See all 2 routes on Black Hawk Creek
Iowa | Cedar Valley
Black Hawk CreekRanchero Road to Hope Martin Park
Shorter Waterloo greenbelt reach with the same official Hudson gauge band as the upstream segment. Good flow is necessary, but wood and portages still decide the day.
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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
Use Ranchero Road / Katoski Greenbelt as the put-in and Hope Martin Park as the take-out. A good Hudson gauge reading is necessary, but not enough by itself.
Access map
Put-in
Ranchero Road / Katoski Greenbelt Area (Access 8)Ranchero Road parking is small, so confirm where to stage before leaving a vehicle.
Take-out
Hope Martin Park (Access 2)Hope Martin Park can be hard to spot from upstream; the downstream bridge is the clearest visual landmark.
Road shuttle
Short car shuttle is easiest. Bike shuttle is possible but requires multiple bridge crossings and city traffic awareness.
More route and safety guidance
- The two creek fords can behave like low-head dams at some levels. Scout them from shore and portage if the line is not clearly safe.
- Use only mapped public access sites and public areas. Iowa DNR notes adjacent and underlying land outside those places is private on this non-meandered stream.
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
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
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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
Black Hawk Creek at Hudson, IA. 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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- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Black Hawk Creek at Hudson, IA |
| Discharge | Checking |
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| 24h trend | Checking |
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| Rain last 24h | Checking |
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| Air temp | Checking |
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| Wind | Checking |
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| Preferred range | 100 cfs to 500 cfs |
| Low threshold | 100 cfs |
| High threshold | 500 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Iowa DNR Black Hawk Creek Water Trail brochure |
| 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.
- Published flow range100 to 500 cfs
Iowa DNR publishes this as the recommended Hudson-gauge range for Black Hawk Creek paddling.
- DifficultyIntermediate creek run
The downstream Waterloo reach still carries portages, deadfalls, and wood-hazard decisions even though the mileage is shorter.
- Primary hazardsDeadfalls, sweepers, and ford hazards
Hope Martin is easier to stage than longer creek runs, but the water-trail brochure still treats the reach as obstruction-heavy.
- Decision styleConservative
A good Hudson reading does not remove the need to scout blind corners and portage around fresh wood.
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
More on Black Hawk Creek
All 2Nearby routes within 75 miles
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