Wisconsin | Northwest Wisconsin

Bois Brule River

Pine Tree Landing to Highway 13 Canoe Landing

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Difficulty moderate Intermediate whitewater judgment is appropriate. Lenroot Ledges and Mays Ledges can reach Class II-III character, should be scouted as needed, and become more consequential at high flows.
Permits None noted No route-specific paddling permit is known, but Wisconsin DNR Brule River rules apply: launch and land only at designated canoe landings, carry wearable PFDs, secure containers and trash, and follow posted state-forest rules.
Camping Day trip Camping is allowed only at state-designated campgrounds. Copper Range Campground is upstream of the put-in, but this route itself should be planned as a day trip unless you have a legal campground reservation or plan.
Season May-Oct Late spring through fall is the main season. The Bois Brule is spring-fed and often runnable, but rain or snowmelt can make the ledges fast, pushy, and less forgiving.

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, shuttle, and map

Launch at Pine Tree Landing for the Bois Brule BB3 whitewater segment and finish at Highway 13 Canoe Landing. Expect near-continuous riffles and rapids, with Lenroot Ledges and Mays Ledges as the key scout-or-portage features.

Start

Put-in

Pine Tree Landing Open map

Pine Tree Landing is a hand-carry state-forest landing with parking, trailer turn-around, and pit toilets at the end of Dead End Road. Confirm road and seasonal access before committing to the shuttle.

Finish

Take-out

Highway 13 Canoe Landing Open map

Highway 13 Canoe Landing is a hand-carry landing on river right near the end of Highway 13 Rapids, with parking, trailer turn-around, pit toilets, and potable water.

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Access caveats

  • Pine Tree Landing is a hand-carry state-forest landing with parking, trailer turn-around, and pit toilets at the end of Dead End Road. Confirm road and seasonal access before committing to the shuttle.
  • Highway 13 Canoe Landing is a hand-carry landing on river right near the end of Highway 13 Rapids, with parking, trailer turn-around, pit toilets, and potable water.
  • Wisconsin DNR requires paddlers on the Brule to use allowed designated landings only, so do not improvise alternate exits on private or angler-only access points.

Watch for

  • Lenroot Ledges, a long Class II ledge sequence that can get shallow and bumpy at low water and faster at higher flows.
  • Mays Ledges, the most challenging whitewater on this segment; scout or portage from river right if there is any doubt.
  • Fallen trees, strainers along banks, bony rapids below about 200 cfs, fast constrictions above about 600 cfs, and cold spring-fed water.

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Gauge, thresholds, and timing

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

Gauge site Bois Brule River at Brule, WI
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Target band 200 cfs to 350 cfs
Low threshold 125 cfs
High threshold 600 cfs
Data confidence behind the range Official and local sources
Gauge observed Checking
Paddle Today updated Checking
Main source behind this score Wisconsin Trail Guide Bois Brule BB3 suggested river levels
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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.

  • Route level bands 125 / 200-350 / 600 cfs

    Wisconsin Trail Guide says below 125 cfs is not recommended, 125 to 200 cfs is low runnable with bony rapids, 200 to 350 cfs is medium runnable and fun for novice whitewater paddlers, 350 to 600 cfs is high runnable, 600 to 1000 cfs should be avoided by novice paddlers, and above 1000 cfs is experienced-paddler-only.

    Source

  • Gauge fit Same river, route-specific guidance

    Wisconsin Trail Guide says the referenced gauge is 10.5 miles upstream from this BB3 segment and should provide an accurate indication of current conditions in the reach.

    Source

  • Official trip timing Pine Tree to Highway 13: five hours

    Wisconsin DNR lists Pine Tree to Highway 13 among the Brule River State Forest time-between-landings options and describes this northern stretch as a preferred rapid-filled run for more daring canoeists and kayakers.

    Source

  • Endpoint coordinates 46.61545, -91.58264 to 46.67776, -91.59553

    Wisconsin Trail Guide publishes WGS84 coordinates for Pine Tree Landing and Highway 13 Landing; the Highway 13 coordinate is also corroborated by the Wisconsin DNR boat-access detail used by the downstream route.

    Source

  • Key rapids Lenroot Ledges, Mays Ledges, Highway 13 Rapids

    Wisconsin Trail Guide describes Lenroot Ledges as long Class II ledges, Mays Ledges as Class II-III and the most challenging whitewater on the Bois Brule, and Highway 13 Rapids as low-hazard Class I riffles near the take-out.

    Source

  • Whitewater corroboration American Whitewater reach 2280

    American Whitewater lists the Copper Range-to-Highway 13 reach at about 8.7 miles with the Bois Brule at Brule gauge, including Lenroot Ledges, May Ledges, and Highway 13 Rapids in the route feature list.

    Source

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Bois Brule River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Bois Brule River?

Paddle Today watches Bois Brule River at Brule, WI and treats 200 cfs to 350 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Bois Brule River route start and end?

This route starts at Pine Tree Landing and ends at Highway 13 Canoe Landing, about 8.4 mi on the water.

Is this Bois Brule 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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