River guideNew York and Wisconsin
Black River
Plan a paddle across 8 paddle areas. Compare distance, difficulty, and today’s conditions before choosing your stretch.
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Start with distance, then compare today’s conditions.
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End of mapRiver overview
Black River paddle planning
What to verify before you commit.
Water levels
These Black River routes use 5 gauge references depending on the stretch.
Route options
Compare 9 scored routes across Jefferson County / Watertown, Brownville, and Dexter, Lewis and Jefferson Counties, Lower Black River, Northwest Wisconsin, Oneida County / Boonville and Hawkinsville, Oneida County / Tug Hill and Old Forge area, Southwest Wisconsin, West Central Wisconsin. Open a route page for put-in, take-out, distance, source confidence, and access notes.
Difficulty
Black River routes here are marked easy and hard and moderate, so choose the stretch that fits your group and conditions.
Quick answers
Black River paddling FAQ
Where can I paddle the Black River?
Paddle Today tracks 9 Black River routes across Jefferson County / Watertown, Brownville, and Dexter, Lewis and Jefferson Counties, Lower Black River, Northwest Wisconsin, Oneida County / Boonville and Hawkinsville, Oneida County / Tug Hill and Old Forge area, Southwest Wisconsin, West Central Wisconsin. Compare the route cards on this page, then open an individual route for put-in, take-out, distance, and access notes.
How should I check Black River water levels?
Start with the route score and gauge notes for the stretch you plan to paddle. This hub includes routes watched with 5 gauges or gauge references, and each route page explains its own target range or low-water floor.
Which Black River route is best today?
Use the live route cards above to compare today's Paddle Today scores. The best stretch can change with water level, recent trend, weather, access, and route difficulty.