Wisconsin | Southwest Wisconsin

East Branch Pecatonica River

Argyle River Street Landing to Blackhawk Memorial Park

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

Route location

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DistanceAbout 7.8 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 2.5 hr to 4 hr
ShuttleCar shuttle
The East Branch Pecatonica route corridor passes through Argyle, Wisconsin, near Mineral Point Road.
River contextPecatonica River corridor at Argyle river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Chris Rycroft

Need to know

Why this call
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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.

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Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

DifficultyeasyBeginner-friendly riffles and a short campground-oriented shuttle, with caution retained for the Argyle dam boundary, strainers, and private banks.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Follow Village of Argyle and Blackhawk Memorial Park rules, Wisconsin boating/PFD rules, and private-bank limits.
CampingOptions nearbyBlackhawk Memorial Park has primitive camping at the take-out area and is the cleanest overnight support for this route. Do not assume legal camping on private banks or bars between Argyle and Blackhawk.
SeasonApr-NovSpring through fall is the practical window. The lower corridor usually holds enough water, but high/rising water can make wood and the below-dam launch choice less forgiving.

Upcoming outlook

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

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Plan your trip

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

Access and shuttle

Launch below the Argyle dam corridor and paddle a short lower-East-Branch day to Blackhawk Memorial Park. This is a campground-friendly route when the Blanchardville gauge is at or above the conservative floor, but it still needs wood and private-bank discipline.

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Start

Put-in

Argyle River Street Landing
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Confirm the below-dam Argyle landing. The upstream Argyle launch serves the River Road-to-Argyle route, while this route starts below the village dam corridor.

Finish

Take-out

Blackhawk Memorial Park Landing
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Blackhawk Memorial Park is the planned endpoint and campground support. Identify the landing from land before shuttling because the lower banks can be muddy and vegetated.

Plan this segment

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Confirm the below-dam Argyle landing. The upstream Argyle launch serves the River Road-to-Argyle route, while this route starts below the village dam corridor.
  • Blackhawk Memorial Park is the planned endpoint and campground support. Identify the landing from land before shuttling because the lower banks can be muddy and vegetated.
  • Do not casually continue below Blackhawk / Woodford; source notes warn that farther downstream can add frustrating deadfall.

Watch for

  • The Argyle low-head-dam boundary and choosing the correct launch side.
  • Strainers, partial logjams, low-water mud, and steep private banks.
  • Cold water, rural rescue exposure, and changing conditions after rain.

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

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Today'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.

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Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteEast Branch Pecatonica River near Blanchardville, WI
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Ideal rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floor150 cfs
High thresholdNot calibrated yet
Evidence strength behind the rangeLocal route guidance
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Main source behind this scoreMiles Paddled East Branch Pecatonica IV trip level
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What 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 route and levelArgyle to Blackhawk, 7.75 mi at 152 cfs / 4.6 ft

    Miles Paddled documents the Argyle-to-Blackhawk route with endpoint coordinates, beginner riffles, and a Blanchardville gauge reading of 152 cfs / 4.6 ft.

    Source

  • County park endpointBlackhawk Memorial Park has camping, canoeing, and fishing

    The Village of Argyle describes Blackhawk Memorial Park as a 120-acre park alongside the Pecatonica River with camping, playground, hiking, canoeing, and fishing.

    Source

  • Access chain supportArgyle and Blackhawk are named paddling options

    The Village of Argyle says paddlers can put in or take out at the Village of Argyle and Blackhawk Memorial Park / Woodford.

    Source

  • Current gauge check140 cfs / 4.62 ft at 2026-07-23 04:00 CDT

    USGS Water Services returned current East Branch Pecatonica data during this run, slightly below the selected 150 cfs floor for this downstream split.

    Source

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East Branch Pecatonica River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling East Branch Pecatonica River?

Paddle Today watches East Branch Pecatonica River near Blanchardville, WI and uses 150 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.

Where does this East Branch Pecatonica River route start and end?

This route starts at Argyle River Street Landing and ends at Blackhawk Memorial Park Landing, about About 7.8 mi on the water.

Is this East Branch Pecatonica 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.

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.