See all 2 routes on Popple River
Wisconsin | Northeast Wisconsin
Popple RiverMorgan Lake Road Bridge to Highway 101 Wayside
Short but serious Florence County Wild River whitewater run below Morgan Lake Road. The route packs Little Bull Falls, Big Bull Falls, boulder gardens, signed portages, and remote northwoods scenery into a 5.4-mile bridge-to-bridge day.
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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 at the Morgan Lake Road / Forest Service Road 2159 bridge and take out at the Highway 101 wayside. This is the lower Popple whitewater run through Little Bull Falls, Big Bull Falls, tight boulder gardens, marked portages, and protected Wild River forest.
Access map
Put-in
Morgan Lake Road / Forest Service Road 2159 bridge accessThe Morgan Lake Road put-in is a bridge/gauge-area access rather than a developed livery launch. Confirm shoulder, parking, and road conditions before unloading.
Take-out
Highway 101 Wayside / Popple River bridge accessAt Highway 101, American Whitewater describes the take-out on river left near the bridge and shallow gravel shore. Identify the exit before continuing downstream.
Road shuttle
Use a remote Florence County shuttle from the Morgan Lake Road bridge to the Highway 101 wayside. Roads are rural and partly gravel, so download maps and expect limited cell coverage.
Additional access notes
- Several scouting or emergency paths touch private land. Stay on signed/accepted river-portage routes and keep the group tight.
More route and safety guidance
- Scout or portage Little Bull Falls on river left. American Whitewater says the signed portage crosses private land with permitted use; stay on the route, respect the landowner, and do not run the aggressive hole without an experienced group and rescue setup.
- Identify the signed river-right Big Bull Falls portage before entering its swift approach because the current can carry paddlers past the landing. Portage whenever the group, ice, wood, or water level makes the falls uncertain.
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Conditions
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Gauge source
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Weather
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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
Popple River Near Fence, 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 | Popple River Near Fence, WI |
| Discharge | Checking |
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| Preferred range | 250 cfs to 600 cfs |
| Low threshold | 150 cfs |
| High threshold | 800 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin Trail Guide Popple River PO2 suggested river levels |
| Gauge source | Checking |
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NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Route-specific reach5.4 miles; Class II-III+
American Whitewater documents Popple River C from Morgan Lake Road to Highway 101 as the best whitewater section of the Popple, with 14 rocky rapids, Little Bull Falls, Big Bull Falls, and a Highway 101 take-out.
- County access supportMorgan Lake Road #5 to Highway 101 #4
Florence County lists Morgan Lake Road to Highway 101 as a 5.4-mile Popple River paddling trip, identifies Morgan Lake Road as access point #5 and Highway 101 as access point #4, and warns the lower Popple requires advanced skills.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 04063700 at Morgan Lake Road
USGS locates Popple River near Fence on the left bank upstream from the Forest Service Road 2159 bridge, at 8037 Morgan Lake Road, in the route put-in corridor.
- Gauge bands150 / 250-600 / 800 cfs
Wisconsin Trail Guide gives a 150 cfs minimum, 250-400 cfs low-to-medium enjoyable flow, 400-600 cfs medium runnable flow, 600-1000 cfs high runnable flow for intermediate and advanced paddlers, and a suggested maximum of 800 cfs. The app uses 800 cfs as the broad-audience ceiling.
- Endpoint coordinates45.763611, -88.463611 to 45.79995, -88.39662
The put-in coordinate is the USGS gauge/bridge location at Morgan Lake Road. Miles Paddled publishes the Highway 101 take-out GPS point and describes the landing downstream of the bridge with dedicated parking.
- HazardsLittle Bull Falls, Big Bull Falls, portages
American Whitewater warns Little Bull Falls can form an aggressive hole with a difficult rescue, and Big Bull Falls has a signed portage where swift current can carry paddlers past the intended landing.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
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