Nestled in the most northeastern nook of Wisconsin, the Pine and Popple Rivers in Forest & Florence Counties, along with the Pike River in neighboring Marinette County, offer some of the best paddling opportunities in the entire state. Equal parts pretty and pristine, sections of each of these rivers are uniquely protected by law – typically, in their wildest segments inspiring mouth-agape Yawps.
Bathed and raised in the northwoods, each of these three streams begins languidly in lugubrious bogs and boreal swamps, interrupted occasionally by beaver dams. Then they fall “head over keels” for Class II boulder gardens and over Class III-IV waterfalls past rock outcrops so ancient as to make one’s brain ache. The Popple enters the Pine, and the Pine and Pike both flow into the Menominee River, which flows into Lake Michigan, which flows into Lake Huron, which flows into Lake Eerie, which plummets down Niagara Falls into Lake Ontario, which drains out the St. Lawrence River down which one cries bon jour to Montreal and au revoir to Quebec, en route to its own paddle-to-the-sea destiny: the Atlantic Ocean.
To be sure, there are several other northeastern rivers that are duly illustrious – the Brule, Oconto, Peshtigo, to name but a few. But only the Pine, Popple, and Pike were protected by the Wild Rivers Act of 1965. It was a time when the nation was going through growing pains of upheaval and generational change: peaceful marchers in Selma were brutally beaten by local police only two weeks after Malcolm X was assassinated; the Voting Rights Act would be signed into law months later, immediately followed by the Watts Riots; the U.S. began dropping bombs on Vietnam, and two protestors would later set themselves on fire; more than 250 people were killed in 51 tornadoes across six states on one night in April, while five months later Hurricane Betsy would level New Orleans (coincidentally the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Medicaid and Medicare were all created this same year as well); and Bob Dylan went electric, while The Beatles pulled the plug on playing live.
But here in Wisconsin three streams were set aside “to afford the people of the state an opportunity to enjoy natural streams, to attract out-of-state visitors and assure the well-being of our tourist industry, and to preserve some rivers in a free-flowing condition and protect them from development” (our italics). What this means in practical terms is “there is no vegetative control within 150′ from the bank on either side of the river, walk-in access only, no motorized vehicles, no stream alterations, no maintained trails and few developed parking lots or canoe put-ins. These rules are intended to preserve the wild and scenic qualities of the river.”
The state legislation – the first of its kind in the country – would inspire lawmakers in D.C. to pass the federal Wild & Scenic Rivers Act three years later, in 1968 (another tumultuous year). To provide some context, the Environmental Protection Agency wouldn’t be created until 1970 – the same year Earth Day started (promulgated by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, from and former governor of Wisconsin).
Wisconsin’s Wild Rivers Act was visionary. It was bold, but also pragmatic and emblematic of the times. Practically inconceivable by contemporary norms, the legislation from the bygone time is laudable. It was bipartisan and passed unanimously. In our era of winner-takes-all politics where anything short of perfection is seen as failure and better than how it was (with a foot in the door for future improvements) is still not good enough here and now, the desires of paddlers and environmentalists would be at literal and figurative loggerheads with industry special interests in a no-holds-barred match left to a coin flip whim of legislative seats dragged in appeals courts for years on end, ensuring nothing but inertia.
We are lucky to be at the helm of this heritage. It is a legacy to cherish and celebrate, to be proud of and to behold. And what better way to do that than by paddling the very rivers themselves? When better to do that than this its 60thanniversary?
It’s important to keep in mind that winter comes early. Spring arrives sluggishly late, but explodes with cataracts of ice-cold water and spectacular wildflowers (trillions of trillium!). Summer brings bugs – mosquitoes and nasty flies in particular. Water levels are often woefully low come autumn. It’s also important to know that nothing is forever fixed either: the “golden age” of the lumberjacks is a thing of the past, but modern forestry still prevails. Presently, the Marinette County Board is considering terminating its agreement with the DNR about managing the Pike River. (For a deeper dive on that, see here.) But a multitude of adventures beckons up north when the rivers are singing. And even when they merely hum, there are miles upon miles of fine hiking and dozens of waterfalls and excellent campgrounds to seek solace and refuge from the cares of our everyday lives.
Jump to: Pine River | Popple River | Pike River
Pine River
Of our riverine triumvirate, the Pine is the longest and most elaborate. Humbly beginning in northeastern Forest County, the Pine is of two minds for most of its 80 miles: sauntering slowly through languorous meanders or sprinting for keeps through rapids, boulder gardens, and several impressive waterfalls. Correspondingly, the underlying bedrock is a rich mix of Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks from the Canadian Shield – some believed to be about 2 billion years old! – and softer Michigamme slate. Interestingly, the Pine and Popple lie just east of a modest continental divide – so subtle as to be unfelt, but enough to sheet all water west of it into the Wisconsin River > Mississippi River > Gulf of Mexico, and all water east of it into the Menominee River > Great Lakes > Atlantic Ocean.
Whichever its temperament, the Pine and Popple flow almost entirely through the Nicolet National Forest and are accentuated by aspens and namesake pine trees (jack, red, and white), home to deer and bear, coyote and wolves, red fox and ruffed grouse, bald eagles and lots of beaver lodges. Alas, the Pine is dammed on a human, hydroelectric scale – a holdover from a century ago and a sore spot of contention still today. (Despite the state law of 1965, and in spite of the relicensing agreement in 2000 that had slated for the dam to be taken down in 2025, it remains operational. As of now, its removal has been postponed to 2038; we shall see…) Past the power station the renewed river flows for another dozen miles through an almost savage landscape called the Spread Eagle Barrens State Natural Area surrounded by Florence County forest before reaching the Menominee River.
