The Au Sable River ( ) in Michigan, United States runs approximately through the northern Lower Peninsula, through the towns of Grayling and Mio, and enters Lake Huron at the town of Oscoda. It is considered one of the best brown trout fisheries east of the Rockies and has been designated a blue ribbon trout stream by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. A map from 1795 located in the United States Gazetteer calls it the Beauais River. In French, the river is called the Rivière au sable, literally "Sand River". Description The Au Sable has a drainage basin of and an average flow of 1,100 ft3/s (31 m3/s) at its mouth. The river drops from its source at the junction of Kolka and Bradford Creeks. The main stream of the river is formed at in Frederic Township in Crawford County by the confluence of Kolke and Bradford Creeks, which both rise in Otsego County. The river flows south then turns east through Grayling, where it is joined by the East Branch Au Sable River at . The East Branch rises in Lovells Township, Crawford County at . The Au Sable continues eastward and is joined by the South Branch Au Sable River at in South Branch Township. The South Branch rises out of Lake St. Helen in Richfield Township, Roscommon County at and flows northwest into Roscommon then northeast to the main branch of the Au Sable. The North Branch Au Sable River joins within approximately in eastern Crawford County at near the boundary with Oscoda County. The North Branch rises in Bagley Township, Otsego County, near Lake Otsego. The Au Sable then flows mostly east through Oscoda County, then south and east through Alcona County and Iosco County. The river's watershed also drains portions of Montmorency County and Ogemaw County. Most of the main branch of the Au Sable flows through or adjacent to the Huron-Manistee National Forest. of the river, from the Mio Pond downstream to the Alcona Pond, was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River on October 4, 1984. The watershed provides habitat for bald eagles and the endangered Kirtland's warbler. Five percent of the land in the watershed is National Forest and 29% is state forest. It is a designated trout stream, and many canoe liveries exist along the river, which offer canoe trips from a few hours to as long as a