Michigan | West Michigan
Pere Marquette River
Custer Weir & Boat Launch to Scottville Riverside Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Pere Marquette River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
An approximately 8-mile Custer-to-Scottville Pere Marquette reach with public launches, direct USGS 04122500 telemetry, and established livery use. The 411 cfs lower-quartile and 342 cfs minimum references are conservative planning aids, not safety guarantees.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Custer Weir & Boat Launch public accessCuster Weir has paved launches and parking; verify seasonal access and carry conditions before staging.
Take-out
Scottville Riverside Park boat launchScottville Riverside Park has an off-site boat launch adjacent to camping; confirm current park and launch rules.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Custer Weir has paved launches and parking; verify seasonal access and carry conditions before staging.
- Scottville Riverside Park has an off-site boat launch adjacent to camping; confirm current park and launch rules.
- The river is cold, moving water with logs, rocks, and changing current; use named public accesses and do not infer private-bank exits.
Watch for
- Low water, shallow sections, logs, strainers, and cold water.
- Rapid rises after rain and changing current lines.
- Limited intermediate exits and shuttle dependence.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Pere Marquette River at Scottville, MI |
| 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 342 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | USGS 04122500 daily discharge statistics |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
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.
- Exact route and endpointsCuster Weir & Boat Launch to Scottville Riverside Park; approximately 8 river miles
Regional Pere Marquette maps identify Custer Bridge and Scottville Bridge as an approximately 8-mile, 1.5-hour corridor; River Run offers an established Custer-to-Scottville trip.
- Public access and coordinatesCuster Weir public launches to Scottville Riverside Park launch
Michigan Water Trails and Outdoor Michigan publish the Custer launch coordinates; Outdoor Michigan and Scottville publish the Riverside Park launch location.
- Live gauge and thresholdUSGS 04122500; 411 cfs lower-quartile and 342 cfs minimum planning references
USGS supplies direct discharge telemetry and daily statistics at Scottville; neither reference is a runnable or safe-passage guarantee.
- Safety and river characterCold, moving Pere Marquette water with logs, rocks, and rapid changes after rain
Regional paddling guides and the Wild and Scenic river sources describe the current, cold-water, wood, access, and permit considerations.
- Camping and logisticsScottville Riverside Park campground and livery shuttle context
Scottville Riverside Park provides modern and primitive camping; River Run offers transportation and a 2–3 hour Custer-to-Scottville trip context.
- Image decisionNo external image copied
Use the product's rights-clean map/route presentation until a permissioned image is separately cleared.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Pere Marquette River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Pere Marquette River?
Paddle Today watches Pere Marquette River at Scottville, MI and uses 342 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Pere Marquette River route start and end?
This route starts at Custer Weir & Boat Launch public access and ends at Scottville Riverside Park boat launch, about Approximately 8 river miles on the water.
Is this Pere Marquette River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.