Brule River

Brule River
Location
Country	United States
States	Michigan; Wisconsin
Physical characteristics
Source	Brule Lake
• location	Michigan–Wisconsin border, U.S.
Mouth	Confluence with the Michigamme River to form the Menominee River
• location	Near Florence, Wisconsin / Iron County, Michigan, U.S.
Length	52.3 mi (84.2 km)[1]

The Brule River is a 52.3-mile (84.2 km) river in the U.S. states of Michigan and Wisconsin. For most of its length it forms the state boundary. The Brule begins at Brule Lake on the state line, winds east and southeast, and joins the Michigamme River to form the Menominee River, which flows to Lake Michigan.^[1]

Course

From its headwaters at Brule Lake on the state line, the river flows generally east and southeast along the boundary of Iron County, Michigan and Forest County, Wisconsin, then along Iron County (MI) and Florence County (WI), before meeting the Michigamme River near U.S. Highway 2 to form the Menominee River.^[1] The U.S. Geological Survey maintains gaging stations on the river near Florence, including the site at U.S. Highway 2 (USGS 04060993) and a long-running station downstream (USGS 04061000).^[2][3]

Watershed and management

The Brule drains forest and wetland landscapes typical of the western Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. Portions of the corridor are publicly owned, providing access for angling and paddling. A small impoundment, the Brule River Flowage, occurs on the Wisconsin side near Florence.^[4]

Recreation

The river is popular for canoeing and fishing. Public lands along the corridor provide multiple informal launch and take-out points. Trout, smallmouth bass, and northern pike occur by reach.^[5][6]

Name

Brule is the anglicized form of the French brûlé (“burned”). The name appears across the upper Great Lakes where early French usage referenced burned woods or burnovers along waterways.^[7]

See also

• Menominee River
• List of rivers of Michigan
• List of rivers of Wisconsin

References

1. "National Hydrography Dataset (high-resolution flowlines)". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
2. "Brule River at US Highway 2 near Florence, WI (USGS 04060993)". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
3. "USGS 04061000 — Brule River near Florence, WI (site details)". USGS Water Quality Data Portal. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
4. "Brule River Flowage (704400) — lake facts". Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
5. "USDA Forest Service – Eastern Region (local recreation pages)". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
6. "Wisconsin fishing regulations". Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
7. "brûlé — definition and etymology". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved December 2, 2025.

External links

• USGS: Brule River at US Highway 2 near Florence (real-time data)