White River (Lower Michigan)

The White River is located on the western side of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The White River rises from the extensive Oxford Swamp in north central Newaygo County and flows out into an upland area. The rural town of Hesperia borders the river here.

Continuing onward, the White River flows in a southwesterly direction through the southern section of Manistee National Forest. The river passes through Oceana County and into Muskegon County and White Lake. The lake and river discharge into Lake Michigan, near the towns of Whitehall and Montague.

The White River system drains a surface area of approximately 300,000 acres (1,200 km²) and includes about 253 miles (407 km) of streams. A wetland river, it is bordered by ooze for much of its length. Mosquitoes can be a problem. The swampy conditions make the river and its tributaries an ideal living area for beaver and other wetland small game. During the fur trade era, trappers found the White River was one of the most productive rivers in lower Michigan. Later, loggers harvested old-growth timber along the river. The timbers were floated down to now-vanished sawmills in Montague and Whitehall.