Wisconsin | South Central Wisconsin
Beaver Dam River
Cotton Mill Park to County Road J
Check current paddling conditions for this Beaver Dam River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
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
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at Cotton Mill Park just below the Beaver Dam Lake dam and finish at the improved County Road J landing. This route has more gradient and small waves than most south-central Wisconsin paddles, so the live gauge, recent wood reports, and same-day dam behavior matter more than mileage.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Cotton Mill ParkCotton Mill Park is the clean public start, but the launch is close to the dam and the first small weir. Scout the first bridge/drop before committing.
Take-out
County Road J landingCounty Road J now has a dedicated landing and parking area per recent Miles Paddled reports, but it is still road-adjacent. Do not block the nearby gate or private access.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Cotton Mill Park is the clean public start, but the launch is close to the dam and the first small weir. Scout the first bridge/drop before committing.
- County Road J now has a dedicated landing and parking area per recent Miles Paddled reports, but it is still road-adjacent. Do not block the nearby gate or private access.
- A controlled release can make the route runnable, but abrupt dam-gate changes can also make the river rise quickly. Check the gauge shortly before launching and again at the put-in.
Watch for
- Class I-II waves, small weirs, and pushy downtown current, especially around Beaver Street, Center Street, Mill Street, and the Kraft corridor.
- Strainers and fresh wood between Davis Street and Cooper Street, around the Kraft corridor, and in the wooded middle reach.
- Low bridge clearance, blue-green algae warnings near the impoundment, wastewater-plant context, cold water, and wind on the slow marshy finish.
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.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Beaverdam River at Beaver Dam, 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 | 30 cfs to 140 cfs |
| Low threshold | 29 cfs |
| High threshold | 211 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Beaver Dam River gauge 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.
- Official route supportBeaver Dam - 5.8 miles
Dodge County lists the Beaver Dam River as a county waterway route and describes the same downtown-to-Hwy-J trip character, ending where the rapids fade after Highway J.
- Direct gauge and reachUSGS 05425912 / 5.35 miles / Class I-II
American Whitewater lists Cotton Mill Park to CTH J as a 5.35-mile Class I-II reach using the Beaverdam River at Beaver Dam gauge.
- Primary app range30 to 140 cfs
Wisconsin River Trips treats 30-90 cfs as the great target band and 91-140 cfs as high-side but good if rapids are the priority; the app uses that combined 30-140 cfs as the guarded normal window.
- High-water ceiling211+ cfs too high for broad use
Wisconsin River Trips says strainers and fast current become annoying at 141-210 cfs and that 211+ cfs becomes obnoxious and partly dangerous; American Whitewater also warns not to exceed the recommended maximum because bridges can become difficult or impossible.
- Endpoint coordinatesCotton Mill Park 43.45456, -88.84298; County Road J 43.39397, -88.86828
Miles Paddled publishes GPS coordinates for Cotton Mill Park and the County Road J take-out, and its 2026 comment confirms a dedicated parking and landing area at County J.
- Put-in authorityCity park at 200 Haskell Street
The City of Beaver Dam lists Cotton Mill Park as a public city facility on the easterly edge of Beaver Dam Lake with fishing and basic park amenities.
- HazardsDam releases, strainers, low bridges, algae
American Whitewater documents strainer and low-bridge risk, blue-green algae warnings, and recent 2024-2026 trip reports with portage/wood updates; Wisconsin River Trips warns that dramatic dam releases can occur suddenly.
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
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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
Beaver Dam River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Beaver Dam River?
Paddle Today watches Beaverdam River at Beaver Dam, WI and treats 30 cfs to 140 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Beaver Dam River route start and end?
This route starts at Cotton Mill Park and ends at County Road J landing, about 5.5 to 5.8 mi on the water.
Is this Beaver Dam 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
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.