Logistics Disclaimer
Individual river trips have as much to do with personal preference as they do practical and permissible access. Sure, we may select specific sections for their unique characteristics, but where precisely we begin and end a trip is relatively arbitrary – terminuses established usually long ago by circumstances that don’t always make a lick of sense by today’s standards. The Pine River is no exception to this – no river coursing through forested corridors is. In deference to the guides and scribes who came before us, our goal is to balance their recommended trips with what we believe to be feasible and desirable for today’s paddler. Wherever alternate accesses are found, we will highlight them (along with any known caveats). After all, many paddlers start fidgeting and feeling “crampy” around 12 or 14 miles, unless intentionally doing long distances and/or overnight camping on a river.
For example, in the classic Whitewater, Quietwater the authors divide the Pine in five segments, the first of which is a meaty but mighty impractical 24 miles (Highway 55 to Forest Road 2156). The venerable Mike Svob, in Paddling Northern Wisconsin, lays out the Pine in three trips, highlighting continuous sections from Highway 55 to Highway 101, a combined distance of roughly 44 miles, while offering a shout-out to the Pine’s remaining 19ish miles to the Menominee River confluence.
To our mind, the question is one of both quantitative equality and qualitative. For instance, paddlers launching from Highway 55 could take out at Forest Road 2169/Stevens Lake Road for a supremely pleasant trip of 13.5 miles, and then begin a separate trip from Forest Road 2169/Stevens Lake Road to Forest Road 2156/Lost Lake Road for a fabulous 10ish miles. Not only are the distances more comparable, the paddling environments are as well. We mean no disrespect to Meister Svob, but his second recommended trip – Highway 139 to Goodman Grade – is not prohibitively long per se (though it is 17 miles), it’s an asymmetrical mash-up of skill levels and environments: the first seven miles are sluggish, while there are Class II rapids and even a Class III drop from mile 11 to the take-out. That disparity in paddling environments often separates individual paddlers – recreational and whitewater.
Below Highway 101, logistical headaches abound – including strenuous portages around two prominent waterfalls and a fake lake impoundment in between them. These are the presumed reasons why Svob calls it a day at Highway 101. But the Pine is arguably its wildest, albeit most bridled, in the eight bridgeless miles between Highway 101 and County Highway N, below the dam. After all, it is here where LaSalle Falls tumbles over 20′, where a half-mile gorge of Class II-III rapids froth, and where Breakwater Falls plummets 45′ over three tiers – all in just 2.5 miles!
Finally, there’s the absurd conundrum at the end, where paddlers can choose 11 miles on the water for a 16-mile shuttle by taking out before the Menominee River, or 17 miles of paddling for a 10-mile shuttle by continuing on the big river (but also portaging around a hydroelectric dam). Yes, you read that right: the second option adds six miles of paddling but subtracts six miles of shuttling. Them’s the breaks. By and by, be prepared for long and slow shuttling; unless accessing the river only at main roads, all the interior forest roads are unpaved dirt-gravel, some requiring AWD or 4WD. It’s part of the experience and why this nook is wild and rugged. But do be prepared.
General Information:
Camping
Paddling
Photo Gallery
Maps + Brochures:
Canoeing the Wild Rivers of Florence County Guide
Pine-Popple Wild River Map
Pine River Land Map
Pine and Popple Wild Rivers Brochure
Wisconsin DNR Interactive Map
Pine Section 1
Scattered accounts of paddling the veritable headwaters of the Pine do exist – on the north and south branches both – but for all intents and purposes Highway 55 marks the starting point. (Finding enough water on this section alone will be tricky, much less farther upstream.) From Highway 55 the next main road downriver is Highway 139, a distance of 16 miles and change, though make-do accesses at Lotto Road (6.25 miles) or Forest Road 2169/Stevens Lake Road (13.5 miles) allow for shorter trips. Here, the skinny river is approximately 50′ wide and bebops through a wild landscape. “Lightwater” paddlers seeking riffles and relatively easy rapids occasionally pushing an envelope of Class II will kvell in this first section! Less experienced paddlers should portage around these or simply skip ahead to Section 2. (Class II rapids on a skinny river requires solid boat control, river-reading skills, and vigilance against strainers.) But all paddlers will adore the wild landscape.
Skill Level: Intermediate on account of distances and occasional Class I-II rapids.
Rapids: Several Class II sequences and many Class I rapids
Water Level:
USGS 04063700, Popple River near Fence. Look for a minimum of 3′ on the gauge. Ideal levels are between 3.5′ and 4′.
NOTE: There is a visual gauge at Highway 55; more than an inch of exposure on the boulder on the downstream side of the bridge will bring tough sledding. Two inches is too much. Alternatively, there is an actual staff gauge at Highway 101 on the downstream side of the bridge, but it’s a long way’s away from here. Nonetheless, less than 1′ is too low. If in doubt, call the Wild Rivers Interpretive Center in Florence for current water levels: 1-888-889-0049. Also, we’d be remiss not to mention that the Pine does have its own gauge (USGS 04064500), but it’s directly below the dam and many miles downriver from this trip. For the upper Pine, the Popple River gauge correlates better.
Start: Highway 55 (45.90884, -88.82151)
End: Highway 139 (45.89032, -88.65484)
Alternate Access: Lotto Road (45.86032, -88.78093) or Forest Road 2169/Stevens Lake Road (45.87409, -88.6858)
Length: 16.25 miles
Shuttle: 15 miles
Trip Report: American Whitewater
Paddling Resources:
Paddling Northern Wisconsin
Whitewater, Quietwater
Campgrounds: Stevens Lake is the closest, followed by Chipmunk Rapids and Lost Lake. Nearby Lauterman Lake and Perch Lake are primitive walk-in sites. For detailed info on each site, see Miles Paddled Canoe + Kayak Camping Guide for the Pine River.
