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Pennsylvania | North Branch Susquehanna

Susquehanna RiverNorth Branch: Wysox Township Park to Terrytown PFBC

Fourteen-mile North Branch day from Wysox Township Park to the Terrytown PFBC ramp. The official PFBC guide family publishes both access coordinates, provides enough river-mile and caution support to define the segment cleanly, and uses the Towanda gauge directly for conservative same-day planning.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 13.6 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 4 hr to 6.5 hr in ordinary conditions
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

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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 13.6 miNorth Branch: Wysox Township Park to Terrytown PFBC
DifficultyeasyThe route stays in the broad-audience day-trip bucket when Towanda is in the conservative band, but the 13.6-mile length, fast-riffle miles, and wide-channel weather exposure still require real same-day judgment.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the take-out at Terrytown PFBC first, then drive back to Wysox Township Park. Inspect both landings before launching because mud, flood cleanup, campground traffic, or local maintenance can change how straightforward the carry feels.
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, township-park, boating, and PFD rules.
CampingOptions nearbyRiverside Acres Campground and the French Azilum Historical Site overnight stop are both listed on this official corridor. Treat that as on-route camping support only and not as permission to camp on broad gravel bars, islands, or private banks.
SeasonApr-OctPFBC says the North Branch in this section can stay paddleable through warmer low-water periods, but open-river wind and post-rain current still change the trip quickly.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Launch at Wysox Township Park and take out at Terrytown PFBC for a lower Section 1 Susquehanna day with clean public endpoints. Use the direct Towanda stage gauge, keep the easiest planning days around 2 to 4 feet there, and watch the mile-267, mile-261, and mile-258 fast-water zones carefully.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Wysox Township Park access
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PFBC and the North Branch guide family publish both Wysox Township Park and Terrytown PFBC coordinates directly in the official access tables.

Finish

Take-out

Terrytown PFBC ramp
Open mapDirections to take-out

This is a public-access route, but French Azilum and Riverside Acres remain support points rather than the planned take-out. Stay committed to the Terrytown PFBC finish unless you have made a deliberate legal overnight plan.

Road shuttle

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Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • PFBC and the North Branch guide family publish both Wysox Township Park and Terrytown PFBC coordinates directly in the official access tables.
  • This is a public-access route, but French Azilum and Riverside Acres remain support points rather than the planned take-out. Stay committed to the Terrytown PFBC finish unless you have made a deliberate legal overnight plan.
  • Terrytown is a gravel PFBC landing rather than a big municipal ramp. Confirm same-day footing, parking, and any local closure or maintenance issues before leaving the shuttle.
  • The broad river still has private banks and islands away from the named accesses. Stay within the obvious public launch, campground, and finish zones only.

Watch for

  • A long fast-riffle section at mile 267, plus more fast riffles at miles 261 and 258 flagged by PFBC.
  • Towanda stages below about 1 foot, when lower-riverbed shallows can create class I to II style wave trains and more exposed rocks.
  • Towanda stages above about 4 feet, when current speeds up and the route stops feeling as forgiving; PFBC says novice paddlers should stay off above about 5 feet.
  • Headwind, thunderstorms, floating wood, private shorelines, and drifting past the Terrytown PFBC finish after settling into the long lower-corridor rhythm.

Plan this paddle

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Conditions

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Gauge detail

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Photos

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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

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Data status
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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
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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 siteSusquehanna River at Towanda, PA
Gauge heightChecking
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Preferred range2.00 ft to 4.00 ft
Low threshold-0.50 ft
High threshold5.00 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
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Main source behind this scorePFBC North Branch Susquehanna Section 1 Towanda stage guidance
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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 route segmentWysox Township Park to Terrytown PFBC, about 13.6 mi

    The official North Branch access tables place Wysox Township Park at river mile 267.5 and Terrytown PFBC at river mile 253.9, which defines this public access-to-access segment.

    Source

  • Endpoint coordinatesPFBC access-site coordinates

    The PFBC Section 1 access table publishes Wysox Township Park at 41 46 15 / -76 23 52 and Terrytown PFBC at 41 42 51 / -76 16 54.

    Source

  • Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-13USGS 01531500 at Towanda

    This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.

    Source

  • Official stage guidanceTowanda -0.5 ft low runnable, 2 ft safe base, 5 ft novice ceiling

    PFBC says the river can be paddled with Towanda as low as about -0.5 ft, uses 2 ft as the safe paddle base level, and says novice paddlers should not paddle when Towanda is over 5 ft.

    Source

  • Primary cautionsFast riffles near miles 267, 261, and 258

    The PFBC Section 1 caution list flags a long fast-riffle section at mile 267 plus more fast riffles at miles 261 and 258 inside this route.

    Source

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Keep exploring

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Owego CreekOwego Creek Canal Street hand launch to lower Owego Creek turnaround · about 24 straight-line mi awayEasy · Approximately 3.5 river miles round tripChemung RiverToll Bridge Park to White Wagon Boat Launch · about 24 straight-line mi awayModerate · 11.45 river milesChemung RiverElmira Chemung River public access area to White Wagon Park, Chemung · about 29 straight-line mi awayEasy · Approximately 12.5 planning river miles by current endpoint geometry from the Elmira public access area to White Wagon Park in Chemung; the route source labels the section 10 milesCatatonk CreekCandor to Owego · about 32 straight-line mi awayModerate · 11.7 river miles from the Candor access area to the Owego Creek access area

Quick answers

Susquehanna River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the North Branch: Wysox Township Park to Terrytown PFBC route on the Susquehanna River?

Paddle Today watches Susquehanna River at Towanda, 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: Wysox Township Park to Terrytown PFBC route on the Susquehanna River start and end?

This route starts at Wysox Township Park access and ends at Terrytown PFBC ramp, about 13.6 mi on the water.

Is the North Branch: Wysox Township Park to Terrytown PFBC 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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