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See all 2 routes on Cedar Creek

Wisconsin | Southeast Wisconsin

Cedar Creek

Cedarburg Mill to County Highway T

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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

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Quick facts

On-water distanceAbout 2.3 miCedarburg Mill to County Highway T
DifficultyhardAmerican Whitewater rates the route II-III. The short mileage is technical because it includes shallow ledges, constricted dells, wood, private-bank constraints, and two dam portages that require disciplined scouting.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the Lakefield Road / CTH T take-out, then return to downtown Cedarburg. The shuttle is short, but scout the dam portages, Estate Bridge, and right-channel island before committing.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Use legal street parking, follow Wisconsin boating and PFD rules, and keep dam portages short and leave-no-trace where Wisconsin portage law crosses private banks.
CampingOptions nearbyDay route only. No on-route public campsite is documented in the downtown Cedarburg corridor, and private banks are not part of the route plan.
SeasonApr-OctBest windows are spring and rain-supported events. Below the AW floor the bedrock ledges are very bony; above the AW ceiling, dam portages, private-bank egress, wood, bridges, and dells become significantly more hazardous.

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 by Cedarburg Mill / Rebellion Brewing and run the short AW Cedar Creek reach to CTH T, portaging Columbia Mills Dam and Nail Factory Dam. The direct Cedar Creek gauge was below AW runnable guidance during this run.

DirectionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap
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Access planner

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This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.

On-water distanceAbout 2.3 miLake to creek
On-water timeAbout 5 to 7 hrFull route option
ShuttleSelf-shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.

Start

Put-in

Cedarburg Mill / Rebellion Brewing accessOpen map

Launch is a careful rockwork / creekside access by the Cedarburg Mill area; it is not a developed boat ramp.

Finish

Take-out

County Highway T / Lakefield Road bridgeOpen map

Columbia Mills Dam and Nail Factory Dam require mandatory portages with private-bank constraints. Keep carries legal, brief, and respectful.

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Launch is a careful rockwork / creekside access by the Cedarburg Mill area; it is not a developed boat ramp.
  • Columbia Mills Dam and Nail Factory Dam require mandatory portages with private-bank constraints. Keep carries legal, brief, and respectful.
  • Creek View Court / Hoffmann Glen can be used as an alternate access to skip the first dam portage and city-park ledges.

Watch for

  • Mandatory dam portages, shallow ledges, vertical-walled dells, and steep relaunch footing.
  • AW 2025-2026 wood alerts near Estate Bridge, the right channel around the island, and downstream blind bends.
  • Private banks, bridge hazards, cold water, rapidly rising storm flow, and very bony conditions below 100 cfs.

Route gallery

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Sources

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Read quality
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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.

Why
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OutlookTomorrow and weekend

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Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteCedar Creek near Cedarburg, WI
DischargeChecking
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Target band100 cfs to 1,200 cfs
Low threshold100 cfs
High threshold1,200 cfs
Data confidence behind the rangeLocal route guidance
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreAmerican Whitewater Cedar Creek flow guidance
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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 AW routeCedarburg Mill to County Highway T, 2.3 mi, Class II-III

    American Whitewater documents the exact reach, downtown Cedarburg access, short shuttle, ledges, dams, dells, wood alerts, and take-out.

    Source

  • Direct gauge support100-1,200 cfs on Cedar Creek near Cedarburg

    AW states the Cedar Creek near Cedarburg gauge is about two miles upstream with no significant tributaries and very accurately reflects this section.

    Source

  • Current gauge check29.1 cfs at 2026-07-16 23:15 CDT

    USGS Water Services placed the direct Cedar Creek gauge below the AW runnable floor during this run.

    Source

  • Access / address supportRebellion Brewing / Cedarburg Mill to 4900 Lakefield Road

    AW lists the put-in by Rebellion Brewing in downtown Cedarburg and the take-out at 4900 Lakefield Road; Travel Wisconsin and Rebellion Brewing corroborate the Cedarburg Mill creekside address.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

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Reports

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.

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Quick answers

Cedar Creek paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Cedar Creek?

Paddle Today watches Cedar Creek near Cedarburg, WI and treats 100 cfs to 1,200 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Cedar Creek route start and end?

This route starts at Cedarburg Mill / Rebellion Brewing access and ends at County Highway T / Lakefield Road bridge, about About 2.3 mi on the water.

Is this Cedar Creek route good for beginners?

This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.

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