The River

The South Fork of the Kinnickinnic River, called the “South Fork” for short, is located 0.7 miles from the city of River Falls, Wisconsin. The river begins east of the city, meanders through farmland and residential areas, then connects to the Kinnickinnic River. The South Fork is one of several smaller rivers and creeks that connect with the Kinnickinnic River to drain the 170 square mile Kinnickinnic watershed.

The Kinni watershed is characterized by scenic bluff lands, rare oak savanna, original prairie, farm land, white pine forest, wooded coulees, sedge meadows, rare and endangered plant species, beautiful stands of white pines and plenty of open space and scenic vistas. Its feeder creeks are cold and clean, containing wild native brook trout, important spawning areas, wetlands, and many springs arising from under picturesque limestone outcroppings

The South Fork is a tributary feeding into the Kinni from the east and flows through the campus of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls before meeting up with the mainstem near Glen Park.

The river is classified by the Wisconsin DNR as a class II trout stream. Due to the high quantity and concentration of fish in the river it is heralded as a “jewel of a trout stream” by anglers who fish its waters. The river is primarily home to brook trout as opposed to the main Kinnickinnic River which contains high numbers of brown trout.

Acces is at WI 35 going south out of town and its couple of bridges close to WI 29 going east.