Illinois | North-central Illinois
Big Bureau CreekRed Covered Bridge Park to County Road 1150
A documented approximately 13-mile Big Bureau Creek run from Red Covered Bridge Park near Princeton to County Road 1790 E/County Road 1150 N north of Tiskilwa, with riffles, a Class I(II) aqueduct drop, and a logjam hazard near the take-out.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Plan as a full-day moving-water paddle with a pre-arranged shuttle, conservative level check, and scouting at the aqueduct and take-out.
Access map
Put-in
Red Covered Bridge Park public accessNamed endpoints and coordinates come from the cited paddle report; confirm current parking, road, bank, and landowner conditions immediately before departure.
Take-out
County Road 1790 E / County Road 1150 NDo not infer public landing rights from intervening private frontage.
Road shuttle
Arrange a vehicle shuttle between Red Covered Bridge Park and the County Road 1790 E/1150 N take-out; verify road and bank access before launch.
More route and safety guidance
- The Hennepin Canal aqueduct has a documented Class I(II) drop; inspect and portage if the line is not clearly safe. A logjam is reported near the take-out.
- 350 cfs is an absolute minimum and 450 cfs is ideal according to the cited local guidance. Treat both as conservative planning references only; current, debris, and access can change.
- Use only the named public endpoints and verify parking, road access, and any landowner or closure changes before launching or taking out.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Big Bureau Creek at Princeton, IL. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Big Bureau Creek at Princeton, IL |
| 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 |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 350 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Big Bureau Creek paddle report |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Named route corridorRed Covered Bridge Park to County Road 1150; approximately 13 miles
Miles Paddled documents the route, endpoints, skill level, and hazards.
- Direct live gauge and thresholdsUSGS 05556500; 350 cfs absolute minimum and 450 cfs ideal
Community/local threshold guidance tied to this creek and route; not a safety guarantee.
- Endpoint coordinatesPut-in 41.41657,-89.47836; take-out 41.31386,-89.51863
Published by the route report; verify current access on arrival.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
Nearby routes within 75 miles
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