New Jersey | Warren County / Pequest River
Pequest RiverNJDFW Route 46 Fish & Wildlife access to Orchard Street Bridge access
A bounded lower Pequest River planning reach between two NJDEP-listed public access settings near Route 46 and Belvidere.
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Need to know
Why this call
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.
Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
Plan ahead
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Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A bounded lower Pequest River planning reach between two NJDEP-listed public access settings near Route 46 and Belvidere.
Access map
Put-in
Route 46 Fish & Wildlife accessNJDEP identifies both Route 46 and Orchard Street Bridge as public Pequest access settings, while the coordinates come from official on/near-water NJDEP monitoring records rather than a current ramp survey; confirm waterline, carry, parking, and legal paddlecraft access.
Take-out
Orchard Street Bridge accessThe route is bounded above the Belvidere dam sequence. Do not extend downstream, use the Delaware, or substitute a fishing pull-off unless its current public landing and downstream safety are separately verified.
Road shuttle
Access notes and hazards
Access caveats
- NJDEP identifies both Route 46 and Orchard Street Bridge as public Pequest access settings, while the coordinates come from official on/near-water NJDEP monitoring records rather than a current ramp survey; confirm waterline, carry, parking, and legal paddlecraft access.
- The route is bounded above the Belvidere dam sequence. Do not extend downstream, use the Delaware, or substitute a fishing pull-off unless its current public landing and downstream safety are separately verified.
- Pequest WMA and trout-management areas can have seasonal restrictions, hunting/fishing conflicts, stocking activity, and carry-in/carry-out rules; check current signs and manager notices.
Watch for
- USGS 01445500 direct Pequest discharge, gage height, recent rainfall, and American Whitewater low-flow status
- low water, shallow rocks, diversion weir, strainers, cold water, rapidly rising flow, bridge traffic, and the Belvidere dam sequence
- Route 46 and Orchard Street parking/carry/waterline, WMA hours, trout restrictions, daylight, and shuttle failure
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Conditions
Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast
Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.
USGS measurements
More about this gauge
These measurements come from the gauge station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Pequest River at Pequest, NJ. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Gauge detail
Water-level history and forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Route gallery
Photos
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Sources
Data and sources
Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.
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.
- Named moving-water corridorPequest River US Route 46 to Orchard Street Bridge planning reach
American Whitewater describes the Pequest as a Class I–II recreational reach with Route 46 as a common put-in and multiple public access options; this record is bounded before the Belvidere dam sequence.
- Public endpoint evidenceNJDEP Route 46 Fish & Wildlife access and Orchard Street Bridge access
NJDEP’s official trout-water access listing names both Pequest locations; it is an access inventory and requires current confirmation of paddlecraft use, parking, carry, waterline, and landing.
- On/near-water coordinate evidencePequest River at Route 46 and Pequest River at Orchard Street Water Quality Portal records
The NJDEP monitoring records provide named on/near-water anchors for the public access settings and are not silently treated as surveyed ramp coordinates.
- Direct flow evidenceUSGS 01445500 Pequest River at Pequest, NJ
Use current discharge and gage height with American Whitewater’s route-status context, local depth, recent rain, wood, diversion-weir, and Belvidere dam checks; no numeric recreational cutoff is inferred.
- Camping postureNearby basecamp only
NJDEP WMA material establishes carry-in/carry-out and day-use controls, not riverbank camping rights.
- Live gaugeUSGS 01445500, Pequest River at Pequest, NJ
Direct route-context station: use current discharge, gage height, recent rain, and visual conditions together; no numeric recreational cutoff is transferred.
- Approved route imageryRights-cleared same-river or same-water-trail context image
Approved USGS Pequest River at Pequest station image; it provides same-river context and does not certify current endpoint access, flow, wood, or dam conditions.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- American Whitewater Pequest reach
- NJDEP Pequest fishing-access listing
- NJDEP Route 46 on/near-water coordinate
- NJDEP Orchard Street on/near-water coordinate
- USGS Pequest River at Pequest
- USGS 01445500 monitoring location
- USGS 01445500 current conditions
- New Jersey public-access inventory
- Approved route image
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
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Quick answers
Pequest River paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the NJDFW Route 46 Fish & Wildlife access to Orchard Street Bridge access route on the Pequest River?
This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.
Where does the NJDFW Route 46 Fish & Wildlife access to Orchard Street Bridge access route on the Pequest River start and end?
This route starts at Route 46 Fish & Wildlife access and ends at Orchard Street Bridge access, Approximately 2.8 river miles on the water.
Is the NJDFW Route 46 Fish & Wildlife access to Orchard Street Bridge access route on the Pequest River suitable for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.
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