See all 4 routes on Big Rib River
Wisconsin | Wausau Area
Big Rib River
Highway 64 to Greiner Road
Check current paddling conditions for this Big Rib River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Run the Big Rib Rib Dells from Highway 64 to the Greiner / Silver Fox take-out when the AW-selected Prairie River proxy is in range. The current reading was below the AW floor, so this card ships with a low-water warning.
Put-in
Highway 64 Big Rib accessOpen mapThe take-out road can be rough after rain or thaw; verify it before launching.
Take-out
Greiner Road / Silver Fox Road take-outOpen mapAW access points are the basis for the route. Keep parking tight and avoid private or logging-road conflicts.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The take-out road can be rough after rain or thaw; verify it before launching.
- AW access points are the basis for the route. Keep parking tight and avoid private or logging-road conflicts.
- The Prairie River gauge is a proxy, so visually confirm actual Big Rib water before putting on.
Watch for
- Class II dells, boulder constrictions, cold-water swims, and limited exits.
- Fresh wood and strainers after rain, especially in blind bends and constricted dells.
- Scraping below 300 cfs on the Prairie proxy and pushy/high-consequence current above 1,000 cfs.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Prairie River near Merrill, WI |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 300 cfs to 1,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 300 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,000 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Big Rib Rib Dells flow guidance |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Whitewater routeHighway 64 to Greiner Road, 2.5 mi, Class II
American Whitewater documents the Big Rib Rib Dells run with route length, difficulty, gradient, map access points, and hazards.
- AW gauge band300-1,000 cfs on Prairie River near Merrill
AW publishes the primary Prairie River proxy with 300 cfs as low runnable and 1,000 cfs as the high runnable ceiling; it also exposes Big Rib at Rib Falls as a secondary gauge.
- Current gauge check113 cfs at 2026-07-17 03:00 CDT
USGS Water Services placed the Prairie River proxy below the AW runnable floor during this run.
- Endpoint coordinates45.14930, -90.05910 to 45.13290, -90.02620
American Whitewater access-point pages expose the put-in and take-out coordinates used for this card.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Big Rib River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Big Rib River?
Paddle Today watches Prairie River near Merrill, WI and treats 300 cfs to 1,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Big Rib River route start and end?
This route starts at Highway 64 Big Rib access and ends at Greiner Road / Silver Fox Road take-out, about About 2.5 mi on the water.
Is this Big Rib River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.