Nearby Hiking: U.S. Forest Service
Waterfall Tour: N/A
Pine Section 2
A mostly moseying segment of river – perfect for an afternoon paddle or social chitchat with friends. Occasional cabins and cottages dot the shore, not to mention several strands of power lines overhead. But the river is winding and woods-lined, only occasionally frissoned with riffles and light rapids (the most notable of which, Chipmunk Rapids, come right at the end, but are still only Class I-II). Chipmunk Rapids Campground has river access and makes for an excellent staging location. There are only six total sites here, you’re surrounded by national forest, and the cherry on top is a natural spring offering mouthwatering water.
Skill Level: Beginner (unless starting from Forest Road 2169/Stevens Lake Road).
Rapids: Several Class I rapids and one set of Class I-II rapids at the end of the trip.
Water Level:
USGS 04063700, Popple River near Fence. Look for a minimum of 3′ on the gauge. Ideal levels are between 3.5′ and 4′.
NOTE: There is a visual gauge at Highway 55; more than an inch of exposure on the boulder on the downstream side of the bridge will bring tough sledding. Two inches is too much. Alternatively, there is an actual staff gauge at Highway 101 on the downstream side of the bridge, but it’s a long way’s away from here. Nonetheless, less than 1′ is too low. If in doubt, call the Wild Rivers Interpretive Center in Florence for current water levels: 1-888-889-0049. Also, we’d be remiss not to mention that the Pine does have its own gauge (USGS 04064500), but it’s directly below the dam and many miles downriver from this trip. For the upper Pine, the Popple River gauge correlates better.
Start: Highway 139 (45.89032, -88.65484)
End: Chipmunk Rapids Campground (45.89329, -88.55767)
Alternative Start: Forest Road 2169/Stevens Lake Road (45.87409, -88.6858)
Length: 7.5 miles (or 10.25 if starting at FR 2169)
Shuttle: 7.75 miles (or 13.75 if starting at FR 2169)
Trip Report:
American Whitewater
Miles Paddled
Paddling Resources:
Paddling Northern Wisconsin
Whitewater, Quietwater
Campgrounds: Chipmunk Rapids and Lost Lake are the closest, but Stevens Lake is nearby, too (especially if paddling the longer version of this trip). Nearby Lauterman Lake and Perch Lake are primitive walk-in sites. For detailed info on each site, see Miles Paddled Canoe + Kayak Camping Guide for the Pine River.
Nearby Hiking: Lauterman Trail
Waterfall Tour: N/A
Pine Section 3
In this segment the rudder meets the rowed – although not initially. For the first four miles the Pine is practically genteel in its quiet and quiescent demeanor, a mix of deciduous and conifers – particularly spruce perfectly mimicking gnome cone hats. But then aptly named Snake Tail Rapids unkinks from its coil in a half-mile long series of Class II boulder gardens and ledges. Scout and/or portage along the left bank past an attractive cabin. The rapids also mark the unannounced entrance into the Wild Rivers section of the forest (technically a segment independent from the federal forests, but identical to the naked eye, of course). A second lovely interlude follows for another four miles before the even livelier drop at Meyers Falls, a reputable Class III rapids. Here, you’ll need to scout and/or portage on the right. The inconspicuous take-out at Goodman Grade is located a mile or so down from Meyers Falls, on the left. That said, paddlers could venture another mile downriver to run Bull Falls, a formidable Class II rapids consisting of ledges and boulders. Here you’ll want to scout on the left. Below the falls you can take out on the left and schlep boat and gear to Goodman Grade – but it’s a long, steep schlep.
Skill Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Rapids: Many Class I rapids, a solid Class II sequence, and one Class III drop at the end of the trip.
Water Level:
USGS 04064500, Popple River near Fence. Look for 3′ on the gauge. Ideal levels are between 2.75′ and 4′.
NOTE: There is an actual staff gauge at Highway 101 on the downstream side of the bridge. Less than 1′ is too low. If in doubt, call the Wild Rivers Interpretive Center in Florence for current water levels: 1-888-889-0049. Also, we’d be remiss not to mention that the Pine does have its own gauge (USGS 04064500), but it’s directly below the dam and many miles downriver from this trip. For the upper Pine, the Popple River gauge correlates better.
Start: Chipmunk Rapids Campground (45.89329, -88.55767)
End: Goodman Grade (45.90269, -88.421)
Length: 9.5 miles
Shuttle: 14 miles (NOTE: while FR 2156 is unpaved, it’s slow and steady. Goodman Grade, however, is definitively rougher. Low-clearance, non-AWD vehicles should proceed with caution, especially in spring.)
Trip Report:
American Whitewater
Miles Paddled
Paddling Resources:
Paddling Northern Wisconsin
Whitewater, Quietwater
Campgrounds: Chipmunk Rapids and Lost Lake are the closest. Nearby Lauterman Lake and Perch Lake are primitive walk-in sites. For detailed info on each site, see Miles Paddled Canoe + Kayak Camping Guide for the Pine River.
Nearby Hiking: Lauterman Trail
Waterfall Tour: Meyers & Bull Falls – see Florence County Waterfalls guide
Pine Section 4
Here begins one of the most diverse segments of the Pine, where a brief start of quietwater is briskly interrupted by a solid Class II drop called Bull Falls, in turn followed by a mile of nonstop Class I-II boulder gardens and finally blissful Class I rapids. Small islands braid the river around the halfway point on this trip – a novelty, by and by – allowing paddlers to weave through and choose side-channel adventures. Also notable is the previous eastward river here dives down to the south, even the southwest. As it does so, the current slows, too, and the wooded ridges yield the floor to lowland swamps called “the Flats” preceding the bridge at Highway 101 – the first bridge crossing since Chipmunk Rapids campground, an impressive distance of 20 miles.
Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate. Paddlers keen to run Bull Falls should have more Intermediate-Advanced skills.
