| Difficulty | II-IV |
| Length | 6.1 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 51 fpm |
| Reach Info Last Updated | April 28, 2025 |
The Montreal River forms part of the border between Wisconsin and Michigan and is one of the most celebrated whitewater rivers in the Upper Midwest. Two hydropower facilities, the Superior Falls and Saxon Falls projects, regulate flows on the mainstem of the Montreal river, while the Gile Flowage storage [...]Read More
Flow can be obtained by calling dam operator at 715-893-2213 for both the WF Monetreal and the mainstem Montreal.
Tough to catch with water, but contains one of the longest IV- rapids in the state.
Some river guide descriptions break the run into two sections, using Kimball Town Park as the intermediate take-out/put-in. This shortens the upper trip to 5.0 miles, and yields a 'section 2' run with 1.5 miles of II-III rapids (down to just below Hwy.2) followed by about a mile of much lesser gradient before the confluence with the main Montreal River (midway through a described reach of that river). Breaking this reach as described here, you get virtually all of the whitewater on the West Fork in one reach.
Alternatively, put-in may be possible from backroads north of the town of Montreal, skipping Gile Falls and thus also skipping 1.6 miles of flatwater.
Gile Falls (at/near the put in) is a scenic area where the river is squeezed between rock walls to plunge over a short falls. At most boatable flows you will be best advised to avoid the reversal that forms here by skirting as far left as possible. Just downstream, the river is diverted 90degrees left through a vertical walls of rock.
Much flatwater intervenes until Rock Cut Falls (a.k.a. Railroad Rapids) is encountered. Scouting is highly advised, as this area has been known to collect snags. There are virtually no eddies to the bridge, and only a few small ones below. A great series of (almost unavoidable) offset holes in a relatively narrow boulder-lined channel lead to a bit of slack water under the (defunct) railroad bridge. The action resumes (only slightly diminished) leading to a river-right ledge and rock jumble creating a final slide into a pool.
A short distance downstream, another river-wide irregular ledge creates a fairly nasty reversal at most runnable levels. The best route is a 'sneak' well to the right, with a short boof ledge,
...USGS lists a sampling site just downstream of the Gile Flowage dam, showing drainage at this point as 78 square miles.
Gile Falls (at/near the put in) is a scenic area where the river is squeezed between rock walls to plunge over a short falls. At most boatable flows you will be best advised to avoid the reversal that forms here by skirting as far left as possible. Just downstream, the river is diverted 90-degrees left through a vertical walls of rock.
Alternate put-in, skipping Gile Falls and ~1.75 miles of flat water.
Just past a short zig-zag you'll come to a powerline crossing/clearing. Almost immediately you'll want to get out and scout from river-right (where the 'Iron Horse Trail' passes through). This is one of Wisconsin's (and among the upper Midwest's) longest class IV rapids (nearly an unrelenting quarter-mile). The narrow channel is filled with action, with only a brief pause right at the (defunct) railroad bridge (now part of the 'Iron Horse Trail'). Downstream of the bridge, the channel is slightly wider and the action slightly more manageable than above the bridge.
As the river takes a sweeping right-hand bend, it encounters a few good bedrock intrusions (ledges). At some flows, there will be keepy-looking holes, but there are sneak-routes available.
Mostly just as a 'way point' to measure progress, but could also be an alternate (emergency) access.
Located in a county park, the lead-in is a bit less-than straightforward. Get out (river-left) to scout well-before the bridge. As you pass under the bridge (which no longer allows vehicular traffic, but provides access to the park) the main drop has a steep wrapping wave to the right, a fine tongue leading to a diagonal wave/hole below.