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See all 29 routes on Cedar River

Minnesota | Southern Minnesota

Cedar River

Marcusen Park to Riverwood Landing

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 3.8 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 1.5 hr to 2.5 hr
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

Hourly forecast

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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 3.8 miMarcusen Park to Riverwood Landing
DifficultyeasyThe mileage is short and DNR describes no major rapids on the Cedar, but dams upstream, snags, overhanging trees, bridge current, and private banks still require normal moving-water judgment.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage Riverwood Landing first, then drive back to Marcusen Park in Austin. Walk both landings and check the County Road 28 gauge bridge area before launching.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Use the named public accesses, follow Minnesota boating/PFD rules, and obey posted City of Austin and DNR water-trail rules.
CampingDay tripNo on-route public watercraft campsite is documented for this short Austin connector. Plan it as a day trip and do not camp on private banks or bars.
SeasonMay-OctThe DNR says the Cedar usually has enough summer water in this corridor, but dry spells expose shallow bars and storms can quickly add push and new wood.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Launch from Marcusen Park and take out at Riverwood Landing for a short Cedar River section with an on-route DNR gauge, no major rapids, and recurring snag/overhanging-tree caveats.

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Prepare this trip

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Start

Put-in

Cedar River, Marcusen Park Public Water Access Site
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Marcusen Park resolves as WAS03076 at DNR river mile 15.6 and Riverwood Landing resolves as WAS02650 at river mile 11.8 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.

Finish

Take-out

Cedar River, Riverwood Landing Public Water Access Site
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The County Road 28 bridge and river-level gauge sit inside the route at about river mile 13.4.

Plan this segment

Skip map

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Marcusen Park resolves as WAS03076 at DNR river mile 15.6 and Riverwood Landing resolves as WAS02650 at river mile 11.8 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
  • The County Road 28 bridge and river-level gauge sit inside the route at about river mile 13.4.
  • Do not continue past Riverwood Landing unless the downstream state-line route and access limits are separately staged.

Watch for

  • Austin dam context upstream, bridge current, strainers, snags, and overhanging trees.
  • Scraping below the official 50 cfs floor and powerful current or new wood above the high band.
  • Private banks and limited routine exits between the two public accesses.

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.

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Gauge inputChecking

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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 nr Austin, MN
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Target band117 cfs to 1,290 cfs
Low threshold50 cfs
High threshold1,670 cfs
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreMN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Cedar River near Austin
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.

  • Official route milesMarcusen Park RM 15.6 to Riverwood Landing RM 11.8

    MN DNR Cedar River map materials place the public accesses 3.8 river miles apart and show the County Road 28 gauge between them.

    Source

  • Public access recordsMarcusen Park WAS03076 to Riverwood Landing WAS02650

    Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves both endpoints with official names, administrators, coordinates, and river-mile context.

    Source

  • Official DNR bands50 / 117-1290 / 1670 cfs

    MN DNR interprets Cedar River near Austin as Scrapable below 50 cfs, Low from 50 to 117, Medium from 117 to 1290, High from 1290 to 1670, and Very High above 1670.

    Source

  • Current gauge check367 cfs at 2026-07-23 16:00 CDT

    The current MN DNR feed placed Cedar River near Austin inside the official medium band during this run.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

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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.

More in Minnesota

All 232 routes
Minnesota route guideBrowse every tracked Minnesota route.Southern MinnesotaJump to routes in this region.

More on Cedar River

All 29
Acorn Park to Halvorson ParkNorth Central IowaModerate · 2.8 miAustin Mill Pond to Marcusen ParkSouthern MinnesotaEasy · About 1.9 miBennett Access to Highway 9 BridgeNorth Central IowaModerate · 2.7 miBrookwood Park to Janesville City ParkCedar ValleyEasy · About 10.1 mi

Nearby routes by distance

Shell Rock RiverFrank Hall Park to St. Nicholas Landing / Albert Lea Lake · about 19 mi awayEasy · About 3.2 lake miShell Rock RiverStrand Park to Wilkinson Pioneer Park · about 29 mi awayEasy · About 8 miWinnebago RiverFertile to Mason City · about 35 mi awayEasy · About 15 mi by the mapped endpoint anchors; CanWePaddle lists the nominal town-to-town reach as 13 miStraight RiverCounty Road 45 to Medford City Park · about 37 mi awayModerate · About 3.7 mi

Quick answers

Cedar River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Cedar River?

Paddle Today watches Cedar River nr Austin, MN and treats 117 cfs to 1,290 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 Cedar River, Marcusen Park Public Water Access Site and ends at Cedar River, Riverwood Landing Public Water Access Site, about About 3.8 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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