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See all 3 routes on Clinton River

Michigan | Southeast Michigan

Clinton River

Downtown Utica to Budd Park

Check current paddling conditions for this Clinton River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.

Route location

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Open access map
DistanceAbout 11.8 mi for the full corridor; choose a shorter segment in the access planner
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 4 hr to 6 hr for the full corridor
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Clinton River flows past wooded banks in Macomb County, Michigan.
River contextClinton River in Macomb County river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Local hero via Wikimedia Commons

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

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Next 8 hours

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 11.8 mi for the full corridor; choose a shorter segment in the access plannerDowntown Utica to Budd Park
DifficultymoderateThis urban corridor remains moderate because CRWC warns that wood, swift current, bridges, and stormwater can change conditions quickly.
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a water-trail access pair, stage the downstream vehicle first, and inspect both launches before committing.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Follow City of Utica and City of Sterling Heights park, launch, parking, and posted water-trail rules at the public access sites.
CampingOptions nearbyTreat this as an urban day-trip corridor. No on-route camping plan is assumed.
SeasonApr-OctSpring through fall is the practical paddling season. This urban section can rise quickly after rain, and CRWC warns that high water can carry woody debris, create blocked passages, and raise water-quality concerns from sewage overflows.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

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

Use this as the upper Macomb Clinton River access-planner corridor from Downtown Utica to Budd Park, with North Clinton River Park and Rotary Park options.

DirectionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap
Plan a shorter segmentOptional

Access planner

Pick a shorter segment

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

On-water distanceAbout 11.8 mi for the full corridor; choose a shorter segment in the access plannerLake 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

Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.

Download GPXAdd to calendar

Start

Put-in

Downtown Utica water-trail access
Open map

Public access rules, park hours, and construction can change quickly in this urban corridor.

Finish

Take-out

Budd Park carry-in launch
Open map

The full corridor is a planning envelope; shorter access pairs are usually more practical.

Plan this segment

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Public access rules, park hours, and construction can change quickly in this urban corridor.
  • The full corridor is a planning envelope; shorter access pairs are usually more practical.
  • Stay with mapped water-trail accesses rather than private banks.

Watch for

  • High, fast water and woody debris after rain.
  • Bridge current, blind bends, and urban stormwater.
  • Low-water scraping near the low warning.

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 Clinton River flows past wooded banks in Macomb County, Michigan.
Clinton River in Macomb County river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Local hero via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: public domain

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

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

Next stepChecking

Waiting on enough data to give the next step.

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 siteClinton River at Sterling Heights, MI
Gauge heightChecking
DischargeChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Target band8.00 ft to 10.00 ft
Low threshold8.00 ft
High threshold10.00 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreClinton River Watershed Council Sterling Heights gauge warnings
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.

  • Planner corridorDowntown Utica water-trail access to Budd Park carry-in launch, with intermediate access choices

    This route replaces overlapping access-to-access cards with one access-planner corridor.

    Source

  • Gauge modelClinton River at Sterling Heights, MI

    The consolidated route keeps the same reviewed gauge model used by the replaced route cards.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

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Photos

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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 Michigan

All 26 routes
Michigan route guideBrowse every tracked Michigan route.Southeast MichiganJump to routes in this region.

More on Clinton River

All 3
MacArthur Park to Harley EnsignSoutheast MichiganModerate · About 7.2 miShadyside Park to MacArthur ParkSoutheast MichiganEasy · About 2.0 mi

Nearby routes by distance

Huron RiverArgo Park Canoe Livery to Gallup Park Livery · about 43 mi awayModerate · 3.5 miMill CreekMill Creek Park North to Mill Creek Park South, Dexter · about 48 mi awayModerate · Short park-and-play reach at Main Street; approximately 0.2 mi planning distanceCass RiverTuscola Township Park to Frankenmuth · about 58 mi awayEasy · 5 miRed Cedar RiverMcCormick Park Launch to Red Cedar Roadside Park · about 63 mi awayHard · Approximately 6 river miles planning reach

Quick answers

Clinton River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Clinton River?

Paddle Today watches Clinton River at Sterling Heights, MI and treats 8.00 ft to 10.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Clinton River route start and end?

This route starts at Downtown Utica water-trail access and ends at Budd Park carry-in launch, about About 11.8 mi for the full corridor; choose a shorter segment in the access planner on the water.

Is this Clinton 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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