Bois Brule, Wisconsin, US

A) CTH.B to Hwy. 2 (3.9 miles)

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
BOIS BRULE RIVER AT BRULE, WI
usgs-04025500	125 - 1700 cfs	I-II+(III)	02h39m	656 cfs (running)
	High runnable flow.

River Description

Very scenic river with mild whitewater, suitable to novice paddlers. Commercial outfitters are available for canoe or kayak trips on various reaches of this river.

Since there are many springs in the headwaters, flows tend to be very consistent, making this river boatable most of the year.

It is important to note that while a map will show numerous potential access points, many of them are 'off-limits' as launch/landing sites, being designated as access only for fishermen.

According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, the name means "charred wood" or "burnt wood". Also, the correct pronunciation is "bwah broo-ley" (hear it spoken by going to  dictionary.reference.com and clicking the 'speaker' icon), though you'll almost never hear it pronounced that way. In fact, there are many who will look askance at you for being so 'snooty' as to employ what they consider a 'mock French' pronunciation! Indeed, this river is often simply referred to as "the Brule". This can create some confusion, however, since there are two other relatively nearby Brule Rivers. One forms the border between Wisconsin and Michigan, and (after the confluence with the Paint and the Michigamme) becomes the Menominee River. While it does contain some whitewater, the rapids are no more than class I (marginally to class II) and there is so much flatwater that it must really be considered more of a flatwater trip for canoeists. The other Brule River (much less likely to cause confusion) being up in Minnesota, well North/East from Duluth, towards the Canadian border. This Brule contains some quite significant whitewater, and is detailed in the Minnesota section of this website.  

MnktoDave has a fine video from a trip on the Bois Brule River: