See all 3 routes on Crawfish River
Wisconsin | South-Central Wisconsin
Crawfish River
Aztalan State Park to Jefferson Riverfront Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Crawfish River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
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.
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 Aztalan State Park and take out at Riverfront Park in Jefferson for the lower Crawfish boulder-garden and confluence route. The route is easy, but finish discipline matters near the Rock River and Jefferson dam context.
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.
Put-in
Aztalan State Park Crawfish River launchWRT says the obvious end of the Aztalan trail can be shallow and partly blocked; use the better nearby side-trail launch if conditions match that report.
Take-out
Riverfront Park Jefferson carry-inRiverfront Park is the planned take-out. Do not continue around the Jefferson dam, fish-passage, or Rock River structures without a separate route plan.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- WRT says the obvious end of the Aztalan trail can be shallow and partly blocked; use the better nearby side-trail launch if conditions match that report.
- Riverfront Park is the planned take-out. Do not continue around the Jefferson dam, fish-passage, or Rock River structures without a separate route plan.
- Check wind direction; this open lower Crawfish reach can be slow into a headwind.
Watch for
- Shallow spots, boulder gardens, muddy high water, and wind on broad sections.
- Private banks and developed riverfront edges approaching Jefferson.
- The Crawfish/Rock confluence, Goat Island side trip temptation, and nearby dam context at the finish.
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
Why this score
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 | Crawfish River at Milford, WI |
| 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 |
| Target band | 121 cfs to 250 cfs |
| Low threshold | 60 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,401 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Crawfish River Goat Island depth 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.
- Exact routeAztalan State Park to Riverfront Park, 7.4 mi
Wisconsin River Trips documents this exact lower Crawfish route, estimates three to four hours, and identifies the public put-in and take-out.
- Level bands121-250 cfs target; 0-60 cfs low; 1401+ cfs maybe too high
WRT ties the Aztalan-to-Riverfront route to the Milford gauge and publishes low, target, high, and too-high bands.
- Official put-in supportAztalan State Park Crawfish River paddling
Wisconsin DNR says visitors can canoe, kayak, or boat in the Crawfish River at Aztalan State Park.
- Take-out supportRiverfront Park Jefferson carry-in
Rock River Trail access documentation lists Riverfront Park in Jefferson as a carry-in with parking at the Crawfish/Rock confluence.
- Current gauge check111 cfs / 1.94 ft at 2026-07-23 09:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Crawfish River at Milford data 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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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Crawfish River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Crawfish River?
Paddle Today watches Crawfish River at Milford, WI and treats 121 cfs to 250 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Crawfish River route start and end?
This route starts at Aztalan State Park Crawfish River launch and ends at Riverfront Park Jefferson carry-in, about About 7.4 mi on the water.
Is this Crawfish 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.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.