Pennsylvania | North Branch Susquehanna

Susquehanna River

North Branch: Wray's Riverfront Campground to Shikellamy State Park West

Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.

Route location

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DistanceAbout 9 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 3 hr to 4.5 hr in ordinary conditions
ShuttleCar shuttle
An aerial view shows the Susquehanna River bending through the Laceyville corridor with wooded banks and open Pennsylvania valley farmland.
River contextSusquehanna River near Laceyville river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Bjoertvedt via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Gauge history and hourly forecast

Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.

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Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

DifficultyeasyThis remains an easier big-river route with named campground and state-park endpoints, but the lower-lake feel, boat traffic, and Fabridam take-out discipline make it less casual than the mileage alone suggests.
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, campground, state-park, boating, and PFD rules.
CampingOptions nearbyWray's can support an overnight start if you have a reservation or permission, but this route should still be planned as a same-day finish at Shikellamy rather than as open riverbank camping.
SeasonApr-OctThis lower Sunbury corridor is broad and usually accessible through much of the warm season, but pooled Lake Augusta wind, thunderstorms, and faster high water still change the route character quickly.

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

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Plan your trip

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

Access and shuttle

Launch from Wray's Riverfront Campground and finish at Shikellamy State Park West for a lower Section 14 Susquehanna day. Use the Danville gauge as the official same-section proxy, keep the easiest planning days around 2 to 4 feet there, and treat Lake Augusta wind plus Fabridam take-out discipline as the decisive safety checks.

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Start

Put-in

Wray's Riverfront Campground
Open map

The current guide publishes both Wray's and Shikellamy West coordinates directly in the access table.

Finish

Take-out

Shikellamy State Park West
Open map

This route uses Danville as a same-section proxy because the current guide writes Section 14 thresholds around that gauge rather than around a lower-lake site.

Plan this segment

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • The current guide publishes both Wray's and Shikellamy West coordinates directly in the access table.
  • This route uses Danville as a same-section proxy because the current guide writes Section 14 thresholds around that gauge rather than around a lower-lake site.
  • Wray's remains a managed private campground even though it is listed in the water-trail guide. Respect current launch and parking rules.
  • Shikellamy West is the intended finish. Do not drift downstream toward Sunbury unless you have a separate portage and access plan for the Fabridam corridor.

Watch for

  • Danville stages below about 2 feet, when the lower pool loses current help and wind matters more.
  • Danville stages above about 4 feet, when the broad river carries more speed and less experienced groups have less time to recover from missed landings.
  • Lake Augusta wind and powerboat wakes, floating wood, private shorelines, and the downstream Sunbury Fabridam hazard if you miss the planned take-out.

Data and sources

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

Read quality
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Today's evidence strength is checking

Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

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Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteSusquehanna River at Danville, PA
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Target band2.00 ft to 4.00 ft
Low threshold2.00 ft
High threshold7.00 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
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Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this score2021 North Branch Susquehanna guide Danville stage guidance
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What 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 route segmentWray's to Shikellamy West, about 9 mi

    The current 2021 guide places Wray's Riverfront Campground at river mile 133.6 and Shikellamy State Park West at river mile 125.1.

    Source

  • Endpoint coordinatesGuide access-table coordinates

    The same guide publishes Wray's at 40.953143, -76.664439 and Shikellamy State Park West at 40.883406, -76.792510.

    Source

  • Official section gauge proxyUSGS 01540500 at Danville

    The current guide uses Danville for Section 13-14 thresholds, and USGS Water Services returned same-day July 16, 2026 values of 3,430 cfs and 2.89 ft at 2026-07-16 06:30 EDT there.

    Source

  • Official stage guidanceDanville 2 / 4 / 7 ft

    The current guide lists a 2 ft lower limit, 4 ft good paddling level, and 7 ft upper novice ceiling at Danville for Sections 13-14.

    Source

  • Primary cautionLake Augusta and Sunbury Fabridam

    The guide notes Lake Augusta begins near mile 129.9 and marks Sunbury Fabridam downstream at mile 122.6, making a planned state-park take-out important for this route.

    Source

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Susquehanna River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling 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 this Susquehanna River route start and end?

This route starts at Wray's Riverfront Campground and ends at Shikellamy State Park West, about About 9 mi on the water.

Is this Susquehanna 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.

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.