See all 2 routes on Pike River
Wisconsin | Northeast Wisconsin
Pike River
Amberg Highway 141 Landing to Yellow Bridge Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this Pike 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
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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
Launch at the Amberg Highway 141 Landing and paddle the Pike River to Yellow Bridge Landing. This is a scenic Wild River whitewater route with class I-II rapids, granite ledges, clear northwoods current, and a take-out just above the stronger Yellow Bridge Falls.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Amberg Highway 141 LandingThe Highway 141 put-in is a hand-carry landing south of the bridge on the west side of the highway, reached by a gravel trail from the parking area.
Take-out
Yellow Bridge LandingYellow Bridge Landing is on river left above the second drop and before Barker Road. Start looking early because missing the landing commits you toward Yellow Bridge Falls.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Highway 141 put-in is a hand-carry landing south of the bridge on the west side of the highway, reached by a gravel trail from the parking area.
- Yellow Bridge Landing is on river left above the second drop and before Barker Road. Start looking early because missing the landing commits you toward Yellow Bridge Falls.
- Several banks around Yellow Bridge Falls are private. Scout and portage from the riverbank corridor described by the guide rather than wandering inland.
Watch for
- Class II Bull Falls, Scrounge Canyon, Horseshoe Falls, and multiple unnamed boulder-garden rapids.
- Yellow Bridge Falls below the landing, which can become Class III-IV at higher water and is not part of the broad-audience route recommendation.
- Bony ledges and possible portages below 2.9 ft at Amberg, especially below County K.
- Pushy waves, stronger holes, strainers, deadfall, cold water, and remote rescue conditions above the normal 2.9-4.1 ft window.
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.
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 | Pike River at Amberg, WI |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 |
| Target band | 2.90 ft to 4.10 ft |
| Low threshold | 2.90 ft |
| High threshold | 5.00 ft |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin Trail Guide Pike River PK1 suggested river levels |
| 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.
- Route-specific guide9.4 miles; 4 hours
Wisconsin Trail Guide publishes Pike River PK1 from Amberg Highway 141 Landing to Yellow Bridge Landing, with 9.4 miles, 90 feet of drop, and Class II with Class III at Yellow Bridge Falls as the most difficult rapid.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 04066500 at County V
Wisconsin Trail Guide says the referenced gauge is one mile upstream from the Highway 141 landing and should accurately indicate conditions for this reach; USGS identifies the site as Pike River at Amberg, WI.
- Full-route window2.9 to 4.1 ft
The guide treats 2.9-3.5 ft as low runnable for Highway 141 to Yellow Bridge Landing and 3.5-4.1 ft as medium runnable. The app combines those as the normal full-route window.
- High-water ceiling5.0+ ft not recommended
Wisconsin Trail Guide warns that 4.6-5.0 ft is high enough that novice paddlers should avoid the river and that above 5.0 ft is rare, unusually high flow where paddling is not recommended.
- Endpoint coordinates45.49576, -87.98712 to 45.47494, -87.87593
Wisconsin Trail Guide publishes NAD83 / WGS84 coordinates for Amberg Highway 141 Landing and Yellow Bridge Landing in the PK1 guide.
- Access detailsHand-carry landings with parking
The guide describes the Highway 141 put-in as a hand-carry access with parking and trailer turnaround, and the Yellow Bridge Landing as a hand-carry access reached by footpath from a small parking area.
- HazardsBull Falls, Scrounge Canyon, Horseshoe Falls, Yellow Bridge Falls
Scout or portage the named drops as needed, and take out at Yellow Bridge Landing before the stronger Class III Yellow Bridge Falls below Barker Road.
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.
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Quick answers
Pike River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Pike River?
Paddle Today watches Pike River at Amberg, WI and treats 2.90 ft to 4.10 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Pike River route start and end?
This route starts at Amberg Highway 141 Landing and ends at Yellow Bridge Landing, about 9.4 mi on the water.
Is this Pike 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.
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