See all 2 routes on Badfish Creek
Wisconsin | Southern Wisconsin
Badfish CreekCounty Highway A to Old Stage Road
Upper Badfish Creek link from the newer County Highway A landing to the Old Stage Road wildlife-area landing. The run starts open and channelized, then improves through the Badfish Creek Wildlife Area, with reliable effluent-supported flow, fast bends, light riffles, and wood that must be checked after storms.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at the County Highway A landing west of Gallagher Lane and take out at Old Stage Road before the downstream favorite Badfish section. This upper link is worthwhile when wood is clear and the Cooksville gauge is in the normal Badfish window.
Access map
Put-in
County Highway A Badfish Creek landingCounty Highway A is a public landing with off-road parking, but WRT and 2024 comments still describe the bridge-area bank as potentially steep or weedy. Inspect the landing before unloading.
Take-out
Old Stage Road canoe/kayak landingOld Stage Road is the cleanest take-out and connects to the downstream route family. Use the maintained landing rather than nearby private banks or informal roadside pullouts.
Road shuttle
Use a short rural shuttle between the County Highway A landing and Old Stage Road. A bike shuttle is possible on local roads, but confirm shoulder comfort and do not block either landing.
Additional access notes
- The route passes channelized banks, wildlife-area frontage, and private land. Stay in the public waterway and use only known access points.
More route and safety guidance
- Old Stone Road to Old Stage was reported cleared in early 2026, but this narrow creek can collect fresh deadfall quickly after wind or storms.
- Badfish carries Madison-area wastewater-effluent context. Avoid swimming, wash hands, and skip the route after suspect spills, heavy rain, or sewage-bypass alerts.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Badfish Creek Near Cooksville, WI. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Badfish Creek Near Cooksville, 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 |
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| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 51 cfs to 150 cfs |
| Low threshold | 0 cfs |
| High threshold | 301 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Badfish Creek Hwy A gauge guide |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Route-specific guideCounty Highway A to Old Stage Road, 4.2 mi
Wisconsin River Trips documents the exact route, access pair, gradient, trip level, hazards, logjam context, and route overview split.
- Gauge ladder51-150 cfs broad target; 301+ cfs no-go
WRT ties the route to Badfish Creek near Cooksville and publishes the same creek-wide ladder used by the downstream Badfish family.
- Public put-in supportCounty Highway A landing
Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District / Friends of Badfish Creek Watershed describe the County Highway A landing west of Gallagher Lane with off-road parking, map/poster, picnic table, and bike rack.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-16107 cfs / 5.43 ft at 2026-07-16 23:00 CDT
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
More on Badfish Creek
All 2Nearby routes within 75 miles
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