See all 9 routes on Black River
Wisconsin | Southwest Wisconsin
Black River
Melrose Landing to North Bend Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this Black River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
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Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at Melrose Public Landing and take out at North Bend Landing for the classic lower-Black sandbar day. The route has easy current, big sand beaches, sandstone outcrops, and a direct upstream Black River Falls gauge ladder.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Melrose Public LandingWisconsin DNR says it owns and maintains Black River access at Melrose and North Bend, and Wisconsin River Trips describes both as public landings.
Take-out
North Bend LandingThe Melrose lot can fill on popular weekends, with overflow parking pushed toward the Highway 108 shoulder.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Wisconsin DNR says it owns and maintains Black River access at Melrose and North Bend, and Wisconsin River Trips describes both as public landings.
- The Melrose lot can fill on popular weekends, with overflow parking pushed toward the Highway 108 shoulder.
- The North Bend landing sits near a livery and remains public, but the main lot is small and can spill over onto North Bend Drive.
Watch for
- A 10-mile day that can run long if you start late, paddle a slow canoe, stop often, or fight a headwind.
- Shallow bars and possible walking below about 100 cfs on the Black River Falls gauge.
- Fewer sandbars and less route character as the gauge rises above about 450 to 600 cfs.
- Shoreline strainers, shallow motorboat traffic, crowded summer weekends, and the signed right-channel choice near North Bend.
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.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Black River DS ST Hwy 54 at Black River Falls, 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 | 101 cfs to 300 cfs |
| Low threshold | 100 cfs |
| High threshold | 801 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Black River - Melrose to North Bend depth guide |
| 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.
- Published route ladder101 to 300 cfs target window
Wisconsin River Trips says 0 to 100 cfs is extraordinarily low with some walking, 101 to 200 cfs is a great target with very good sandbars, 201 to 300 cfs keeps decent sandbars and better padding, 601 to 800 cfs is high, and 801+ cfs is probably too high.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 053813595
USGS operates the Black River downstream of State Highway 54 at Black River Falls gauge, the same Black River Falls gauge family used by the route-specific paddling guidance.
- Public accessDNR-maintained Melrose and North Bend access
Wisconsin DNR says it owns and maintains Black River access to the river at Melrose and North Bend.
- Commercial shuttle corroborationMelrose Public Landing to North Bend exit
North Bend Canoe Rental lists its signature day trip as a 10-mile paddle from Melrose Public Landing to the North Bend exit, with all trips ending at North Bend.
- Endpoint coordinatesPut-in 44.10863794, -90.99645709; take-out 44.08951, -91.11544
Wisconsin DNR's boat-access layer places Melrose Boat Landing at 44.10863794, -90.99645709 on the Black River southwest of the Highway 108 bridge. The take-out coordinate matches the DNR-listed North Bend Access.
- HazardsLength, wind, strainers, and crowds
Wisconsin River Trips reports no major rapids, but cautions that a 10+ mph headwind can be brutal, shoreline strainers should be avoided, late starts can lead to night paddling, and popular weekends can be crowded.
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
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
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Quick answers
Black River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Black River?
Paddle Today watches Black River DS ST Hwy 54 at Black River Falls, WI and treats 101 cfs to 300 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Black River route start and end?
This route starts at Melrose Public Landing and ends at North Bend Landing, about 10.1 mi on the water.
Is this Black River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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