See all 6 routes on Pine River
Wisconsin | Northeast Wisconsin
Pine RiverHighway 55 Bridge to Stevens Lake Road
Remote upper Pine River whitewater day from the Highway 55 bridge to Stevens Lake Road, with long Class I-II boulder gardens, alder strainers, marshy scouting, and AW gauge guidance tied to the live Pine River powerplant gauge.
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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 below the Highway 55 bridge and take out at Stevens Lake Road for the upper Pine A whitewater reach. Use the live Pine powerplant gauge plus the Highway 55 visual rock check, and skip the run when the gauge is below the AW floor or the launch rock says the upper rapids are under-watered.
Access map
Put-in
Highway 55 bridge put-inHighway 55 parking is roadside only; AW describes a river-left launch below the bridge with a large staging area but a narrow slot to the water.
Take-out
Stevens Lake Road bridge take-outStevens Lake Road parking is roadside only and the take-out is on river left just upstream from the bridge.
Road shuttle
Run a remote Florence County shuttle from the Highway 55 bridge to Stevens Lake Road. Both endpoints are roadside shoulder-style accesses, so inspect parking, launch slots, and road conditions before committing vehicles.
Additional access notes
- The selected USGS gauge is far downstream and below dam influence. AW explicitly says the Highway 55 visual rock check is critical for this upper rocky reach.
- Do not rely on private cabins, tree-farm areas, or marshy banks as legal exit points unless a land manager separately confirms access.
More route and safety guidance
- Scout Old Dam Rapids and avoid the left channel because AW describes submerged metal spikes and frequent lodged-tree restrictions there.
- This is a long, remote whitewater day with roadside shoulder parking, marshy scouting, cold water, and limited fast rescue access.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
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Gauge source
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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
Pine River Below Pine River Powerplant near Florence, 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 | Pine River Below Pine River Powerplant near Florence, 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 |
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| Wind | Checking |
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| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 3.30 ft to 10.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 3.30 ft |
| High threshold | 10.00 ft |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Pine A gauge correlation |
| 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.
- AW route12.8 mi, Class I-II
American Whitewater lists Pine A as Highway 55 to Stevens Lake Road with 12.8 miles, 7 fpm average gradient, and multiple Class I-II rapid sequences.
- AW gauge correlation3.3 to 10 ft
The current AW page serializes the USGS 04064500 correlation as a 3.3 ft low-runnable floor and 10 ft high-runnable ceiling for Pine A.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-22USGS 04064500 at 1.88 ft / 177 cfs
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- Endpoint coordinates45.90880, -88.82130 to 45.87403, -88.68587
American Whitewater publishes coordinate-backed access records for the Highway 55 put-in and Stevens Lake Road take-out.
- Safety contextOld Dam Rapids and strainers
AW warns of alder tangles, a river-wide sweeper, and submerged metal spikes in the left channel at Old Dam Rapids; DNR says Pine paddlers should scout rapids and portage when in doubt.
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 Pine River
All 6Nearby routes within 75 miles
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