See all 5 routes on Wolf River
Wisconsin | Northwoods Wisconsin
Wolf River
County Highway A / Pearson to Highway 52 Lily
Check current paddling conditions for this Wolf River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at County Highway A near Pearson and take out at Highway 52 in Lily for the upper Wolf Section 1 run. The route starts with Wendigo Rapids and then eases into Class I and flatwater before the Lily bridge.
Put-in
County Highway A access near PearsonOpen mapThe card uses the cleaner public County Highway A-to-Lily segment supported by Langlade County and Miles Paddled, while Wisconsin Trail Guide's W1 family also describes a longer Pearson-to-Lily option.
Take-out
Highway 52 bridge access in LilyOpen mapThe Highway 52 take-out is before the downstream Lily-to-Hollister route. Do not drift past it unless you intentionally planned the next Wolf segment.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The card uses the cleaner public County Highway A-to-Lily segment supported by Langlade County and Miles Paddled, while Wisconsin Trail Guide's W1 family also describes a longer Pearson-to-Lily option.
- The Highway 52 take-out is before the downstream Lily-to-Hollister route. Do not drift past it unless you intentionally planned the next Wolf segment.
- The Langlade gauge is downstream of Lily and should be paired with a visual check at County A, especially after isolated rain or during low summer water.
Watch for
- Wendigo Rapids, Strauss Rapids, Overton Rapids, shallow boulder gardens, and cold-water swims.
- Scrapey rocks below about 250 cfs and pushier hydraulics as the Langlade gauge rises above the novice target window.
- Strainers, deadfall, bridge approaches, private banks, and limited casual bailout options.
Route gallery
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Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Wolf River at Langlade, WI |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 500 cfs to 1,100 cfs |
| Low threshold | 250 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,800 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin Trail Guide Wolf River Pearson-to-Lily suggested river levels |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
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.
- Route-specific ladder250 / 500-1100 / 1800 cfs
Wisconsin Trail Guide ties W1 Pearson-to-Lily to the Langlade gauge: below 250 cfs is not recommended, 500-700 is good, 700-1100 is excellent, 1100-1800 is high, and above 1800 is a rare high-water no-go.
- Public access pairCounty Highway A to Highway 52
Langlade County Water Report describes Section 1 from County Road A to Lily Bridge / Highway 52, with easy roadside access, gravel parking at both ends, low Class II, flatwater, and Class I.
- Endpoint coordinates45.34899, -88.99474 to 45.30765, -88.85806
Miles Paddled publishes GPS points for the County Road A put-in and Highway 52 take-out on its Wolf River IV route report.
- AW corroboration10.6 miles, Class I-II
American Whitewater lists the County Highway A south of Pearson to Highway 52 at Lily reach as a Class I-II Wolf River segment using the Langlade gauge.
- Current gauge check229 cfs / 7.59 ft at 2026-07-22 15:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned a current Langlade reading below the selected 250 cfs floor during this run.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Wolf River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Wolf River?
Paddle Today watches Wolf River at Langlade, WI and treats 500 cfs to 1,100 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Wolf River route start and end?
This route starts at County Highway A access near Pearson and ends at Highway 52 bridge access in Lily, about About 10.6 to 11 mi on the water.
Is this Wolf River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.