Devil's, WI

Gauge Information

River Description

General Overview
For a river set in east-central Wisconsin, this run boasts a rather surprising drop and mini-gorge. The broken walls of a long-gone dam signal a set of ledges which will catch any midwest boater's attention. Water sheets across smooth bedrock and into rubble fields in the next half-mile to create a busy run-out.

Run Detail
The brief access paddle for this reach consists of flat but flowing water, with occasional riffles and rips. One should expect numerous snags which will require threading over, under, through, or around. After passing under Interstate 43 (and leaving the worst of the snags behind) you will see a trailer-campground river-right. Gradient increases slightly to provide a tame boulder-garden rapids, leading to a pool and a sharp left-hand turn. You will hear the falls downstream. Proceed cautiously, taking out on the right before you even see the horizon-line. The drop consists of a couple ledges in quick succession (of approximately two feet height each) landing on shallow bedrock. At high water, this will be a steep flume, dropping into a dynamic surging hole. A brief flowing pool leads to another short ledge which (at higher levels) will form a potentially sticky hole.

Immediately downstream, overhanging trees and shrubs add to the potential hazard as one begins the next 0.5 mile of mixed rubble field rapids and shallow sloping bedrock rapids, some of which could offer some play (were it not for the fact that water quality is generally terrible due to the multitude of cattle farms in the watershed). After passing under CTH.R, a few more good waves, short ledges, and rubble field rapids lead to the confluence of the Devil's River with Neshota River, where together they form the West Twin River. (Half of stated run length is on the West Twin, as that is the most convenient egress.)

Paddlers may be interested in ferrying across to the east (river-left) bank and carrying upstream about a hundred yards here. (Be very careful while walking through the woods-- there is old barbed wire low to the ground in a number of spots here.) A sweet series of ledge/waves on the Neshota River lie just upstream of the confluence, and can provide some sweet 'bigger water' action (not 'big water', just 'bigger' water than on Devil's).

Heading downstream, you will encounter little more than swiftwater and a few riffles and rips. It is possible to take out at Maribel Caves County Park, eliminating about 1.5 miles of mostly flat-but-flowing water. This, however, necessitates an arduous climb up stairs at the bluff to get to the parking area. Therefore it is generally preferable to continue downstream to the listed take-out on Hwy.147. Whichever take-out is used, I highly recommend a hike in the park to explore the bluffs and caves and view the stone ruins of the Maribel Hotel.

Note: You may notice (on topo maps and other sources) some marked "falls" on the stretch of the West Twin (or nearby East Twin). Without exception, these are really just gentle rapids, much more tame than the action on the Devil's River! Each of the "Twins" could make very pleasant canoe trips, and have reaches which would be floatable during most of the year. At lower water, many shoals would require dragging over, but much of these streams are deep pools with sufficient beauty to merit a float trip.

Additional Resources:

Midwest River Inventory has more details and photos of this reach.
Click here for an interesting website about the Maribel Hotel. (Make certain to read not just the myths, but also the facts debunking them.)