See all 6 routes on Baraboo River
Wisconsin | South-Central Wisconsin
Baraboo River
Rock Springs Firemen's Park to North Freedom Canoe Launch
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
Launch at the Rock Springs public landing and paddle the Baraboo toward North Freedom. This reach has gentle current, quartzite-bluff scenery, railroad bridges, muddy banks, and enough deadfall history that the Reedsburg gauge and same-day wood conditions both matter.
Put-in
Rock Springs Firemen's Park canoe landingOpen mapThe Baraboo River map places the Rock Springs landing and parking off County Road DD just south of the Highway 136 bridge, with restrooms in the park across the street.
Take-out
North Freedom Canoe Launch / Firemen's ParkOpen mapWisconsin River Trips calls Firemen's Park the official Rock Springs canoe launch but notes the launch can be muddy and awkward; the upstream Highway 136 / Ableman Gorge put-in is scenic but less formal.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Baraboo River map places the Rock Springs landing and parking off County Road DD just south of the Highway 136 bridge, with restrooms in the park across the street.
- Wisconsin River Trips calls Firemen's Park the official Rock Springs canoe launch but notes the launch can be muddy and awkward; the upstream Highway 136 / Ableman Gorge put-in is scenic but less formal.
- North Freedom has a public canoe launch with parking, restrooms, picnic tables, and a kayak dock, but a small launch fee may be posted.
Watch for
- Minor logjams between Rock Springs and North Freedom that may require portage.
- Strainers, muddy banks, and poor footing when entering, landing, or scouting.
- Higher water above the WRT target range, when the river gets pushier and wood avoidance becomes less forgiving.
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 - Rock Springs 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.
- Public access chainRock Springs Firemen's Park to North Freedom
The Baraboo River paddling map places the Rock Springs landing off County Road DD south of the Highway 136 bridge and the North Freedom landing in Firemen's Park south off Walnut Street, with restrooms at both parks.
- Route family and mileageAbout 7 to 8.2 mi depending on Rock Springs start
Wisconsin River Trips documents the Rock Springs-to-North Freedom route as 8.2 miles from the upstream Highway 136 / Ableman Gorge put-in and identifies Firemen's Park as the official Rock Springs canoe launch 1.3 miles downstream.
- Gauge ladder151-250 cfs target; 551+ cfs too high
Wisconsin River Trips uses Reedsburg-gauge estimates for this route family: 0-150 cfs very low but manageable, 151-250 cfs average and a good target, 351-450 cfs high/pushy, 451-550 cfs very high/expert, and 551+ cfs 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.
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More routes to check next
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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 Rock Springs Firemen's Park canoe landing and ends at North Freedom Canoe Launch / Firemen's Park, about About 7 mi from Firemen's Park; 8.2 mi from the upstream Highway 136 gorge put-in 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.