See all 4 routes on Bark River
Wisconsin | Lake Country
Bark River
Merton Dam / Firemen's Park to Bark River Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Bark 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 below the Merton Millpond dam area and paddle the clear upper Bark to Hartland's Bark River Park. The route has springs, boulder gardens, and attractive wooded sections, but wood and shallow rocks make the Delafield gauge and a same-day visual check important.
Put-in
Merton Millpond / Firemen's Park downstream launchOpen mapLaunch below the dam structure at Merton; do not stage or idle near dam hydraulics.
Take-out
Bark River Park / Church StreetOpen mapBark River Park is the planned take-out for this card. Continuing downstream enters the separate Hartland-to-Delafield route with additional rapids, bridge clearance, and lake exposure.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Launch below the dam structure at Merton; do not stage or idle near dam hydraulics.
- Bark River Park is the planned take-out for this card. Continuing downstream enters the separate Hartland-to-Delafield route with additional rapids, bridge clearance, and lake exposure.
- Private banks line portions of the reach. Plan all stops at public parks or clear emergency exits only.
Watch for
- Shallow boulder gardens and scraping when the Delafield gauge is below the preferred window.
- Fresh deadfall, low branches, and portage-worthy strainers in the narrow wooded channel.
- Fast-rising water, cold spring-fed current, and limited bailout options between public parks.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
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 | Bark River at Nagawicka Road at Delafield, 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 | 31 cfs to 60 cfs |
| Low threshold | 21 cfs |
| High threshold | 81 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Merton route levels and adjacent Hartland gauge ladder |
| 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 route reportMerton Dam to Bark River Park, 4.9 miles
Wisconsin River Trips documents the Merton-to-Hartland route, dam-area access, springs, boulder gardens, wood, and current route character.
- Level evidence31 and 42 cfs observed; adjacent ladder 21/36/61/81 cfs
WRT reports exact-route trips at 31 and 42 cfs on the Delafield gauge; its immediately downstream Hartland page gives the same-gauge low, good, high, and too-pushy bands.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 05426067
USGS operates the Bark River at Nagawicka Road at Delafield monitoring location downstream of the route on the same river.
- Current gauge check22.3 cfs and 12.50 ft at 2026-07-16 19:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned a low-shoulder value during this run, below the preferred 31 cfs floor but above the 21 cfs low-but-viable shoulder.
- Public accessMerton Millpond to Hartland's Bark River Park
Village of Merton lists the Merton Millpond public boat launch, and Village of Hartland describes Bark River Park as a public riverfront park at the end of Church Street.
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.
Share your trip
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
Bark River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Bark River?
Paddle Today watches Bark River at Nagawicka Road at Delafield, WI and treats 31 cfs to 60 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Bark River route start and end?
This route starts at Merton Millpond / Firemen's Park downstream launch and ends at Bark River Park / Church Street, about About 4.9 mi on the water.
Is this Bark 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.