Rapids: One Class II+ rapid at the beginning, followed by riffles and Class I rapids.
Water Level:
USGS 04063700, Popple River near Fence. Look for a minimum of 2.5′ on the gauge. Ideal levels are between 3′-4′.
NOTE: There is an actual staff gauge at Highway 101 on the downstream side of the bridge. Less than 1′ is too low. If in doubt, call the Wild Rivers Interpretive Center in Florence for current water levels: 1-888-889-0049. Also, we’d be remiss not to mention that the Pine does have its own gauge (USGS 04064500), but it’s directly below the dam and many miles downriver from this trip. For the upper Pine, the Popple River gauge correlates better.
Start: Goodman Grade (45.90269, -88.421)
End: Highway 101 (45.85351, -88.35065)
Length: 9.5 miles
Shuttle: 12 miles via Highways 101 and 70 and Goodman Grade. In theory, there’s a more direct route, albeit off the beaten path, by taking Price Lake Road north, via Highway 101 west of the bridge access, for a distance of only 7 miles. We have not done this and cannot confirm how passable this unpaved road is. Assume needing 4WD.
Trip Report: N/A
Paddling Resources:
Paddling Northern Wisconsin
Whitewater, Quietwater
Campgrounds: Lake Emily is the closest. Nearby Lauterman Lake and Perch Lake are primitive walk-in sites. For detailed info on each site, see Miles Paddled Canoe + Kayak Camping Guide for the Pine River.
Nearby Hiking: U.S. Forest Service | Lake Emily
Waterfall Tour: Meyers & Bull Falls – see Florence County Waterfalls guide
Pine Section 5
Arguably the least paddled segment of the mainstream – it requires considerable skill, a bit of agility, and enduring a migraine of logistics – the Pine is its wildest and most riotous here. About a mile below the Highway 101 bridge the Popple River confluence is found on the right, just past which is a light rapid over rubble. The Pine quietly meanders east through wooded uplands for roughly three miles. Then comes the sound. You’ll hear the uproar of LaSalle Falls well before you see one of the most intimidating horizon lines of your paddling life. While expert whitewater paddlers have run the falls – to the right of center – it’s neither a coincidence nor a conspiracy that all guidebooks state unequivocally that the falls are unrunnable, a mandatory portage. It is a 22′ plummet, after all.
There is a well-established trail on the right to use for portaging, although considerable caution must be taken upon re-entry to avoid being swept into a notorious eddy/whirlpool that re-circulates back to the falls. Portaging on the left is more difficult and has no trail, but it circumvents the eddy. Billions of years ago, the bedrock here of the Penokee Range, would have rivaled the Alps. Today, it’s 22 feet.
Below the falls a frothy quarter-mile of Class II+ rapids gallops through a small gorge. The current catches its breath for half a mile, skates down the “Five Ridges”—a succession of Class I-II+ ledges just before the mouth of Halls Creek (not the Jackson County one) – and then disappears altogether in the crawling sprawl of the flowage created by the dam. At high flow these rapids will rate Class III.
It’s only half a mile or so to one of two accesses – river left (north) or right (south). Both have small campgrounds, for the record. But to get back to Highway 101 from here, you’re dammed if you do, dammed if you don’t. If you take out on the right, the total shuttling distance will be 15 miles – for a 6-mile paddle. Who likes wilderness now? On the plus side, most of this distance is on paved roads. Alternatively, if you take out on the left, the shuttle is considerably shorter, about 9.75 miles – but the first third of which (from the take-out) is unpaved.
Expert whitewater kayakers have run Breakwater Falls, but for all intents and purposes consider these Class IV-V rapids impossible to run (but totally extraordinary and well worth checking out by foot). Breakwater is the 6th largest waterfall in Wisconsin, and the river drops a total of 75′ in half a mile!
Skill Level: Advanced
Rapids: One Class IV plunge followed by a Class II-III stretch in a gorge and a Class IV-V rapid at Breakwater Falls.
Water Level:
USGS 04064500, Pine River below Power plant. Since the Popple River adds its volume on this trip, water levels should be adequate – at least after the first mile. “Ideal” levels are bound to be subjective – a recreational paddler’s comfort level of 300-400 cfs will be rated PG by whitewater paddlers, for whom 800-1000 cfs is like salt, sweet, and heat in a favorite recipe. Let’s just say that at 500 cfs everyone will find something toothsome.
Start: Highway 101 (45.85351, -88.35065)
End: Flowage access north (45.82946, -88.25539); Flowage access south (45.8284, -88.25938)
Length: 6ish miles
Shuttle: 9.75 miles from the north access; 15 miles from the south access
Trip Report: American Whitewater
Paddling Resources:
Paddling Northern Wisconsin
Whitewater, Quietwater
Campgrounds: WE Energies Sites 34 (north/river-left) & 24 (south/river-right) on the flowage near the dam.
Nearby Hiking: LaSalle Falls, Halls Creek, Breakwater Falls – see Florence County Recreation guide
Waterfall Tour: LaSalle & Breakwater Falls – see Florence County Waterfalls guide
Pine Section 6
Below Breakwater Falls and the Powerhouse, the Pine flows for another 12 miles before reaching the Menominee River in what is perhaps its most unusual segment (if only for its composite of opposites): it begins briskly while meandering in huge loops, only to end in long straightaways with little waver whatsoever; and depending on where you start and end, it offers either the easiest shuttle of all time (a 10-min walk downhill on a path parallel to but off of the main road) or requires a Jules Verne-esque expedition through a tapestry of state lands and county forests that will be either indirect and unpaved or even more indirect but paved – both of which will be 5-7 miles longer than the paddling itself. It’s also the only part of the river you’re likely to encounter others on the water (more often than not in tubes, mainly from County Highway N to…County Highway N, aka “the Oxbow,” where the Pine nearly doubles back on itself). While this final “bough” of the Pine is often associated/ conflated with “the Oxbow,” the river itself is so much more than that – before and after (but especially after).
