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Pennsylvania | North Branch Susquehanna

Susquehanna RiverNorth Branch: Test Track Park to PFBC Danville

Section 4 North Branch Susquehanna corridor from Test Track Park to PFBC Danville. Use the access planner for shorter trips through PFBC Bloomsburg and Indian Head Campground; the direct Bloomsburg gauge keeps the lower-corridor ledge and current-speed guidance on one same-day read.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 20 mi for the full corridor; choose a shorter segment in the access planner
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeFull corridor is a long exposed day. Common shorter choices include Test Track to Bloomsburg
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 20 mi for the full corridor; choose a shorter segment in the access plannerNorth Branch: Test Track Park to PFBC Danville
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 nearbyIndian Head Campground can support legal overnight use with a reservation or permission, but this corridor 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

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Use this as the Section 4 North Branch access-planner corridor. The default full corridor runs from Test Track to Danville, but most users should choose a shorter access pair around Bloomsburg or Indian Head.

Access map

Skip map

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End of map
Start

Put-in

Test Track Park
Open mapDirections to put-in

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

Finish

Take-out

PFBC Danville Access
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
Choose a shorter tripOptional

Access planner

Choose your launch and take-out

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

On-water distance20.0 miCreek-focused
On-water timeFull corridor is a long exposed day. Common shorter choices include Test Track to BloomsburgFull route option
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Test Track Park to PFBC Danville Access is about 20.0 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

  • The Berwick bridge ledge warning near low water and faster current above the calmer Bloomsburg band.
  • Bloomsburg stages below about 1 ft, when low-water line picking becomes more important.
  • Bloomsburg stages above about 4 to 5 ft, when current speeds up; PFBC says novices should stay off above about 6 ft.
  • Headwind, thunderstorms, floating wood, managed campground rules, and overlong segment choices.

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

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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Checking trend.

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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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
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

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 Bloomsburg, 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 range1.00 ft to 4.00 ft
Low threshold1.00 ft
High threshold6.00 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scorePFBC North Branch Susquehanna Section 4 Bloomsburg 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 corridorTest Track Park to PFBC Danville, with intermediate access choices

    PFBC Section 4 publishes the Test Track Park, PFBC Bloomsburg, Indian Head Campground, and PFBC Danville access sequence.

    Source

  • Direct gaugeUSGS 01538700 at Bloomsburg

    The Bloomsburg gauge is the direct product-supported reference for the Section 4 corridor.

    Source

  • Planner modelMultiple access points on one corridor page

    This route replaces overlapping Section 4 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

Paddler 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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Quick answers

Susquehanna River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the North Branch: Test Track Park to PFBC Danville route on the Susquehanna River?

Paddle Today watches Susquehanna River at Bloomsburg, PA and treats 1.00 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: Test Track Park to PFBC Danville route on the Susquehanna River start and end?

This route starts at Test Track Park and ends at PFBC Danville Access, about 20 mi for the full corridor; choose a shorter segment in the access planner on the water.

Is the North Branch: Test Track Park to PFBC Danville 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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