If you head downriver in Northeast Wisconsin, you might find yourself heading someplace unusual. The Fox River is a scenic Wisconsin waterway that’s a little different from most rivers - it flows north. In fact, the Fox is one of only a few north flowing rivers in America east East of the Mississippi. It’s an incredible river with a long and winding history. Here’s what you need to know.

The Fox River is an important river in Wisconsin that’s well known to people in Northeast Wisconsin.

There are two segments of the Fox – the upper and the lower Fox.

The Upper Fox begins as a small stream northeast of Pardeeville.

Known as the Upper Fox River, this branch flows west by southwest toward Portage, before traveling past Montello, on its way to Lake Butte des Morts. Then it heads through Oshkosh and into Lake Winnebago.

The Lower Fox is north of all of this – because it flows north, the end of the river is to the north.

This segment starts at Lake Winnebago, and flows through Neenah, Menasha, Appleton, and Green Bay before flowing into Lake Michigan.

The Fox has a long history – the river has supported Native American cultures for thousands of years.

In more recent times, European explorers and fur traders traveled the Fox, and immigrant settlers built lives along the river.

The Fox was once a wild river, but beginning in the mid-1800s, locks and dams were built to harness the river’s power.

Originally flour mills were built on the river, and later, paper mills.

The paper industry boomed on the north-flowing river.

Major paper companies employed thousands along the river, and cities rapidly grew along the Fox. Industry caused major pollution to the Fox, and a 17-year cleanup removed PCBs from the river.

Today the river is still home to major industry, and it’s also a destination for recreation – it’s a place popular with paddlers, boaters, and anglers.

I’ve spent a lot of time near this scenic Wisconsin waterway over the years – the Fox is a true treasure. Make all of your Wisconsin travel plans on Booking.com - and here’s where to find some more great Wisconsin attractions.