This variegated finale of the Pine begins just below the Powerhouse; there’s a small parking area and then a series of 50-something steps down to the water. Continuous riffles whisk you along a steep ridge on your right and then the County Highway N bridge, where “the Oxbow” segment begins. By and by, the 52 miles of relative quiet (other than the roar of notorious rapids) and oneness with nature since Highway 55 can be thrown out the window for the next 3.5 miles. The illusion of solitude and wildness is shattered by matter-of-fact flip-flops, inflatable tubes, bathing suits, Bluetooth speakers, coolers of White Claw and Twisted Tea, and moms and dads and grandparents with kids wearing bicep floaties (which don’t work, by the way; put the kiddos in PFDs, please), all just bobbing about and tied together like chemical bonds. Occasional riffles and one marginal Class I rapid are pleasantly intermittent.
But after the “flotilla” peels off exit stage left, you’ll have the river back to yourself. One final meander around another steep ridge lies before the Johnson Creek Road access. Here, the official jurisdiction of Wild Rivers ends, but the environment is no less wild-feeling. It’s only 3.5 miles til the next and final access on the Pine River itself, and the landscape is an exquisite mix of county forest, a state natural area, and WE Energies property. Upland wooded banks belie the veritable barrens surrounding the river – it’s a haunting area anytime of the year, but especially in autumn. The small city of Iron Mountain, Michigan, is only three miles away, but you’ll feel like you’re in remote tundra.
Paddlers face a dilemma here: take out at DD Road, a mile upriver from the confluence, or continue onto the Menominee River for an additional six miles – plus a portage of 900′ around a huge dam. From the Powerhouse to DD Road there are 11 miles of paddling but a rough and long 16-mile shuttle (or 18-mile odyssey by staying on paved roads). Alternatively, by continuing on the Menominee River the distance is 17 miles of paddling for a 10-mile shuttle. But, again, there is a dam to contend with, not to mention that the flowage before the dam is 800′ wide and has no current. Below the dam the river is still about 300′ wide and is generally sounded by development (especially along the Michigan side of the river). A 10-mile shuttle compared to one that’s 18 miles is hard to argue with; but whether those additional six miles of paddling on the big river, and portaging around the big dam, makes up for the shorter drive is your decision.
Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate due to the long distance. Otherwise, this whole stretch is Beginner-friendly.
Rapids: Innumerable riffles and one Class I rapids.
Water Level:
USGS 04064500, Pine River below Power plant. Ideal levels are between 2.5-3.5′. Water levels are usually reliable.
Start: Below Powerhouse (45.82671, -88.24765)
End: DD Road (45.83955, -88.14065)
Alternate Start: County Highway N (45.83719, -88.22507)
Alternate End: County Highway N (45.8433, -88.2244) aka “Oxbow Access”
Alternate End: Johnson Creek Road (45.83834, -88.19821)
Length: 11.25 miles
Shuttle: 16-18 miles
Trip Report:
Miles Paddled
Paddling Resources:
Paddling Northern Wisconsin
Whitewater, Quietwater
Wisconsin Trail Guide
Campgrounds:
WE Energies Sites 34 (north/river-left) & 24 (south/ river-right) on the flowage near the dam.
Nearby Hiking:
Spread Eagle Barrens SNA guide and map; Halls Creek, Breakwater Falls – see Florence County Recreation guide
Waterfall Tour:
Breakwater Falls – see Florence County Waterfalls guide
Jump to: Pine River | Popple River | Pike River
Popple River
Even though its given surname is “river,” the Popple really is creek paddling at its finest – and friskiest. Only 50′ wide most of the time, it alternates between calm, contemplative pools and unspooled runs of rapids ranging from Class I-III. Like its bigger brother to the north, the Pine, the Popple is enveloped entirely within national forest. One moment the water is glass-flat, reflecting towering conifers like an arboreal Rorschach, the next it quickens like an earthquake and tumbles down boulder gardens like a top-rail cocktail on the rocks. Of the original three Wild Rivers, the Popple is perhaps most overlooked – it is the proverbial middle child in between the Pine and the Pike… To be fair, it is often too shallow to paddle, and squirrely shuttling logistics don’t help matters either. But when the timing is right and one’s attitude allows for the four-wheeled journey between accesses being part of the adventure (not to mention a welcome opportunity to drive through the heart of a forest), then the Popple is incomparable. Its fickle water levels and pristine scenery compel seize-the-day spontaneity.
Of the 40+ miles of total river, two consecutive sections of the Popple are typically paddled: (1) Forest Road 2398 to Forest Road 2159/Morgan Lake Road and (2) Forest Road 2159/Morgan Lake Road to the Pine River confluence (and then a paramount dilemma). The first trip is simple enough and detailed below. The reason the second is convoluted is on account of its logistics; we’ll dive into all the weedy goodness below. There is a “prequel” section of the Popple upstream of Forest Road 2398, where paddlers could launch from Highway 139/FR 2161. It’s about 8 miles long, marshy, thick with hellish alders, downfall, and beaver dams, and has only one set of frisky water.
Alternatively, a fine compromise between the two established trips that caters to a little taste of everything can be had by focusing on the mid-section, the veritable Venn diagram in between them, making for a neat and tidy 10ish miles between Forest Road 2159/Newald Tower Road and Highway 101.
