See all 3 routes on Brule River
Wisconsin | Northeast Wisconsin
Brule River
Highway 139/189 Bridge Landing to Forest Road 2150 Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this Brule 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
Checking preferred range.
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
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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 from the hand-carry Highway 139/189 Bridge Landing and paddle the border Brule to Forest Road 2150. This is a long, remote northwoods route with clear current, marsh and mixed-forest banks, class I-II rapids, and a useful downstream Highway 2 gauge.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Highway 139/189 Bridge LandingThe Highway 139/189 landing is on the Wisconsin side south of the bridge, reached by a gravel track with limited parking.
Take-out
Forest Road 2150 LandingForest Road 2150 is a hand-carry landing with parking, but the current can rip through the take-out area at higher water. Start looking for the exit early.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Highway 139/189 landing is on the Wisconsin side south of the bridge, reached by a gravel track with limited parking.
- Forest Road 2150 is a hand-carry landing with parking, but the current can rip through the take-out area at higher water. Start looking for the exit early.
- This corridor has low road density and limited quick exits. Treat phone coverage and self-rescue as uncertain.
Watch for
- Class I-II features including Twins Rapids, Railroad Rapids, Two Foot Falls, and unnamed boulder gardens.
- Scraping and bumpy rock gardens when the US Highway 2 gauge is below the 220 cfs / 3.5 ft minimum.
- Pushier waves, stronger take-out current, cold water, and remote rescue conditions at higher flows or after rain.
- Private shoreline context near the Forest Road 2150 landing; use the signed/known landing path rather than nearby banks.
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 | Brule River at US Highway 2 near Florence, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 220 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin Trail Guide Brule River B2 minimum suggested flow |
| 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.
- Route-specific guide16.2 miles; 6 to 8 hours
Wisconsin Trail Guide publishes Brule River B2 from Highway 139/189 Bridge to Forest Road 2150, with 16.2 miles, 6 to 8 hours, 120 feet of elevation drop, and class I-II as the most difficult rapids.
- Minimum suggested flow220 cfs / 3.5 ft
Wisconsin Trail Guide lists 220 cfs / 3.5 ft at the US Highway 2 bridge gauge as the minimum suggested flow for this B2 route.
- Same-river live gaugeUSGS 04060993
USGS operates the Brule River at US Highway 2 near Florence monitoring location used by the route guide for water-level context.
- Endpoint coordinates45.98767, -88.65238 to 45.99013, -88.45013
Wisconsin Trail Guide publishes NAD83 / WGS84 coordinates for the Highway 139/189 Bridge Landing and Forest Road 2150 Landing.
- Access supportCounty and forest-service road access
Travel Wisconsin describes the Brule as a Wisconsin-Michigan boundary river with access available at county and forest-service roads; Wisconsin Trail Guide identifies the put-in and take-out as hand-carry landings with parking.
- HazardsClass I-II rapids, boulder gardens, fast take-out current
Wisconsin Trail Guide calls out Twins Rapids, Railroad Rapids, Two Foot Falls, boulder gardens, class I-II waves at moderate to high flows, and fast current at the Forest Road 2150 take-out.
- Whitewater corroborationAW reach 2282
American Whitewater lists the Brule Highway 189 to FS2150 reach and ties it to the Brule River at US Highway 2 near Florence gauge.
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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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
Brule River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Brule River?
Paddle Today watches Brule River at US Highway 2 near Florence, WI and uses 220 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Brule River route start and end?
This route starts at Highway 139/189 Bridge Landing and ends at Forest Road 2150 Landing, about 16.2 mi on the water.
Is this Brule River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.