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See all 29 routes on Cedar River

Iowa | North Iowa

Cedar River

Charles City Dock to Nashua Access

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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Open access map
DistanceAbout 12 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 5 hr to 6 hr 30 min
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Cedar River curves past wooded banks beneath a dramatic sky in George Wyth Memorial State Park, Iowa.
River contextCedar River at George Wyth Memorial State Park river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by TheCatalyst31

Need to know

Why this call
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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

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Weather

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Short-route forecast

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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

On-water distanceAbout 12 miCharles City Dock to Nashua Access
DifficultyeasyCanWePaddle rates the reach Class I. The route remains a caution card because it begins below a whitewater/dam corridor and finishes at a mandatory above-dam take-out in Nashua.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the take-out at Nashua Access / Cedar Lake Park before launching from downtown Charles City. Inspect the Nashua dam area and the intended above-dam exit first; do not rely on a rushed landing at the end of the day.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Follow Charles City, Chickasaw County, Nashua, and Iowa boating/PFD rules at public accesses.
CampingOptions nearbyHoward Woods Recreation Area has primitive camping near the downstream end of the route, and Nashua has local park amenities nearby. Treat this as base-camp support rather than an assumed mid-route overnight.
SeasonMay-SepCanWePaddle identifies May through September as the normal season. The route can be slow near the Nashua impoundment at low water and pushy after rain.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

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TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Launch from the downtown Charles City riverfront and take out at Nashua Access above the dam. The route continues the Cedar flatwater corridor downstream of the whitewater park, then slows into the Nashua impoundment.

DirectionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap
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Access planner

Pick a shorter segment

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

On-water distanceAbout 12 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.

Prepare this trip

Take the plan with you

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Start

Put-in

Charles City Dock / Riverside Park
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The whitewater course and upstream dam corridor sit immediately above the put-in area; use the normal flatwater launch below that corridor unless your group is intentionally paddling whitewater.

Finish

Take-out

Nashua Access / Cedar Lake Park
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Take out at Nashua Access / Cedar Lake Park on river left above the Nashua dam. Do not drift into the dam or treat the below-dam access as part of this route.

Plan this segment

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • The whitewater course and upstream dam corridor sit immediately above the put-in area; use the normal flatwater launch below that corridor unless your group is intentionally paddling whitewater.
  • Take out at Nashua Access / Cedar Lake Park on river left above the Nashua dam. Do not drift into the dam or treat the below-dam access as part of this route.
  • Howard Woods is a useful late-route access / primitive-camping context point, but this route is scored to the Nashua above-dam take-out.

Watch for

  • Mandatory Nashua dam take-out discipline.
  • Wind and slower current on the Cedar Lake / Nashua impoundment approach.
  • Fresh wood, bridge current, private banks, low-water gravel, and fast rises after storms.

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.

The Cedar River curves past wooded banks beneath a dramatic sky in George Wyth Memorial State Park, Iowa.
Cedar River at George Wyth Memorial State Park river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by TheCatalyst31
CC BY-SA 4.0

Score & sources

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

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Weather inputChecking

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Next stepChecking

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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.

Why
  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

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

Gauge siteCedar River at Charles City, IA
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Target band200 cfs to 2,500 cfs
Low threshold200 cfs
High threshold2,500 cfs
Evidence strength behind the rangeLocal route guidance
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreCanWePaddle Charles City to Nashua estimated range
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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.

  • Current gauge check1,680 cfs / 4.37 ft at 2026-07-22 22:15 CDT

    USGS Water Services returned current Charles City discharge and stage during this run.

    Source

  • Threshold range200-2,500 cfs

    CanWePaddle ties Charles City-to-Nashua to USGS 05457700 and estimates a 200 to 2,500 cfs runnable window.

    Source

  • Route shapeAbout 12 miles / about 6 hours

    The Cedar River Paddling Trips materials map Charles City to Howard Woods as 10 miles and Howard Woods to Nashua Access as 2.5 miles; City of Nashua describes Memorial Park to Veterans Memorial Park as about a 6-hour kayak/canoe trip.

    Source

  • Take-out supportNashua Access / Cedar Lake Park

    The paddling guide names Nashua Access at Cedar Lake Park, publishes coordinates, and warns to portage the dam on river left.

    Source

  • Local access supportCharles City to Nashua public float

    City of Nashua says user-friendly Charles City access points lead to Cedar Lake, where paddlers can exit at Cedar View, Lakeshore, or Veterans Memorial Park.

    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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Nearby routes by distance

Shell Rock RiverStrand Park to Wilkinson Pioneer Park · about 26 mi awayEasy · About 8 miLittle Turkey RiverGouldsburg Park to Eldorado Bridge Access · about 37 mi awayModerate · 12.2 miWinnebago RiverFertile to Mason City · about 40 mi awayEasy · About 15 mi by the mapped endpoint anchors; CanWePaddle lists the nominal town-to-town reach as 13 miUpper Iowa RiverKendallville Park to Bluffton Fir Stand Access · about 41 mi awayModerate · 16.5 mi

Quick answers

Cedar River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Cedar River?

Paddle Today watches Cedar River at Charles City, IA and treats 200 cfs to 2,500 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Cedar River route start and end?

This route starts at Charles City Dock / Riverside Park and ends at Nashua Access / Cedar Lake Park, about About 12 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.

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