General Information:
Camping
Paddling
Photo Gallery
Maps + Brochures:
Canoeing the Wild Rivers of Florence County Guide
Pine-Popple Wild River Map
Pine River Land Map
Pine and Popple Wild Rivers Brochure
Wisconsin DNR Interactive Map
Popple Section 1
This singing segment, technically the North Branch of the Popple, begins as beautifully as it ends: lush with tree canopy (balsam and birch, cedars and conifers) where invisible chords of birdsong note the sky, the water itself is tinged in rich black molasses, copper-colored, or root beer-hued. There’s not a hint of civilization here but for the bridge. The soothing revelry is briefly interrupted in half a mile where boulder gardens create Class I-II rapids. Placid lowlands follow. Near where Riley Creek enters on the left, both sides of the river are part of the Hedmark Pines SNA, a unique stand of original red pine. (Incidentally, a charming memoir called Fences in the Woods, written by Ken Hedmark, offers a rare overlook into growing up in the forest without roads or telephones; the long nights lit by kerosene lamps; feeding by fishing line, trapping, and hunting, foraging for berries; of logging and befriending a bear. “It is through gravity that the river gets its power of knowledge. When gravity pulls, the river knows where it is going. I envy the river’s power of knowledge because I do not always know where I am going.” Amen, Ken. Amen.) A footbridge leads to one of a handful of grandfathered cabins. The sleepy creek awakens at Burnt Dam Rapids, Class I-II; there’s a primitive campsite off to the left. Half a mile later another boulder-strewn Class I-II rapids precedes the bridge at Forest Road 2159/Newald Tower Road, where there’s access on the downstream side, river-right. There’s another primitive campsite on the northeast side of the bridge.
The South Branch of the Popple enters stage right a thousand feet downriver, adding a welcome smidge of width and depth. The banks rise as you enter the Wild Rivers corridor. Big boulders dot the river here and there, but the current is soft and slow-going, but for a rustling riffle now and again. But a set of Class I rapids announces the come-hither whir of Class II rapids around a left-hand bend that is technically an island. Follow the main channel to the left, though scout the run via the right channel. Furniture-sized boulders are strewn everywhere! Like a wound-up cat who just-like-that curls up to nap after racing around the house from a bout of zoomies, the Popple is pretty quiet from here til just before the next bridge, at Forest Road 2159/Morgan Lake Road, where a rubble of fun Class I rapids lie in a boulder garden.
Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Rapids: A couple Class I-II sequences and a few Class I rapids
Water Level:
USGS 04063700, Popple River near Fence. Look for a minimum of 3′ on the gauge. Ideal levels are between 3.5′-5′, depending on how “white” you want your water. Also, there’s a staff gauge at the Highway 101 bridge (over the Popple, not the Pine). Look for a bare minimum of 1′, but preferably 2′-3′. If in doubt, call the Wild Rivers Interpretive Center in Florence for current water levels: 1-888-889-0049.
Start: Forest Road 2398 (45.76643, -88.60571)
End: Forest Road 2159/Morgan Lake Road (45.76355, -88.46298)
Alternate Access: Forest Road 2159/Newald Tower Road (45.75757, -88.52768)
Length: 11.25 miles
Shuttle: 10.25 miles (all unpaved forest roads)
Trip Report:
American Whitewater (upstream portion)
Miles Paddled (downstream portion)
Paddling Resources:
Paddling Northern Wisconsin
Whitewater, Quietwater
Wisconsin Trail Guide
Campgrounds: Morgan Lake is the closest, followed by West Bass Lake, Lost Lake and Chipmunk Rapids.
Nearby Hiking: U.S. Forest Service
Waterfall Tour: N/A
Popple Section 2
Considering this trip is the proverbial whitewater section (mainly in the second half), it’s appropriate that it begins in a zippy Class I boulder garden. But a half-mile of calm precedes the beginning sequences to more serious rapids. Called Little Bull Falls, they rate as a solid Class II-III ledge of 2-4′ (depending on water levels) with a notorious hole that could cause a most unwelcome swim – continual Class II boulder gardens follow for another thousand feet. You should absolutely scout and/or portage via the convenient path on river-left near an old cabin. (Easy rapids lead to the portage trail before the falls.) The action on the water settles down, but the surrounding scenery becomes, well, more becoming: wooded bluffs with rock outcrops as ancient as 2 billion years old appear with more frequency. “This is a marvelously varied section of the Popple River,” writes Mike Svob, “that includes wide, deep stretches, winding rapids, tall bluffs, alder swamps and rugged stone formations.” We couldn’t agree more. That said, Meister Svob’s map does not include two stretches of easy rapids only a mile apart, Big Murphy (very rocky, about 300 yards) and Nine-Mile (aka Nine-Day; less rocky but twice as long), both Class I-II. At Nine-Mile a primitive campsite can be found on river-right. A big open pool precedes the mouth of Hendricks Creek on the left. It’s a good opportunity to catch a breath and embrace the next mile, for nonstop Class I-II rapids lead to Big Bull Falls, a Class III drop anywhere from 6-8′ in a series of ledges (not a single one). Scout and/or portage on the left, although paddling the rapids is recommended on the right side of a small and scraggy island abound with cedars and boulders. Another big pool allows you to collect yourself (and anything else that might have gone missing…) below the falls, followed by a half-mile victory lap of easy Class I rapids to the wayside park at Highway 101.
That’s just part one on this trip, a primer for what’s left in store: a mile-long warm-up run of Class I-II rapids (on some maps dubbed “Champeau”) in boulder gardens below Highway 101 (incidentally, the last bridge over the river) before two difficult Class III rapids. The Popple does slow down before the first Class III. Weirdly named Lamon-Tangue Creek enters on the right – mentionable only in that Washburn Falls tumbles in half a mile. Per usual, you’ll hear the roar before you see the horizon line. The most formidable run on the Popple, Washburn Falls plummets some 25′ over 100 yards in a succession of technical ledges. For “lightwater” paddlers, it doesn’t get much better than this. Scout/portage on the right where there’s a sign and trail. The boils come down to a simmer in the next 1.5 miles, and the quietwater here complements the cedar-accentuated lowlands. The mouth of Woods Creek appears on the left, before a pretty (and pretty unique) section of small islands. An abrupt left-hand bend announces Jennings Falls (aka Popple Rapids). You’ll see a rocky wall on the right, near the scout/portage trail also on the right. The river constricts here, which in tandem with the ancient rock walls, creates impressive and imposing standing waves that rate as Class II-III. At high levels (300+ cfs), there’s a sticky hole on the right below the first big haystack. As long as you stay upright, Jennings makes for a wild bronco ride that is exhilarating in surroundings that are outrageously gorgeous.
