See all 3 routes on Crawfish River
Wisconsin | South-Central Wisconsin
Crawfish River
Udey Street Dam / Columbus to Astico 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 below Udey Dam in Columbus and paddle the livelier upper Crawfish split to Astico Park. Low to moderate water shows riffles and boulders best, but wood and the downstream gauge lag require visual checks.
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
Udey Street Dam / Campbell Street accessUdey Dam is not the place to improvise. Launch below dam influence only when the outflow and banks are manageable.
Take-out
Astico Park canoe/kayak launchWisconsin River Trips says most paddlers in Columbus use the wastewater plant landing; use that lower start if the dam-adjacent start is too pushy or woody.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Udey Dam is not the place to improvise. Launch below dam influence only when the outflow and banks are manageable.
- Wisconsin River Trips says most paddlers in Columbus use the wastewater plant landing; use that lower start if the dam-adjacent start is too pushy or woody.
- Astico Park has a launch, rentals, and campground context, but confirm seasonal access, fees, and park rules before relying on it for overnight support.
Watch for
- Two minor logjams below Udey and a more serious logjam below the wastewater plant that may require portaging.
- Fast current just below the dam and in the wooded south-of-Tiedt Road section.
- Open-river wind, muddy high water, wastewater-plant water-quality context, private banks, and downstream Danville Dam if you miss the planned park exit.
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 | 0 cfs to 200 cfs |
| Low threshold | 0 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,401 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Crawfish River Columbus 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.
- Route shapeColumbus to Astico Park, 8.5 mi
Miles Paddled documents Udey Street Dam off Campbell Street to Astico Park bridge as an 8.5-mile Crawfish River trip with endpoint GPS.
- Level guidance0-200 cfs best character; 1401+ cfs maybe too high
Wisconsin River Trips ties the Columbus route to the Milford gauge and says 0-100 cfs is an excellent target, 101-200 cfs is good, 201-400 cfs is average spring flow, and 1401+ cfs may be too high.
- 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.
- Endpoint camping and accessAstico Park canoe/kayak launch and 60 campsites
Dodge County says Astico Park has canoe/kayak rentals with a close launch area plus campsites, showers, restrooms, potable water, and a dump station.
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 0 cfs to 200 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 Udey Street Dam / Campbell Street access and ends at Astico Park canoe/kayak launch, about About 8.5 mi on the water.
Is this Crawfish 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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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.