geological Survey gave its elevation as 571 ft (174 m) in 1980.Due to erosion, it now comprises two separate islands. Celeron Island is uninhabited and administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, as the island was included into Pointe Mouillee State Game Area in 1976. Celeron Island is undergoing a restoration project with funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Celeron Island was named for Pierre Joseph Céloron de Blainville.

Hickory Island is an inhabited island in the Detroit River. It is in Wayne County, in southeast Michigan. Its coordinates are 42°05′15″N 83°09′20″W, and the United States Geological Survey gave its elevation as 581 ft (177 m) in 1980.Hickory Island is one of fifteen islands that comprise Grosse Ile. While some are uninhabited, Hickory Island has been developed into residential subdivisions containing "moderately sized homes on smaller lots".Hickory Island is connected on the north to Meso Island (sometimes called "Upper Hickory"), and from there to Grosse Ile, by the East River Road Bridge. This bridge was described as being "in serious condition" by the Detroit Free Press in January 2020; the Michigan Department of Transportation had posted a speed limit of 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h) on the bridge in November 2019 due to the structure's deterioration. The Hickory Island Park and Yacht Club, located in the center of the island, offers recreational facilities for its residents.In January 2021, a large metal monolith, measuring approximately 8 ft (2.4 m) by 11.5 ft (3.5 m), was found to have been placed on Hickory Island anonymously and without explanation. This was one of many such cases around the world which occurred after widespread media coverage of the Utah monolith in November 2020.

Sugar Island is a small island in the Detroit River between Grosse Ile and Boblo Island. Sugar Island is part of Grosse Ile Township, Wayne County, Michigan, United States, and lies about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) west of the border with Canada. Currently the island is uninhabited and was recently converted to a wildlife refuge by the US Fish and Wildlife service (see below). The majority of the island is wooded and it is known for its white sandy beaches and easy access by boat. In the early part of the 20th century (c. 1900-1940), Sugar Island was the site of a resort park and large dance pavilion. Access to the island was by steam ferry, including the SS Tashmoo. Tashmoo met her fate on the night of June 18, 1936 while departing Sugar Island she struck a rock. She was able to land her passengers in Amherstburg, Ontario before sinking.For many years Sugar island was held in private ownership with plans to build a bridge and residential housing on the island. There were objections to this plan, mainly by environmental groups, as the island is a resting point for many species of migratory birds. The island was recently purchased by the US Fish and Wildlife service for $434,100 and will be made into a wildlife refuge.

Meso Island is an island in the Detroit River. It is in Wayne County, in southeast Michigan. Its coordinates are 42°05′30″N 83°09′10″W, and the United States Geological Survey gave its elevation as 584 ft (178 m) in 1980. Numerous types of fish spawn at the island; a 1982 report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed northern pike,: 10 carp,: 13 bullhead catfish,: 19 rock bass,: 22  and bluegill.: 23 

Horse Island is an island in the Detroit River, in southeast Michigan. It is in Wayne County. Its coordinates are 42°04′55″N 83°11′06″W, and the United States Geological Survey gave its elevation as 571 ft (174 m) in 1980. Walleye can be caught there.