The annual University of Michigan Aquatic Entomology field trip to the Pigeon River area, an innovation begun by Justin Leonard in 1965, is described. Data accumulated from previous trips (e.g. taxa which have been consistently collected by classes over the past 13 yr) help prepare the student for the trip and are used in year-to-year comparisons. Similar study sites nearer Ann Arbor are used to familiarize students before the Pigeon River trip. Guidelines to aid in selecting streams for aquatic entomology field trips are presented.