See all 2 routes on South Fork Jump River
Wisconsin | Northwest Wisconsin
South Fork Jump RiverCounty Line Road Picnic Area to Little Falls
Short upper South Fork Jump trip from the County Line Road picnic-area put-in to Little Falls, mixing flatwater with mild boulder-bed rapids before a scout-or-take-out finish at Little Falls. It is the gentler South Fork option, but low water, rocks, wood, and the Little Falls decision point still require moving-water judgment.
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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
Launch at the County Line Road picnic-area put-in and paddle the milder upper South Fork Jump boulder gardens to the Little Falls access. This is the gentler South Fork card, but the finish is still a decision point because Little Falls belongs to the next, harder reach.
Access map
Put-in
County Line Road picnic-area put-inAmerican Whitewater says the take-out can be either at the head of Little Falls or at the end of Little Falls; choose only after scouting.
Take-out
Little Falls accessThe AW gauge correlation uses the downstream Jump River at Sheldon gauge, so combine the live number with recent rain, trend, and a visual check at the put-in.
Road shuttle
Use a short rural shuttle between the County Line Road picnic-area access and Little Falls. Stage the take-out first so the group can identify whether the landing plan is above Little Falls or below it after a scout.
Additional access notes
- This is a rural corridor with limited formal bailout information between endpoints.
More route and safety guidance
- American Whitewater notes Little Falls becomes bony below about 1,000 cfs and develops holes above about 1,000 cfs.
- Expect rural rescue exposure and changing wood in a narrow northwoods corridor; do not count on easy road access between named access points.
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Conditions
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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
Jump River at Sheldon, WI. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
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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 | Jump River at Sheldon, WI |
| Discharge | Checking |
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| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
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| Rain last 24h | Checking |
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| Preferred range | 525 cfs to 3,525 cfs |
| Low threshold | 525 cfs |
| High threshold | 3,525 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater South Fork Jump County Line-to-Little Falls runnable range |
| 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.
- Exact AW reach5.7 miles; Class I-II
American Whitewater publishes the County Line Road Picnic Area to Little Falls South Fork Jump reach as a 5.7-mile Class I-II run.
- Runnable range525 to 3,525 cfs
American Whitewater ties the reach to USGS 05362000 Jump River at Sheldon and publishes 525-3,525 cfs as the route-specific runnable band.
- Endpoint coordinates45.3787, -90.5338 to 45.399899, -90.603897
American Whitewater publishes coordinates for the put-in and Little Falls access on the route page.
- Little Falls caveatScout or take out
American Whitewater says Little Falls is technically part of the next section and recommends scouting before deciding whether to take out above or below the rapid.
- Low/high characterBony below ~1,000 cfs; holes above ~1,000 cfs
American Whitewater warns that Little Falls is bony under 1,000 cfs and has good-sized holes above 1,000 cfs that most novices should avoid.
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 South Fork Jump River
All 2Nearby routes within 75 miles
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