Wisconsin whitewater, Prairie River Lincoln county, Haymeadow Creek to Prairie Road section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS II     3.9 miles   If you're coming from Merrill it's not a long drive at all to the put-in location, there's a road map further down the page with more info on that. The scenic beauty of Wisconsin and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water beats anything. The Haymeadow Creek to Prairie Road stretch of Prairie River is 3.9 miles long and is rated by American Whitewater as a class II section. The nearby hotels are a bit away from the river, but if you     don’t have reservations you might end up sleeping in your car. The Haymeadow Creek to Prairie Road stretch is one of a few paddling stretches in this river system. This stretch is short so it's not like you're gonna spend hours on the river in one stretch. You might be into whitewater rafting or kayaking or both, doesn't matter, this area has a large number of paddling rivers. Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in this state tend to be more forgiving than the national average, so keep in mind that many of the sections in this state are safe for beginners. A good workout and a chance to spend some time outdoors will make you glad you came. The campgrounds   here at Prairie River are pretty good. Briefly about the general area: While you're here at Prairie River you will meet lots of folks from close by Merrill. Council Grounds State Park is a perfect spot to stretch your legs a bit. The annual rain here at Prairie River is about average. Most of the rain falls throughout September; February is the month with the least moisture. High temperatures at Prairie River during the months of summer are in the 70's. When the night sets in temperatures sink down into the 50's. Throughout the winter highs are in the 10's with temperatures at Prairie River dipping down into the-10's during winter nights. Prairie River, Haymeadow Creek to Prairie Road road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Prairie River.   Whitewater Near Prairie River: Prairie River, Lincoln County, 2 miles away       Class II - 3.9 miles long (Haymeadow Creek to Prairie Road) Pine River, Lincoln County, 5 miles away       Class I-II - 2.2 miles long (Center Rd) Trappe River, Marathon County, 10 miles away       Class I-II(III) - 5.1 miles long (to Rocky Ridge Road) Wisconsin River, Lincoln County, 15 miles away       Class I-II(III) - 4 miles long (Camp 10 to Menard Isle) Wisconsin River, Lincoln County, 15 miles away       Class II-III+(IV) - 1 miles long (Grandfather Falls) Wisconsin River, Marathon County, 15 miles away       Class II-III - 0.35 miles long (Wausau Slalom Course) New Wood River, Lincoln County, 20 miles away       Class I-II - 4.1 miles long (to Tesch Road) Eau Claire River, Marathon County, 21 miles away       Class II-III(IV) - 4.6 miles long (Eau Claire Dells to Badger Road) Wisconsin River, Oneida County, 21 miles away       Class II-III - 0.3 miles long (Rhinelander) Eau Claire River, Marathon County, 23 miles away       Class II - 2.8 miles long (Nolan Road to Highway 52)   Ski Areas Near Prairie River: Granite Peak, Wisconsin , 18 miles away, 700 foot drop, 8 lifts, 74 runs Nordic Mountain, Wisconsin , 62 miles away, 265 foot drop, 6 lifts, 14 runs Indianhead, Michigan , 66 miles away, 638 foot drop, 9 lifts, 23 runs Blackjack, Michigan , 67 miles away, 465 foot drop, 6 lifts, 20 runs Big Powderhorn Mountain, Michigan , 71 miles away, 600 foot drop, 10 lifts, 33 runs Ski Brule, Michigan , 71 miles away, 500 foot drop, 11 lifts, 17 runs Porcupine Mountain, Michigan , 76 miles away, 641 foot drop, 4 lifts, 15 runs Whitecap Mountain, Wisconsin , 80 miles away, 400 foot drop, 8 lifts, 43 runs Christmas Mountain, Wisconsin , 83 miles away, 250 foot drop, 3 lifts, 7 runs Cascade Mountain, Wisconsin , 85 miles away, 460 foot drop, 10 lifts, 35 runs   Hotels Near Prairie River: Econo Lodge Merrill, Merrill , 7 miles away AmericInn Merrill, Merrill , 7 miles away Rodeway Inn & Suites, Tomahawk , 14 miles away Jefferson Street Inn, Wausau , 15 miles away Super 8 Tomahawk, Tomahawk , 16 miles away   Campgrounds Near Prairie River: Underdown County Park, Irma, 4 miles away Otter Lake County Park, Gleason, 9 miles away Council Grounds State Park, Merrill, 9 miles away   Public Lands Near Prairie River: Council Grounds State Park, Wisconsin , 12 miles away Rib Mountain State Park, Wisconsin , 18 miles away   Golf Courses Near Prairie River: Merrill Public Golf Club, Merrill , 8 miles away Edgewater Country Club, Tomahawk , 15 miles away Greenwood Hills Country Club, Wausau , 16 miles away   Lakes Near Prairie River Nelson Lake, Lincoln , 4 miles away Lake Alice, Lincoln , 13 miles away Buck Lake, Oneida , 19 miles away