Wisconsin | Driftless Wisconsin
Bad Axe River - North Fork
Duck Egg Park to Highway O
Check current paddling conditions for this Bad Axe River - North Fork route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Run the WRT Bad Axe North Fork leg from Duck Egg Park / Irish Ridge Road to Highway O. The route has fast Class I current, several fences, and a Kickapoo-at-Ontario proxy gauge rather than a direct Bad Axe gauge.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Put-in
Duck Egg Park / Irish Ridge RoadOpen mapDuck Egg Park is the uniquely named public put-in, but the coordinates in this data set are approximate for the Irish Ridge Road park access.
Take-out
Highway O bridgeOpen mapHighway O is a weedy bridge take-out; WRT favors the northwest corner under the bridge.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Duck Egg Park is the uniquely named public put-in, but the coordinates in this data set are approximate for the Irish Ridge Road park access.
- Highway O is a weedy bridge take-out; WRT favors the northwest corner under the bridge.
- Do not count on private farm banks for breaks, scouting, or bailout except for legal portage or emergency needs.
Watch for
- Four to five fences, shallow ledges, and fast riffles that become pushier above the normal target window.
- Fresh storm wood, blind bends, cold spring water, and limited rescue access in the narrow Driftless valley.
- Proxy-gauge mismatch: the Kickapoo at Ontario is useful, but visual checks at Duck Egg still matter.
Route gallery
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Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
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Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Kickapoo River at Ontario, WI |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 121 cfs to 300 cfs |
| Low threshold | 80 cfs |
| High threshold | 451 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Bad Axe North Fork flow guidance using the Kickapoo at Ontario analogue |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Exact routeDuck Egg Park to Highway O, 3.7 mi
Wisconsin River Trips documents the access pair, 3.7-mile distance, 24.3 fpm gradient, shuttle, rapids, fences, and Highway O take-out notes.
- Public put-in contextDuck Egg County Forest
Vernon County describes Duck Egg County Forest as a 707-acre county-owned property on Irish Ridge Road bisected by the Springville Branch of the Bad Axe River.
- Route-specific proxy guidance121-300 cfs target; 451+ cfs may be too high
WRT says the Kickapoo River at Ontario is probably a decent analogue for the Bad Axe and publishes level bands for this exact route.
- Current gauge check209 cfs / 3.29 ft at 2026-07-17 04:00 CDT
USGS Water Services placed the Ontario Kickapoo proxy inside the selected target window during this run.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Bad Axe River - North Fork paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Bad Axe River - North Fork?
Paddle Today watches Kickapoo River at Ontario, WI and treats 121 cfs to 300 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Bad Axe River - North Fork route start and end?
This route starts at Duck Egg Park / Irish Ridge Road and ends at Highway O bridge, about About 3.7 mi on the water.
Is this Bad Axe River - North Fork route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.