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Pennsylvania | North Branch Susquehanna

Susquehanna RiverNorth Branch: PFBC Danville to Shikellamy State Park West

Lower North Branch Susquehanna corridor from PFBC Danville to Shikellamy State Park West. Use the access planner for a shorter campground-supported variant through Wray's Riverfront; the Danville gauge, Lake Augusta wind, and Sunbury Fabridam take-out discipline drive the same-day call.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 13 mi for the full corridor; Wray's is an intermediate access-planner option
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 4 hr to 6 hr for the full corridor in ordinary conditions. Shorter planner choices can use Wray's with current campground permission or reservation expectations.
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania.
River contextSusquehanna River in Pennsylvania; card-safe regional context river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by The Mebane Greeting Card Co. via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 13 mi for the full corridor; Wray's is an intermediate access-planner optionNorth Branch: PFBC Danville to Shikellamy State Park West
DifficultyeasyShort planner-selected sections are approachable in the conservative band, while the full corridor can become a long exposed big-river day.
ShuttleCar shuttlePick a put-in and take-out from the access planner, stage the downstream vehicle first, then inspect both landings before launching. Do not assume private banks, islands, or bars are legal backup exits.
PermitsCheck posted rulesPFBC says unpowered boats using PFBC or Pennsylvania State Parks and Forests access areas need boat registration, a PFBC launch permit, or a DCNR State Parks launch permit. Follow current PFBC, municipal, campground, boating, and PFD rules.
CampingOptions nearbyWray's Riverfront Campground can support legal overnight use with a reservation or permission, but the route should not imply open riverbank camping.
SeasonApr-OctThe North Branch usually has runnable windows from spring through fall, but thunderstorms, headwind, cold water, and floating wood can change a broad-river day quickly.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

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WeekendChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Use this as the lower Danville-to-Shikellamy access-planner corridor. The default full route finishes at Shikellamy West; Wray's can shorten the day when current campground access rules support it.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

PFBC Danville Access
Open mapDirections to put-in

Use the access planner to choose a legal public or managed access pair before driving.

Finish

Take-out

Shikellamy State Park West
Open mapDirections to take-out

The full corridor is a planning envelope, not necessarily the recommended one-day trip.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
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Access planner

Choose your launch and take-out

This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.

On-water distance12.8 miCreek-focused
On-water timeAbout 4 hr to 6 hr for the full corridor in ordinary conditions. Shorter planner choices can use Wray's with current campground permission or reservation expectations.Full route option
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

PFBC Danville Access to Shikellamy State Park West is about 12.8 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Use the access planner to choose a legal public or managed access pair before driving.
  • The full corridor is a planning envelope, not necessarily the recommended one-day trip.
  • Confirm same-day parking, launch, landing, and permit rules at the selected endpoints.
  • Stay with named accesses and do not improvise on private banks or islands.

Watch for

  • Danville stages below about 2 ft, when the lower corridor gets slower, scratchier, and more exposed to wind.
  • Danville stages above about 4 ft, when current speeds up; the guide frames about 7 ft as the novice ceiling.
  • Wind and motorboat wakes on Lake Augusta, floating wood, private shorelines, and drifting too far toward Sunbury Fabridam.
  • Managed campground expectations at Wray's if using it as an alternate start or finish.

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

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Trip schedule

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

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Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

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Weather

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Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

The Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania.
Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania; card-safe regional context river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by The Mebane Greeting Card Co. via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: Public domain

Score & sources

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today’s call.

Data status
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Gauge inputChecking

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Weather inputChecking

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Next stepChecking

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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.

Why
  • Checking data sources and update times.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times

These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.

Gauge siteSusquehanna River at Danville, PA
Gauge heightChecking
DischargeChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Preferred range2.00 ft to 4.00 ft
Low threshold2.00 ft
High threshold7.00 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this score2021 North Branch Susquehanna guide Danville stage guidance
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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 corridorPFBC Danville to Shikellamy West, with Wray's as an intermediate option

    The current North Branch guide publishes PFBC Danville, Wray's Riverfront Campground, and Shikellamy State Park West coordinates in the access table.

    Source

  • Direct gaugeUSGS 01540500 at Danville

    The Danville gauge is the direct product-supported reference for this lower corridor.

    Source

  • Planner modelMultiple access points on one corridor page

    This route replaces overlapping Danville-to-Shikellamy route cards with one Rice Creek-style access planner corridor.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in Pennsylvania

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Pennsylvania route guideBrowse every tracked Pennsylvania route.North Branch SusquehannaJump to routes in this region.

More on Susquehanna River

All 33
Afton Route 41 access to Nineveh Bridge Susquehanna accessChenango and Broome Counties / Afton and NinevehEasy · Approximately 7.5 planning river miles from the NYSDEC Afton access to the NYSDEC Nineveh Bridge accessColliersville to EmmonsOtsego County / Milford and Oneonta areaEasy · Approximately 3 river miles from the Colliersville hand launch to the Emmons hand launchCrumhorn Pond / Susquehanna State Forest access through Portlandville to Goodyear Lake / Silliman CoveOtsego CountyEasy · 3.25–6 water-trail miles, with an optional Portlandville take-outEmmons DEC hand launch to West Oneonta DEC hand launchOtsego County / Emmons to OneontaEasy · Approximately 5.5 planning river miles from Emmons to West Oneonta

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Juniata RiverLower Section: Millerstown Community Park to Amity Hall PFBC · about 40 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 15 miJuniata RiverLower Section: Greenwood to Amity Hall · about 40 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 14 mi for the full corridor; choose a shorter segment in the access plannerLehigh RiverWhite Haven to Rockport · about 44 straight-line mi awayHard · About 8.7 miLehigh RiverWhite Haven to Glen Onoko · about 44 straight-line mi awayHard · About 20.9 mi

Quick answers

Susquehanna River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the North Branch: PFBC Danville to Shikellamy State Park West route on the Susquehanna River?

Paddle Today watches Susquehanna River at Danville, PA and treats 2.00 ft to 4.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does the North Branch: PFBC Danville to Shikellamy State Park West route on the Susquehanna River start and end?

This route starts at PFBC Danville Access and ends at Shikellamy State Park West, about 13 mi for the full corridor; Wray's is an intermediate access-planner option on the water.

Is the North Branch: PFBC Danville to Shikellamy State Park West route on the Susquehanna River suitable 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.

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