See all 2 routes on Pine River
Michigan | Northern Lower Michigan
Pine River
Edgetts to Lincoln Bridge
Check current paddling conditions for this Pine River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
Checking weather.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the next useful weekend
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at Edgetts and take out at Lincoln Bridge for the upper Pine River moving-water reach above the federal permit corridor. Use the Hoxeyville USGS gauge as a conservative low-water check, then make same-day decisions from access signage, wood, and weather.
Put-in
Edgetts Pine River launchOpen mapEdgetts is mapped and coordinate-backed by the Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau / Forest Service Pine River map and named by American Whitewater, but it is not as cleanly documented as Lincoln in Outdoor Michigan. Follow current signs and do not use private land if access has changed.
Take-out
Lincoln Bridge Campground Boat LaunchOpen mapLincoln Bridge is a Michigan DNR carry-in launch with limited parking in Outdoor Michigan. Stage the take-out first so the exit and parking are clear before launch.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Edgetts is mapped and coordinate-backed by the Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau / Forest Service Pine River map and named by American Whitewater, but it is not as cleanly documented as Lincoln in Outdoor Michigan. Follow current signs and do not use private land if access has changed.
- Lincoln Bridge is a Michigan DNR carry-in launch with limited parking in Outdoor Michigan. Stage the take-out first so the exit and parking are clear before launch.
- The Hoxeyville gauge is downstream on the same Pine River corridor. American Whitewater says it may vary slightly from the upper reach, so treat 170 cfs as a low-water screen rather than a full quality guarantee.
Watch for
- Shallow fast current, tight bends, occasional low Class II spots, and logs or stumps piled into turns.
- Scraping and harder boat control when the Hoxeyville gauge falls below the 170 cfs floor used by the app.
- Sweepers, logjams, cold water, storm damage, and limited legal stops away from named public access points.
- Do not continue below Lincoln without checking the downstream Pine Scenic River permit rules and route plan.
Route gallery
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Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Pine River at High School Bridge near Hoxeyville, 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 | 170 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Pine River flow correlation for the Hoxeyville gauge |
| 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 AW reachEdgetts to Lincoln Bridge
American Whitewater documents the Pine River Edgetts-to-Lincoln Bridge reach, rates it Class I-II, lists it at 13.1 miles, and says this upper section does not require the downstream permit.
- Map coordinatesEdgetts 44.062496, -85.583206; Lincoln 44.133377, -85.695248
The Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau / Forest Service Pine River map names Edgetts, Meadow Brook, Skookum, Walker, and Lincoln Bridge and provides GPS coordinates for each launch location.
- Public take-outLincoln Bridge DNR carry-in launch
Outdoor Michigan identifies Lincoln Bridge Campground Boat Launch as a Michigan DNR carry-in boat launch on the Pine River with parking.
- Gauge and threshold170 cfs low floor
American Whitewater ties Pine River conditions to USGS 04125460 and lists 170 cfs as the lower runnable floor. The gauge is downstream of this reach and may vary slightly, so the app uses only a conservative minimum floor.
- Route characterFast shallow turns and wood
AW describes this section as shallow fast current with many tight turns, a sand/clay bottom with occasional rock, and logs or stumps jammed into bends that can be hazardous for paddlers with little moving-water experience.
- Downstream contextScenic River corridor begins at Lincoln
Rivers.gov says the federally designated Pine River reach begins at Lincoln Bridge and describes Forest Service permit, access-fee, and designated-camping controls downstream. This route ends at Lincoln before entering that managed downstream corridor.
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 Pine River Edgetts to Lincoln
- American Whitewater Pine River gauge detail
- Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau / Forest Service Pine River map
- Lincoln Bridge Campground Boat Launch
- Outdoor Michigan Meadow Brook Bridge Boat Launch
- Outdoor Michigan Skookum South Bank Boat Launch
- Rivers.gov Pine River profile
- USGS 04125460 Pine River at High School Bridge
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
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Reports
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Quick answers
Pine River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Pine River?
Paddle Today watches Pine River at High School Bridge near Hoxeyville, MI and uses 170 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Pine River route start and end?
This route starts at Edgetts Pine River launch and ends at Lincoln Bridge Campground Boat Launch, about About 13.1 mi on the water.
Is this Pine 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.