It’s about 1.5 miles to the confluence at the Pine River, all of it quietwater. In other words, it’s plenty of time to figure out what to do next – obviously kidding, since you’ll have had to make a decision about this before you started. As Svob wrote, “the one drawback to this exciting and beautiful section is the lack of a convenient takeout.” That said, there are essentially four options – none ideal.
Option 1: Take out on river right after a small rapid just past the confluence, at the dead end of White Ash Road (not recommended because the primitive road can be unreliable even for 4WD vehicles);
Option 2: Take out on river left after the small rapid just past the confluence, at the dead end of Jack Pine Drive (recommended, but with the following caveat: this is on private land, so permission needs to be granted ahead of time);
Option 3: Turn left into the Pine River and paddle 1.3 miles upstream to the Highway 101 bridge over the Pine (not recommended, because it’s a strenuous slog against the current); or
Option 4: Continue on the Pine for another 2.75 miles and take out at the portage for LaSalle Falls (not recommended because it would necessitate a tough 1-mile schlep from the river to the parking area).
Unless you paddle upstream the Pine to the Highway 101 access, all the shuttling routes otherwise will involve long sections of rough unpaved roads. If you wish to take out at the end of Jack Pine Drive, please contact Dwayne or Ann at 715-528-5266. Obviously, be respectful and maybe even offer a gift of thanks.
Skill Level: Advanced
Rapids: A Class II sequence right off the bat followed by quietwater in between two Class III rapids
Water Level:
USGS 04063700, Popple River near Fence. Look for a minimum of 3′ on the gauge. Ideal levels are between 3.5′-5′, depending on how “white” you want your water. Also, there’s a staff gauge at the Highway 101 bridge (over the Popple, not the Pine). At the risk of confusing things, here look for a bare minimum of 1′, but preferably 2′-3′. (Each foot correlates to about a hundred cfs, so when the staff gauge shows 2′, that equals around 200 cfs.) If in doubt, call the Wild Rivers Interpretive Center in Florence for current water levels: 1-888-889-0049.
Start: Forest Road 2159/Morgan Lake Road (45.76355, -88.46298)
End: Pine River confluence/White Ash Road (45.83959, -88.33871)
Alternate Access: Highway 101 over the Popple (45.8001, -88.39727)
Length: 12 miles to Pine River confluence
Shuttle: 14+ miles to Pine River confluence
Trip Report:
American Whitewater (downstream portion)
Miles Paddled (upstream portion)
Paddling Resources:
Paddling Northern Wisconsin
Whitewater, Quietwater
Wisconsin Trail Guide
Campgrounds: Morgan Lake and West Bass Lake are the closest, followed by Lake Emily.
Nearby Hiking: U.S. Forest Service
Waterfall Tour: Little Bull, Big Bull, Washburn, and Jennings Falls are all in this segment – see Florence County Waterfalls guide
Jump to: Pine River | Popple River | Pike River
Pike River
The Pike is in a class all its own (though likewise has lots of Class II-III rapids). Located near but south of the Pine and Popple, the Pike is forged of a north and south branch, both originating in northwestern Marinette County. Each branch is considerably longer than the mainstream Pike, yet rarely plied except by elite-tier whitewater paddlers. Upstream of the Highway 141 bridge the North Branch has a gradient of 20+ fpm; while evincing no poetry, it’s not for nothing that its waterfalls are named Eight Foot Falls, Twelve Foot Falls, and (gulp!) Eighteen Foot Falls. The South Branch is just as long and steep and is showcased by Horseshoe Falls and Dave’s Falls. (See below for more info on all the falls; after all, Marinette County does dub itself as the waterfall capital of Wisconsin…)
Nonetheless, the two branches converge only a couple miles upstream of Highway 141, and from there down to the Menominee River the distance is only 14.5 miles. Thus, the Pike is a wee tyke. But in those 14ish miles it sure packs a punch! The surroundings are entirely mostly forested and punctuated with granite and gneiss outcrops the likes of which are only dreamt about on the Pine or Popple. (Regrettably, you’ll also see a few more houses and of course bridges on the Pike than you will anywhere on the Pine or Popple.) And did we mention that unlike the Pine and certainly the Popple, water levels for the mainstream Pike tend to be stable and reliable? Yes, and the shuttling is not only along paved roads, the distance is shorter than the paddling itself – just like good old fashioned shuttling oughta!
Not unlike us humans, every river has its own personality, persona, quirks, and contradictions. While all three of these streams are still wild at 60 years young, each offers something distinctly different than the others. Diversity is good.
Even though the Pike River proper is shy of 15 total miles, it’s often divvied up into two trips, depending on how white you want your water: (1) Highway 141 to County Highway K (6.25 miles) and (2) Highway K to either the Yellow Bridge Landing at Barker Road or the landing at Pike River Road – both are basically 3 miles. (The difference between the two landings is whether you wish to run Class III Yellow Bridge Falls.) Still, there are five lovely miles from there to the Menominee River – not to mention intermittent Class I-II rapids – as well as an excellent access smack-dab at the confluence at Grogan Road. What’s not to like? It’s possible to extend this trip one mile upstream by launching from the sadly neglected Veterans Park (note: not the same as the county park campground near Crivitz), but it would require deftly flushing through Dave’s Falls, which are usually too narrow , steep, and dangerous to run. Some juice just ain’t worth the squeeze – especially when you could be what’s squeezed.
