See all 4 routes on Chippewa River
Wisconsin | Northwest Wisconsin
Chippewa RiverCounty D Bridge to Highway 8 Landing
Full upper-Chippewa day that combines the faster County D whitewater-lite miles with the easier Imalone-to-Bruce finish, using one direct same-river gauge and two documented public segments.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Start at County D and finish at Highway 8 Landing in Bruce. This combines the faster upper rapids-and-riffles miles with the quieter Imalone-to-Bruce finish into one long direct-gauge Chippewa day.
Access map
Put-in
County D Bridge landingThis route is a stitched public chain built from the documented County D-to-County A and County A-to-Highway-8 segments, all on the same river and same Bruce gauge.
Take-out
Highway 8 Canoe LandingCounty D is the rougher access with a dirt approach, while Highway 8 is the cleaner trailer-ramp finish near Sawdust Road.
Road shuttle
Use a full two-car rural shuttle between County D and Highway 8 at Bruce. This is a real all-day move with too much distance and too many county-road miles for a casual bike return.
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Access planner
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This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
County D Bridge landing to Highway 8 Canoe Landing is about 19.7 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Additional access notes
- Because the route is long, check the gauge and weather again shortly before launching instead of relying on an earlier drive-by.
More route and safety guidance
- Below the minimum the upper run gets scratchy; above it, the current gets pushier and mistakes around strainers or bridge approaches are harder to fix.
- Do not underestimate the total distance and shuttle commitment just because each component segment is individually easy.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
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Next 8 hours
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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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
Chippewa River Near Bruce, 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.
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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.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Chippewa River Near Bruce, 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 |
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| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 400 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 Chippewa River C2 and C3 minimum 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.
- Combined distance19.7 miles
Wisconsin Trail Guide lists County D to County A at 10.7 miles and County A to Highway 8 at 9.0 miles, which supports a full public chain of about 19.7 miles.
- Shared minimum flow400 cfs / 1.5 ft
Both Wisconsin Trail Guide C2 and C3 tie their exact route segments to the Bruce gauge and use the same 400 cfs / 1.5 ft minimum, supporting one conservative floor for the combined route.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 05356500
USGS operates the direct Chippewa River Near Bruce gauge used by both source segments for this same-river combination route.
- Public endpoint coordinates45.671121, -91.181080 to 45.452909, -91.256361
Rusk County publishes the County D Bridge and Highway 8 Canoe Landing coordinates, while the existing Imalone midpoint remains the documented handoff between the two source segments.
- Route shape4 hr plus 4 hr
Wisconsin Trail Guide gives about four hours for C2 and roughly four hours for C3, which fits a long all-day plan rather than a casual half-day float.
- Upper-segment hazardsNamed rapids and island strainers
Rusk County highlights Rock Ledge, Otter Slide Rapids, Soo Line Rapids, rocks, sudden rapids, and hidden boulders on the County D-to-Imalone portion that anchors the risk profile of this longer route.
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 Chippewa River
All 4Nearby routes within 75 miles
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