See all 3 routes on Brule River
Wisconsin | Northeast Wisconsin
Brule RiverHighway 139/189 Bridge Landing to Forest Road 2150 Landing
Remote border-river day on the Wisconsin-Michigan Brule with narrow current, long quietwater stretches, class I-II riffles, primitive campsites, and a direct same-river USGS gauge downstream at Highway 2.
Checking current river conditions…
Route location
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
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.
Access map
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.
Road shuttle
Plan a long remote shuttle between the Highway 139/189 bridge on the Wisconsin-Michigan line and the end of Forest Road 2150. Roads are sparse, so download maps and confirm road conditions before leaving a vehicle.
Additional access notes
- This corridor has low road density and limited quick exits. Treat phone coverage and self-rescue as uncertain.
More route and safety guidance
- Use the US Highway 2 gauge as a minimum-only check: Wisconsin Trail Guide suggests at least 220 cfs / 3.5 ft. Below that, expect bony rock gardens and scraping; higher flows make the named rapids and narrow channels pushier.
- Scout or portage Two Foot Falls from the right bank and start looking early for the Forest Road 2150 take-out. The current can rip through the landing, and nearby shoreline or the private pier below it is not an assumed public exit.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.
Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.
Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.
Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.
Conditions
Check how the river is changing and what weather to expect.
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampDetailed weather
Weather
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Brule River at US Highway 2 near Florence, WI. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Share a recent access update, hazard observation or photo.
Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
- Checking data sources and update times.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain 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 |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 220 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| 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 |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
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.
Other routes nearby
More on Brule River
All 3Nearby routes within 75 miles
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.