See all 25 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 snapshot
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
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
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.
Put-in
Cedar Bend Park accessOpen mapCedar 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 rampOpen mapThree Rivers Park has a double boat ramp and dock according to the guide, and is the required take-out for this card.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
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.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
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.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
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 |
| Data confidence 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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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
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.