See all 6 routes on Pine River
Wisconsin | Southwest Wisconsin
Pine River
Canoe Port 1 / Bowen's Mill to Canoe Port 4 / Seminary Street
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
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
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
Follow Richland Center's official Pine River canoe-port corridor from Port 1 / Bowen's Mill through town to Port 4 / Seminary Street. The river is approachable at normal levels, but the Kickapoo gauge is only a proxy and high water changes the character quickly.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Put-in
Canoe Port 1 / Bowen's Mill / Krouskop ParkOpen mapThe La Farge Kickapoo gauge is not on the Pine River. Check water visually at Port 1 and treat recent local rain or flood debris as controlling information.
Take-out
Canoe Port 4 / Seminary StreetOpen mapStay with the city/county canoe-port chain for launches and exits; intervening banks may be private, muddy, unstable, or unsuitable for routine stops.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The La Farge Kickapoo gauge is not on the Pine River. Check water visually at Port 1 and treat recent local rain or flood debris as controlling information.
- Stay with the city/county canoe-port chain for launches and exits; intervening banks may be private, muddy, unstable, or unsuitable for routine stops.
- Seminary Street is the planned take-out for this card. Continuing downstream changes the route into a longer rural Pine River outing with fewer immediate exits.
Watch for
- Strainers, bridge debris, and fresh flood damage after storms.
- Faster pushy current and fewer beginner-friendly eddies when the proxy gauge rises above modest-flow conditions.
- Urban water-quality context, cold water, muddy banks, and private-property edges.
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.
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 | Kickapoo River at La Farge, 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 |
| Target band | 0 cfs to 180 cfs |
| Low threshold | 0 cfs |
| High threshold | 350 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Richland Center Pine River proxy-gauge notes |
| 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.
- Official canoe-port chainPort 1 Bowen's Mill to Port 4 Seminary Street
Richland Center and Richland County publish the Pine River canoe-ports map, including the Port 1-to-Port 4 sequence and segment distances through town.
- Exact route reportCanoe Port 1 / Hwy AA to Canoe Port 4 / Hwy Q, 5.5 miles
Wisconsin River Trips documents the Richland Center route, route distance, gradient, put-in/take-out options, and Kickapoo-at-La-Farge proxy level.
- Proxy threshold140 cfs / 2.95 ft run; lower than 180 cfs preferred; 350 cfs high caution
WRT ties the route to the La Farge Kickapoo proxy, reports a 140 cfs run, notes the Pine is usually not too low, and user reports describe 350 cfs as high and wet.
- Current gauge check208 cfs and 3.28 ft at 2026-07-16 19:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned a high-shoulder proxy value during this run, above the preferred 180 cfs target but below the 350 cfs high-water caution.
- Local access supportCity-maintained Pine River corridor
Richland Center describes Pine River canoeing/kayaking, local maintenance, and several canoe ports for paddling access through the city.
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 Kickapoo River at La Farge, WI and treats 0 cfs to 180 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Pine River route start and end?
This route starts at Canoe Port 1 / Bowen's Mill / Krouskop Park and ends at Canoe Port 4 / Seminary Street, about About 5.5 mi on the water.
Is this Pine River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.