See all 6 routes on Pine River
Wisconsin | North Central Wisconsin
Pine River
Pine River Park / Center Road to County Road W
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.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
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
Run the Pine Dells gorge from Pine River Park / Center Road to County W. The mileage is short, but ledges, two Class III features, steep banks, few eddies, and imperfect proxy gauge support make it an advanced whitewater outing.
Put-in
Pine River Park / Center Road accessOpen mapCounty W is a mandatory practical exit for this card. Inspect the steep bank and hidden path before launching so the group recognizes the take-out from the water.
Take-out
County Road W Pine River take-outOpen mapThe Prairie River gauge is only a proxy; WRT warns the Pine can drop quickly after rain. Same-day visual inspection at Center Road controls.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- County W is a mandatory practical exit for this card. Inspect the steep bank and hidden path before launching so the group recognizes the take-out from the water.
- The Prairie River gauge is only a proxy; WRT warns the Pine can drop quickly after rain. Same-day visual inspection at Center Road controls.
- Do not treat this as a beginner scenic paddle. Rescue access is limited by steep walls and few eddies in the gorge.
Watch for
- Double Dells and S-Turn Class III features, with scout/portage options depending on level and skill.
- Class I-II ledges, shallow rocks below the 150 cfs proxy floor, and pushier hydraulics after rain.
- Cold water, strainers, steep banks, limited eddies, and private-bank bailout limits.
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.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Prairie River near Merrill, WI |
| 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 | 150 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 | Miles Paddled Pine River Lincoln County Prairie-gauge recommendation |
| 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 reportPine River Park / Center Road to County W, about 2.5 miles
WRT documents the route endpoints, access notes, rapid names, Class III scout/portage warnings, and no-dam/no-logjam reference conditions.
- Endpoint coordinates and level45.15733, -89.59732 to 45.13513, -89.62277; 150 cfs / 2.4 ft recommended
Miles Paddled publishes the Center Road and County W GPS coordinates and ties a recommended level to the Prairie River near Merrill gauge.
- Proxy gauge caveatUSGS 05394500 Prairie River near Merrill
WRT says nearby Prairie/Big Eau Pleine/Spirit gauges can help but are imperfect because the Pine drains quickly and has no direct live gauge.
- Current gauge check119 cfs and 2.08 ft at 2026-07-16 18:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Prairie proxy values below the selected minimum-only floor during this run.
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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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
Pine River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Pine River?
Paddle Today watches Prairie River near Merrill, WI and uses 150 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 Pine River Park / Center Road access and ends at County Road W Pine River take-out, about About 2.5 mi on the water.
Is this Pine River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.