See all 3 routes on Popple River
Wisconsin | Northeast Wisconsin
Popple River
Forest Road 2398 Bridge to Morgan Lake Road Bridge
Check current paddling conditions for this Popple 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
Launch at FR 2398 Bridge Landing and take out at Morgan Lake Road Bridge Landing for Popple PO1. The route mixes quiet marsh, narrow forest current, Class I-II boulder gardens, Burnt Dam Rapids, a mid-route primitive campsite, and the direct in-route Popple gauge.
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
Forest Road 2398 Bridge LandingOpen mapFR 2398 is a hand-carry roadside bridge landing with roadside parking, not a developed livery launch.
Take-out
Morgan Lake Road Bridge LandingOpen mapFR 2159 / Newald Tower Road is an intermediate bridge landing and primitive campsite, but campsite availability is first-come and should not be assumed.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- FR 2398 is a hand-carry roadside bridge landing with roadside parking, not a developed livery launch.
- FR 2159 / Newald Tower Road is an intermediate bridge landing and primitive campsite, but campsite availability is first-come and should not be assumed.
- Morgan Lake Road is also the USGS gauge corridor and the take-out for this card. Identify the bridge landing before launching because continuing downstream starts the harder PO2 whitewater.
Watch for
- First Rapids, boulder gardens, the remains of Podunk Dam, and two pitches of Burnt Dam Rapids.
- Low water below 150 cfs, when rapids become bony and scraping increases.
- High water above 500 cfs, when WTG says novice paddlers should avoid the river and strainers or deadfall become more hazardous.
- Cold water, limited cell service, private or unclear banks, and long rescue times.
Route gallery
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Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
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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 | Popple River Near Fence, 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 | 250 cfs to 500 cfs |
| Low threshold | 150 cfs |
| High threshold | 800 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin Trail Guide Popple River PO1 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.
- Official travel-time segmentFS Road 2398 to Morgan Lake Road
Wisconsin DNR lists FS Road 2398 to FS Road 2159 / Morgan Lake Road as a 9-mile Popple River trip with about a five-hour travel time, noting that times vary with water levels.
- WTG route shape11.0 miles, Class II
Wisconsin Trail Guide PO1 lists Forest Road 2398 Bridge to Morgan Lake Road Bridge as 11.0 miles, with Class I-II rapids and Burnt Dam Rapids.
- Gauge bands150 / 250-500 / 800 cfs
WTG lists below 150 cfs as not recommended, 150-250 cfs as low runnable, 250-500 cfs as medium runnable, 500-800 cfs as high runnable for intermediate and advanced paddlers, and above 800 cfs as not recommended.
- Current gauge check36.6 cfs / 2.00 ft at 2026-07-23 02:45 CDT
USGS Water Services returned same-day Popple River near Fence values during this run, far below the selected low-water floor.
- Endpoint coordinates45.76630, -88.60577 to 45.76343, -88.46304
WTG PO1 publishes WGS84 coordinates for FR 2398 Bridge Landing and Morgan Lake Road Landing.
- Camping supportPrimitive FR 2159 campsite
WTG identifies a rustic campsite by the FR 2159 Bridge Landing in PO1 and the overview says Popple canoe/kayak campsites are primitive, free, first-come, and limited to one night.
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.
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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
Popple River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Popple River?
Paddle Today watches Popple River Near Fence, WI and treats 250 cfs to 500 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Popple River route start and end?
This route starts at Forest Road 2398 Bridge Landing and ends at Morgan Lake Road Bridge Landing, about 11 mi on the water.
Is this Popple 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.