From the put-in at Namekagon Dam Landing, the narrow river quietly meanders through tamarack and spruce bog and open marsh for the first several miles. The first rapids occur about two miles below the dam in a short stretch where the surrounding forest closes in and the river rushes through a long class 1 rip.
Downstream, the river slows, widens, and flows through open marshlands as the forest recedes into the distance. This pattern continues for this entire reach, slow and calm with occasional riffles through open marsh, then the river constricts and rushes through a low hazard rapids between wooded banks.
There is plenty of wildlife along the upper Namekagon, especially beaver. These little furballs love building dams and it's quite amazing to see what they're sometimes able to accomplish. Occasionally their dams get pretty big, and one may be blocking the river channel requiring paddlers to make a short portage. So plan on getting your feet wet! Please do not do anything to disturb the dams, you're the visitors out here.
River Camping
The National Park Service has one individual campsite in this segment, located about 1.5 miles above the takeout at Cable Wayside landing. Individual sites accommodate up to three tents and/or eight 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 and all sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Glass beverage containers are not allowed on the riverway!
Camping at Copper Falls State Park
Copper Falls State Park is about a 45 minute drive northeast from the Namekagon Dam Landing. The family campground offers 56 secluded campsites and a group camp for tent camping (up to 40 people). Copper Falls features the most scenic gorge and waterfall area in Wisconsin and the Doughboys Trail is featured in this guide.
“Ancient lava flows, deep gorges and spectacular waterfalls make Copper Falls one of Wisconsin's most scenic parks. Log buildings built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s add to the park's charm. There is plenty to do; hiking, bicycling, picnicking, fishing and swimming. The North Country National Scenic Trail passes through Copper Falls State Park.”
_source: Wisconsin DNR.
Camping in the Chequamegon
The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest has six campgrounds within a 40 minute drive of this segment. Five of the campgrounds offer online reservations including Namekagon (34 sites) and Two Lakes (94 sites) which are the closest. Both are popular campgrounds located on scenic lakes with plenty of shady, secluded sites.
The three other campgrounds with reservable sites are Day Lake (52 sites), East Twin (10 sites), and Beaver Lake (10 sites) These campgrounds are also located on scenic northwoods lakes. Another popular, local family favorite is Perch Lake. However, this campground does not offer online reservations at this time.
Season
The best paddling is usually in May and June, thereafter following an extended rainfall from July through September. This segment is often navigable into late fall, but you may have to walk through some shallow riffles and rocky rapids.
River Level Information
River levels are monitored by the National Park Service with frequent status updates on the webpage link below.
NPS Website: St Croix and Namekagon River Levels
Phone: Namekagon River Visitor Center: 715.635.8346