BLACK RIVER, EAST FORK

(Jackson Co., WI, 25 miles east of Black River Falls)

LENGTH 19 mi., CLASS II, GRADIENT: 4' per mile

SEASON: A week or two in early spring.

PUT-IN: To shorten the run and stick to the whitewater, go 2.5 miles east of Pray on Old Hwy. 54. At this point take a road that goes straight north for 1 mile to the river

For the full 19 mile run to Lake Arbutus you can put in near City Point.

TAKEOUT: You can do a short run that hits the main rapid and ends at the bridge 2.2 miles straight north of Pray or you can continue to the East Fork Campground near Lake Arbutus. There is another rapid just downstream of the campground and just upstream of the campground at the East Fork Rd. Bridge.

GAGE: See what the main Black is doing (USGS gage at Neilsville and USGS gage at Black River Falls) If it is running at a decent level you can probably catch this run too.

FUN FACT: Something else to try near the Black if you are still waiting for the melt up north.

SHUTTLE: Use Old Hwy. 54.

This is not one of the more action runs of Wisconsin but you might try it if you are camped overnight for the Black and looking for something else in the area. A couple rapids provide some interest for whitewater boaters but there is a lot of flatwater.