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Wisconsin | Driftless Wisconsin
Baraboo River
Wayside Park to Kalepp Road
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 Wayside Park near Wonewoc and take out near Kalepp Road. This is a short scenic Baraboo River segment with sandstone outcrops, but muddy banks, strainers, and changing wood make it a moderate route.
Put-in
Wayside Park (Baraboo River / 400 State Trail)Open mapWayside Park is a public park/rest area, but the water entry is not a polished boat ramp.
Take-out
Kalepp Road / 400 State Trail Baraboo River accessOpen mapThe Kalepp Road exit uses a side-creek/400 State Trail corridor described by Wisconsin River Trips; verify same-day access and avoid private land.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Wayside Park is a public park/rest area, but the water entry is not a polished boat ramp.
- The Kalepp Road exit uses a side-creek/400 State Trail corridor described by Wisconsin River Trips; verify same-day access and avoid private land.
Watch for
- Downed trees and strainers in deep, muddy, fast water.
- Steep muddy banks that can make portages harder than they look.
- Pushy, dirty water above the target stage range.
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 La Valle, WI |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 | 5.60 ft to 6.20 ft |
| Low threshold | 5.00 ft |
| High threshold | 6.90 ft |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Baraboo Wayside Park stage guide |
| 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.
- Published stage bands5.6 to 6.2 ft target
Wisconsin River Trips treats 5.6 to 6.2 ft at La Valle as average/good target depth, 6.2 to 6.4 ft as above normal, 6.4 to 6.9 ft as high and pushy, and 6.9 to 7.3 ft as very high.
- Route shape4.6 miles, about 2 hours
The source documents Wayside Park to Kalepp Road as a 4.6-mile route with an expected 2-hour paddle time and about 3 feet per mile of gradient.
- Primary hazardsStrainers and muddy banks
Wisconsin River Trips calls out strainers in fast, deep, muddy water and notes that steep muddy banks can make portaging difficult.
- Access contextWayside Park to DNR public parking near Kalepp
The put-in is a public wayside park. The take-out is described as a DNR public parking area near the 400 State Trail and Baraboo River corridor, but same-day signage should still be checked.
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
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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 La Valle, WI and treats 5.60 ft to 6.20 ft 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 Wayside Park (Baraboo River / 400 State Trail) and ends at Kalepp Road / 400 State Trail Baraboo River access, about 4.6 mi on the water.
Is this Baraboo River 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.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.