- Tomahawk River
- Black River
- Bois Brule River
- Brule River
- Chippewa River
- Eau Claire River
- Flambeau River
- Manitowish River
- Menominee River
- Montreal River
- Namekagon River
- Peshtigo River
- Pike River
- Pine River
- Popple River
- Red River
- St Croix River
- White River
- Wisconsin River
- Wolf River
- Links
- Site Updates
- Terms of Use
- Contact
WPG
A canoeing, kayaking, and whitewater rafting guide to Wisconsin's most popular paddle rivers.
distance:
most difficult rapids:
approx. trip time:
elevation drop:
average gradient:
(feet per mile)
11.9 miles
class II
5 hours
44 feet
3.7 fpm
Tomahawk River
Willow Dam to Swamp Lake Road Landing
The Tomahawk is an often-overlooked gem located in the center of Wisconsin. The river offers an appealing run where canoers and kayakers will find long stretches of flat-water with occasional riffles and one stretch of whitewater named Halfbreed Rapids, a rocky class 2. Most of the river is narrow with a current that varies from slow to medium speeds.
Even though large portions of the surrounding land is privately owned, most of the shoreline below Willow Dam is wild and undeveloped with a quiet and intimate northwoods setting. The river flows past a widely varying landscape, from dense forest with occasional high sandy banks to long stretches of lowland marsh and 'stunted' pine, then open savannah and meadows.
Northern hardwood forests dominate the region. Common trees include sugar maple, birch, oak, white ash, basswood, and hemlock with numerous groves of pine and spruce.
Paddle the river in the morning or late afternoon hours and you will likely see an abundance of wildlife; migrating waterfowl (spring and fall), warblers, chickadees, gray jays, eagle and osprey are common. Deer and beaver are often spotted along the riverbanks.
Skill level ~ Craft
Novice ~ Canoe, Recreational Kayak
Season
Water levels are dependent on release from the Willow Reservoir Dam. You may call the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company at 715.848.2976 or the Woodruff DNR office at 715.356.5211 for information. The river levels are categorized as high, medium, or low. High levels can sometimes produce dangerous conditions, medium levels are generally ideal, while low conditions can make navigating the rapids difficult.
River Level Information
phone contact: Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company; 715.848.2976
phone contact: WDNR Woodruff Office; 715.356.5211