See all 6 routes on Baraboo River
Wisconsin | South-Central Wisconsin
Baraboo River
North Freedom Canoe Launch to Giese Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Baraboo River 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
Put in at North Freedom and paddle to Giese Park through a mostly quiet Baraboo River corridor with sandstone outcrops, an artesian-well area, railroad bridges, one easy Class I riffle, muddy banks, and generally cleared but still relevant wood.
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
North Freedom Canoe Launch / Firemen's ParkOpen mapNorth Freedom is a public launch with parking, restrooms, picnic tables, and a floating kayak dock; check for any current local launch fee or signage.
Take-out
Giese Park canoe launchOpen mapGiese Park is a Town of Baraboo river-access park at Hatchery Road and Rock Hill Road with summer portable restrooms and no overnight camping.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- North Freedom is a public launch with parking, restrooms, picnic tables, and a floating kayak dock; check for any current local launch fee or signage.
- Giese Park is a Town of Baraboo river-access park at Hatchery Road and Rock Hill Road with summer portable restrooms and no overnight camping.
- The route has few good informal stops because banks are muddy and often private.
Watch for
- The easy Class I riffle under Kohlmeyer Road, especially if water is high or debris has shifted.
- Downed trees and strainers along banks; stay away from wood at higher water.
- Mud at landings, private banks, and cold-water exposure outside summer.
Route gallery
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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 | Baraboo River at Main Street at Reedsburg, 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 | 151 cfs to 250 cfs |
| Low threshold | 0 cfs |
| High threshold | 551 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Baraboo River - North Freedom Reedsburg gauge estimate |
| 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 routeNorth Freedom Park to Giese Park, 7.4 mi
Wisconsin River Trips documents this exact route, including North Freedom Park as the put-in, Giese Park as the take-out, 7.4 miles, and a three-to-four-hour expected paddle time.
- Public endpointsNorth Freedom and Giese Park
The Baraboo River paddling map lists North Freedom Firemen's Park and Giese Park as public access/parking points, and Town of Baraboo separately documents Giese Park river access and no overnight camping.
- Gauge ladder151-250 cfs target; 551+ cfs likely too high
Wisconsin River Trips ties this route to the Rock Springs/Reedsburg gauge estimate and keeps 151-250 cfs as the good target while warning that 551+ cfs is likely too muddy, pushy, and strainer-prone.
- Current gauge check170 cfs / 5.20 ft at 2026-07-23 05:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Baraboo River at Reedsburg discharge and stage 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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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Baraboo River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Baraboo River?
Paddle Today watches Baraboo River at Main Street at Reedsburg, WI and treats 151 cfs to 250 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Baraboo River route start and end?
This route starts at North Freedom Canoe Launch / Firemen's Park and ends at Giese Park canoe launch, about 7.4 mi on the water.
Is this Baraboo River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.