Siskiwit
Siskiwit Falls (PnH, 0.25 mile)
| Difficulty | II-IV |
| Length | 0.24 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 60 fpm |
| Gauge | Siskiwit River at Cornucopia, Wi |
| Reach Info Last Updated | January 28, 2025 |
River Description
Bayfield County has purchased about 100 acres of land north of Siskiwit Falls Road. Parking lots and privvies have been installed. Boardwalks have been built and trails established to facilitate viewing all the falls. A fine 'flyover' video exists at YouTube: Siskiwit Falls (NOTE: you may wish to speed it up by clicking the 'Settings' icon (the 'gear', bottom right), then clicking 'Playback Speed' and selecting 1.5 or 2 (to double speed), since the drone footage is long and slow otherwise.)
This reach is going to be difficult to catch by anyone who does not live in the immediate area (Bayfield/Ashland/Duluth/Superior boaters) because it has such a small watershed (extremely short 'window of opportunity' for adequate flow). Add to that the extremely short length, and the proximity to the known and more popular 'North Shore' (MN) rivers, and you'll quickly see why few boaters ever catch this one. However, anyone who manages to catch it with boatable flow is likely to be pleasantly entertained if not intimidated! Why? If there is anything above bump-and-scrape flow, rather than being separate slides, everything below the bridge will essentially be very nearly one continuous high-speed-whoopie slide, as the river drops about 50-60 feet in about a quarter-mile!
The section is almost entirely smooth bedrock sliding drops, with almost no inherent hazards (other than concerns for hangers, strainers, and snags -- trees still anchored to shores, but extending over and/or into the water). In fact, local folks and tourists 'slide' the falls (some use air mattresses or inner tubes, others just slide parts of it on their butts!) during the summer. The objective difficulty of any individual drop is likely no more than class II (possibly marginally up to class III). However, with adequate flow, having this much gradient, this many drops, back to back to back . . . the overall 'feel' will be
...River Features
Beartrap Ck.Gauge
USGS gauge (22.6 Sq.Mi. drainage). While other gauges are slightly closer, this one most closely matches for drainage area, so it is our chosen 'reference gauge'. As always, when using a gauge not actually on the listed stretch of river, it is only an indicator of possible runnable flows.
N.Fish Ck.Gauge
Drainage area listed as 65.4 Sq.Mi., but then lists only 38.3 Sq.Mi. 'contributing area'.
This could be a possible alternate reference gauge. However, while it is a little closer to this river, the difference in drainage area makes it likely less viable.
Whittlesey Ck.Gauge
Drainage area listed as 37.6 Sq.Mi., but then lists only 7.4 Sq.Mi. 'contributing area'.
This could also be a possible alternate reference gauge, but appears to have gone unfunded. While it is a little closer to this river, the difference in drainage area (exacerbated by the disparity between drainage and 'contributing' drainage) makes it likely less viable.
USGS gauge
USGS gauge at this site has been active since April, 2021, listing drainage area as 47.4 Sq.Mi., but only 21.6 Sq.Mi. 'contributing area'.
For water year 2024 (Oct.2023-Sept.2024), it lists on June 19th) peak flow hit 4,210 cfs! However, he '10% flow' is only 21.3 cfs. (I.E., flow only exceeds 21.3 cfs 10% of the time.)
Put In
Undercut
Keep center-to-right (if you can) to avoid being shoved into or under this overhanging/undercut rock.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportUpstream of this there are a few minor rapids and slides, but there are also numerous snags and deadfall, making this the first likely runnable slide. It tends to have more water to river-right.
The Second Slide is immediately downstream of the Siskiwit Falls Road bridge, and has a couple of 'steps' across the main part of the drop. It is smoother (more continuous slide) to either side, but there would likely be less depth to either side.
The only real 'ledge drop' is visible from the Siskiwit Falls Road bridge (or, from under it, as this shot was taken).
The third slide is likely the longest, smoothest, and (possibly) most fun.
Downstream of the third slide, do your best to stay center-to-right to avoid being stuffed into/under this overhanging rock.
The fourth (and final) slide is perhaps the largest of them all.
The final 'kicker' on the fourth slide . . . try to stay center-to-right (if you have any chance of controlling this) to stay in deeper flow.