See all 25 routes on Cedar River
Iowa | Cedar Valley
Cedar RiverNorth Cedar Park to Cedar Bend Park
Longer Bremer County Cedar River leg from North Cedar Park to Cedar Bend Park, with campgrounds at both ends, wildlife-area context, and a downstream Waverly gauge floor.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Paddle from North Cedar Park to Cedar Bend Park through the Bremer County Cedar corridor. The route is a longer county-park connector and intentionally stops before the Waverly dam-portage sequence.
Access map
Put-in
North Cedar Park boat ramp / canoe accessNorth Cedar and Cedar Bend coordinates come from the Cedar River Paddling Trips guide and county park context; follow posted park access and camping rules.
Take-out
Cedar Bend Park accessCedar Bend vehicle access is seasonal, with the park gate normally open May 1 through October 31 according to Bremer County.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out at Cedar Bend Park northwest of Waverly, then return to North Cedar Park. Confirm Cedar Bend gate/vehicle access during shoulder season before committing.
Additional access notes
- Do not treat this route as a through-Waverly dam run unless you separately plan Cedar Bend-to-Three-Rivers and the Kohlmann/Brookwood portage.
More route and safety guidance
- North Cedar Wildlife Area borders the corridor, but routine stops should still use public access areas and posted public lands rather than private banks.
- The route ends above the Waverly dam corridor. If continuing beyond Cedar Bend, plan the Three Rivers / Kohlmann / Brookwood dam-portage logistics separately.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
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Next 8 hours
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Cedar River at Waverly, IA. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
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Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Cedar River at Waverly, IA |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
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| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
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| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| 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 Waverly/Charles City gauge guidance |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Route shape8.3 miles
The Cedar River Paddling Trips guide lists North Cedar Park as 8.3 miles upstream of Cedar Bend Park.
- Endpoint coordinates42.849516, -92.522648 to 42.760425, -92.493585
The guide publishes GPS coordinates for North Cedar Park and Cedar Bend Park.
- Endpoint campingCampgrounds at North Cedar and Cedar Bend
The guide and Bremer County sources document campground support at North Cedar Park and Cedar Bend Park; Cedar Bend has more than 60 sites and seasonal vehicle-gate limits.
- Gauge floor200 cfs minimum; 400-600 cfs better
The Cedar River Paddling Trips guide gives a 200 cfs adequate-water floor and 400 to 600 cfs as a better range for the broader trip set.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-232,450 cfs / 5.10 ft at 2026-07-23 08:15 CDT
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
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