See all 25 routes on Cedar River
Iowa | North Central Iowa
Cedar River
Halvorson Park to Interstate Park / Mitchell
Check current paddling conditions for this Cedar River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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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
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
Launch at Halvorson Park and paddle the impounded upper Cedar River toward Interstate Park at Mitchell, stopping before the Mitchell power-dam portage.
Put-in
Halvorson ParkOpen mapThe Interstate Power dam at Mitchell is the route boundary. The guide says the portage is about 100 yards on river left, starting near the powerhouse and ending above the Mitchell Bridge.
Take-out
Interstate Park / MitchellOpen mapWind can matter on the more lake-like impounded water above Mitchell, and higher water increases dam-approach consequence.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Interstate Power dam at Mitchell is the route boundary. The guide says the portage is about 100 yards on river left, starting near the powerhouse and ending above the Mitchell Bridge.
- Wind can matter on the more lake-like impounded water above Mitchell, and higher water increases dam-approach consequence.
- USGS 05457700 at Charles City is a downstream proxy for this upper leg; verify local current, depth, wind, and access conditions at Halvorson.
Watch for
- Mitchell dam approach, wind on impounded water, shoreline debris, and private banks.
- Low-water shallows and high/rising water that shortens decision time above the portage.
- Seasonal campground/access rules at both endpoint parks.
Route gallery
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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 Charles City, 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 Otranto-to-Janesville guide |
| 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.
- Official route and mileageHalvorson Park to Interstate Park, 4.7 mi
The guide lists Halvorson Park to Interstate Park at Mitchell as 4.7 miles and publishes endpoint coordinates.
- Mitchell dam portageLeft-bank portage about 100 yards
The guide says the Interstate Power dam at Mitchell impounds this section and the portage around the dam is about 100 yards on the left bank.
- Endpoint campingHalvorson and Interstate park context
The guide says Halvorson County Park has camping and that Interstate Park is a county conservation area with camping and picnic tables.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 05457700 at 1,270 cfs / 3.86 ft
USGS Water Services returned current Cedar River at Charles City data at 2026-07-23 16:30 CDT 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.
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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 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 Halvorson Park and ends at Interstate Park / Mitchell, about 4.7 mi on the water.
Is this Cedar River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.