Namekagon River
(N3) Springbrook Landing to Trego Landing, Wisconsin Trail Guide

Trail Facts

Synopsis

Trail Review

This is a another scenic stretch that presents a peaceful quiet-water float. There is one notable stretch of riffles and low hazard rapids located about a mile and a half below Springbrook Landing. As with previous sections, the surrounding terrain varies from, wide open vistas of grassy marsh, to mixed hardwood/conifer forests, to spruce bog.

A number of spring-fed streams feed into the river which often has a sandy bottom visible through the clear waters. Numerous grassy islands, some fairly large, are scattered throughout this stretch. Eight group and individual National Park canoe campsites border the river including an excellent group site at Earl Park Landing which is accessible by car and has drinking water (busy on weekends though!).

Many paddlers who decide to float all the way to Trego will take out at the Trego Landing across from the Namekagon Visitor Center (National Park Service). You can continue through the Trego Flowage (Trego Lake) to the Trego Dam, but you may have to contend with motorized craft and their wakes throughout much of the five mile trip. Once you reach the dam, a short portage is required on river right. After the portage, the County K Landing is a short distance downstream.

Camping

Canoe/Kayak Camping

The National Park Service has five individual and three group campsites in this segment. The group camp at Earl Park Landing is vehicle accessible and can be busy on weekends and holidays. Water is available at Earl Park Landing (June through September) and at Trego Town Park.

Individual sites accommodate up to three tents and/or eight people, while the group sites hold up to six tents and/or sixteen people. There are no fees for accessing, camping, or parking in any of the National Scenic Riverway areas. There is a three night limit of stay. All sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No glass beverage containers are allowed on the riverway!

Washburn County Parks Campgrounds

Trego Town Park, the takeout for this segment, has a family campground with 50 sites. Amenities include water, electric hookup, showers, flush toilets, firewood $, and a picnic area. The phone number for reservations and availablity is: 715.635.6075

Season

This segment is usually navigable throughout the warm-weather season.

River Level Information

River levels are monitored by the National Park Service with frequent status updates on the webpage linked to below.

NPS Website: St Croix and Namekagon River Levels
Phone Contact for River Info: NPS, Namekagon River Visitor Center: 715.635.8346