General Information:
Photo Gallery (scroll way down for the Pike – and then keep on down-scrolling, for there are more…and more still).
Maps + Brochures:
Wisconsin Trail Guide
Wisconsin DNR Interactive Map
Pike Segment
Access at Highway 141 is found on the upstream side of the bridge on river-right. You’ll hear the awesome roar of falls to the left and see lots of riffles coming down the, um, Pike. But all’s quiet for the first half-mile. The river ranges from a skinny 50′ to a more generous but still intimate 90′. But within minutes you’ll hear the unmistakable sound of rapids before you see their whipped froth or horizon line. Far less uproarious than Dave’s Falls, the rapids here – interchangeably called Bull Falls and Powerline Rapids – are definitively Class II (or III at high levels). Neither formidable nor to be taken for granted, scout or portage on the right. (Alternatively, during the shuttle you can park by the power lines at County Highway K and walk the 300′ to view the micro canyon.) Guidebook scribe, Mike Svob, recommends entering the rapids on the left, then maneuvering around the big boulders. Past a few houses (all on the left) and then an S-curve, a terrific rock outcrop juts out above you – one of so, so many along the Pike. Pleasant riffles and light rapids prevail as wonderful woods envelop you, interrupted briefly by half a dozen houses/cottages. An abrupt 90-degree right-hand bend begins a scenic interlude occasionally showcasing genuinely gigantic rock outcrops and boulders the size of one-story houses. Continuous riffles and Class I rapids whisk you along the geology show to and fro the County K bridge. And then the Pike buckles down for business.
Not only are there three Class II rapids in the next three miles, the river is most enveloped within the protected boundaries of the Wild Rivers Area. The geology is outrageous, the woods piney and redolent, the current an absolute blast. Not saying we’ve saved the best for last, but the Pike is something special. That said, the substrate is rockier and the gradient steeper – meaning you’ll need more water below County K than above it.
After lots of frisky meandering corresponding to Class I+ rapids in the half-mile below County K, the river simmers before constricting into a scenic dells area called Scrounge Canyon (which name we love, by the way – scrounge!), rated Class II. There’s nothing technical here, just good, clean fun in a beautiful setting. The Pike modestly hiccups north for a short spell before the next notable splash, before which there’s an alternate landing on the left off Lear Road. As the river makes a series of right-hand bends you’ll soon come upon Horseshoe Falls, rated Class II. An island diverts most of the flow to the right, which makes the ledge here curved, though it’s not truly technical. That said, it’s best to scout first on the right. And be mindful of the re-circulating current below the ledge. One more half-mile later, before the Barker Road bridge, an unusual river-wide ledge in a right-hand bend creates a diagonal flow of two pitches also rated Class II. Here, scout or portage on the left.
Only 50 yards below the bridge at Barker Road the Pike plunges into Yellow Bridge Falls, a Class III rapids comprising two pitches – the first about 2′ tall, the second a more intimidating 5′ drop with a gulp-inducing horizon line. Mike Svob recommends running both pitches towards the right/ center-right. Unfortunately, both banks here are private property, so if you do scout you’ll need to keep your feet wet (unless having gained permission from the home owner west of the river to dry-land it ahead of time). Following the second drop is a splashy tumble of Class II boulder gardens a couple hundred yards long. In other words, going for a swim here would be quite punishing. Fawn for the falls, yes, but don’t be like a newborn deer in roller skates going over a staircase. Accesses up- and downriver here at Barker Road allow for paddlers to run these sequences multiple times. For the record, the older bridge here once ago had a yellow-painted railing; hence the name of the rapids.
But wait – there’s still five more miles before the Menominee! Flowing southward with a subtle waver here and there, the narrow Pike catches its breath for a good two miles and flows around some islandz. As it ricochets east, one final set of Class I-II rapids in a series of broken ledges and boulder gardens appears. There’s access at the next/last bridge, Pike River Road, past which the current will eventually vanish. Purists can push on for another 1.75 miles through bottomland to the confluence at the Menominee River, where there’s access off Grogan Road, on the right, just past the Pike’s toothy mouth.
Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate (first six miles) to Intermediate-Advanced (next three miles, County K to Yellow Bridge Rapids).
Rapids: Several Class II sequences, innumerable Class I-II rapids, and one Class III stretch.
Water Level:
USGS 04066500, Pike River at Amberg. Ideal levels are between 3.25-4′. Above 4′ only seriously skilled whitewater paddlers should heed the call. Below 3′ much of the action between County K and Yellow Bridge Rapids will be unrunnable.
Start: Highway 141 (45.49605, -87.98461)*
End: Grogan Road (45.44175, -87.85602)
Alternate Access: County Highway K (45.49562, -87.90513)
Alternate Access: Barker Road (45.47399, -87.87527)
*There must have been a time when paddlers launched downstream river-left, as both printed guidebooks state that spot. Alas, today there’s no parking on the east side of the road; however, there’s a dedicated parking area on the southwest side of the bridge. There are two paths to the river – one beelines to the water, the other veers into the woods about 500′ to check out the final drop at Dave’s Falls – definitely worth a look-see.
Length: 14.25 miles
Shuttle: 10.25 miles
Trip Report:
American Whitewater (first half)
American Whitewater (second half)
Paddling Resources:
Paddling Northern Wisconsin
Whitewater, Quietwater
Wisconsin Trail Guide
Campgrounds: Goodman County Park, McClintock County Park, Peshtigo River State Forest, Twelve Foot Falls County Park, Veterans Memorial County Park
Nearby Hiking: Marinette County Parks
Waterfall Tour: Marinette County Guide
Jump to: Pine River | Popple River | Pike River
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