week. The river was originally a grayling fishery with brook trout being released in the 1880s. By 1908 the grayling were gone although they were reintroduced in 1987. (See Grayling, Michigan for more information on the Grayling and the fish hatchery.) Brown trout is the current main catch. The Lumberman's Monument, in honor of the lumberjacks that first populated the area, is located on the river about west of Oscoda. Lumbering along the river began in the 1860s and was finished by the 1910s. The Au Sable River is also the site of a yearly pro-am canoe race, the Au Sable River Canoe Marathon, which begins at 9:00 p.m. and runs through the night into the next day. Winning times have ranged from 14 to 21 hours. The race was first run in 1947. River Road, running parallel with the Au Sable River, is a designated National Scenic Byway. There are six hydro-electric power plants in the Au Sable River basin, with a total installed capacity of 41 MW and an average annual energy output of 500 GJ. The six reservoirs were constructed between 1911 and 1924. The Au Sable has about of tributary streams including the Pine River. Towns along river Arbutus Beach, Michigan Au Sable, Michigan Curtisville, Michigan Glennie, Michigan Grayling, Michigan Lewiston, Michigan Lovells, Michigan Mio, Michigan Oscoda, Michigan Roscommon, Michigan River dams Ordered from upriver to downriver, all belonging to the power company Consumers Energy: Mio Dam Alcona Dam Loud Dam Five Channels Dam Cooke Dam Foote Dam Historical markers The river has five historical markers on it: Cooke Hydroelectric Plant Five Channels Dam Workers Camp The Louis Chevalier Claim Mio Hydroelectric Plant Chief Shoppenagon River valley attractions and events The Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad is located in Fairview. It is a 1/4 scale, gauge ridable miniature railway, which offers rides on a passenger train through the scenic Northern Michigan landscape. It operates in jack pine country during the summer months. Riders travel through parts of the Huron National Forest and overlook the beautiful Comins Creek Valley. Au Sable River Canoe Marathon, starts in Grayling and ends in Oscoda down the river. It is one of three marathon races that constitute canoe racing's Triple Crown. The race is always held the last full weekend in July. First Dam Canoe Race (MCRA - Canoe Race) is a yearly event. Six miles west of Oscoda, on River Road