See all 29 routes on Cedar River
Iowa | North Central Iowa
Cedar River
Halvorson Park to Interstate Park / Mitchell
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
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
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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
Launch at Halvorson Park and paddle the impounded upper Cedar River toward Interstate Park at Mitchell, stopping before the Mitchell power-dam portage.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Halvorson ParkThe 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 / MitchellWind can matter on the more lake-like impounded water above Mitchell, and higher water increases dam-approach consequence.
Plan this segment
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
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
Data and sources
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 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 |
| 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 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
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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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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