See all 29 routes on Cedar River
Iowa | Cedar Valley
Cedar River
Cedar Bend Park to Three Rivers Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Cedar River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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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.
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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
Paddle the short Cedar Bend-to-Three Rivers connector into Waverly and take out before the dam-portage corridor. This fills the official guide gap between the North Cedar/Cedar Bend cards and the Waverly/Brookwood downstream card.
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
Cedar Bend Park accessCedar Bend and Three Rivers coordinates come from the Cedar River Paddling Trips guide; use posted park/ramp signs for final boat handling.
Take-out
Three Rivers Park boat rampThree Rivers Park has a double boat ramp and dock according to the guide, and is the required take-out for this card.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Cedar Bend and Three Rivers coordinates come from the Cedar River Paddling Trips guide; use posted park/ramp signs for final boat handling.
- Three Rivers Park has a double boat ramp and dock according to the guide, and is the required take-out for this card.
- Do not continue into the Waverly dam sequence unless your group separately plans the Kohlmann portage and below-dam relaunch.
Watch for
- Waverly dam approach discipline after Three Rivers Park.
- Outside-bend wood, bridge debris, faster current after rain, and cold shoulder-season water.
- Private banks outside public parks and public land boundaries.
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 | Cedar River at Waverly, IA |
| 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Cedar River Paddling Trips Waverly gauge guidance |
| 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.
- Route shape4.2 miles
The Cedar River Paddling Trips guide lists Cedar Bend Park as 4.2 miles upstream of Three Rivers Park and marks the Waverly dam portage context downstream.
- Endpoint coordinates42.760425, -92.493585 to 42.73722, -92.469794
The guide publishes GPS coordinates for Cedar Bend Park and Three Rivers Park.
- Current gauge check2,400 cfs / 5.08 ft at 2026-07-23 12:15 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Cedar River at Waverly discharge and stage during this run.
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.
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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.
Quick answers
Cedar River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Cedar River?
Paddle Today watches Cedar River at Waverly, IA and uses 200 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Cedar River route start and end?
This route starts at Cedar Bend Park access and ends at Three Rivers Park boat ramp, about 4.2 mi on the water.
Is this Cedar River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.