Turtle
Shays Dam to CTH.FF (Turtle/Flambeau Flowage) (16.5 miles)
| Difficulty | I(III) |
| Length | 16.8 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 2 fpm |
| Reach Info Last Updated | January 28, 2025 |
River Description
A significant portion of this fairly long section is lake paddling, some with very irrgular shores! This makes it an unlikely choice for serious whitewater paddlers. (Also meaning anyone else won't want paddle this on a windy day!) While there are random bits of rapids and swiftwater, the overall impression will be a flatwater paddle. It may be possible to shorten the trip using alternate access points.
River Features
Put In: Shays Dam Rd
Just below Shays Dam.
Drainage: ~48 sq.mi.
Drainage area at our listed put-in is approximately 48 sq.mi. (as calculated via USGS StreamStats Beta software).
Fisher Lake Road
A bit of swift water as you pass under the road.
Entering a lake complex
Entering a lake complex with highly irregular shore. Be sure to take a long look at a map of this lake so that you know where to head for the shortest trip to get to the outlet!
Leaving the lake complex
Phew.
Rice Lake Falls
As the river heads toward and passes under Rice Lake Road / Arrowhead Drive, a fine brief rips is encountered.
Take Out
As you pass under Hwy.FF (the listed take-out for this run), Lake-of-the-Falls County Park is on the left (with a canoe launch/landing), and Lake-of-the-Falls Campground is on the right.
This is the recommended take-out because just downstream, there is a set of falls which are rocky and will be a portage for most paddlers of this long and otherwise mostly flat reach.
The first falls is spanned by a footbridge, and there are trails along shore to view the rest of this falls area.
Lake of the Falls County Park (R) and Campground (L)
There first falls occurs where a footbridge crosses the river. To the left, water trips across a corrugated iron barrier followed immediately by major rock jumble (impassible under all normal flows) then into a mostly smooth channel. To the right, passing under the footbridge, a rocky first pitch (boat abuse at most flows), followed by a brief pool, then a second pitch (a bit smoother ... definitely runnable). Following that, the flow from the other channel rejoins (creating some turbulence at any significant flows), then heads toward a final complex pitch (likley runnable a couple different lines, but needing to be scouted for best line(s)).
Fine drone-footage video of the falls is available from the Mercer area Chamber of Commerce:
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