See all 3 routes on East Branch Pecatonica River
Wisconsin | Southwest Wisconsin
East Branch Pecatonica River
Gordon Creek Boat Ramp to River Road Landing
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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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 Blanchardville at Gordon Creek Boat Ramp and paddle the lower East Branch Pecatonica through the Highway 78 gauge corridor to River Road. The best scenery is below Highway 78; the main practical calls are level, wood, mud, and staying off private banks.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
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.
Put-in
Gordon Creek Boat RampGordon Creek is the public/default start below the Blanchardville dam area. Do not launch above the dam for this route.
Take-out
River Road / Thunder Bridge LandingHighway 78 is retained as a direct gauge and visual checkpoint, but it is not the default launch because access and parking are weaker than Gordon Creek.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Gordon Creek is the public/default start below the Blanchardville dam area. Do not launch above the dam for this route.
- Highway 78 is retained as a direct gauge and visual checkpoint, but it is not the default launch because access and parking are weaker than Gordon Creek.
- River Road / Thunder Bridge has a muddy landing. Scout it from land before launching so the exit is obvious from the river.
Watch for
- Deadfall and possible portages in the Highway 78-to-River Road split, especially after storms or high water.
- Low-water riffles below about 90 cfs and pushier wood consequences near or above the 360 cfs highest-recommended source level.
- Private pasture banks, farm-field edges, bridge debris, cold water outside summer, and a rural rescue setting.
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 | East Branch Pecatonica River near Blanchardville, 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 | 90 cfs to 360 cfs |
| Low threshold | 90 cfs |
| High threshold | 360 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Miles Paddled East Branch Pecatonica Highway 78 / River Road gauge notes |
| 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.
- Public put-inGordon Creek Boat Ramp below Blanchardville
Wisconsin River Trips calls Gordon Creek Boat Ramp a very good public access just downstream from Blanchardville and says most paddlers will prefer it over the dam-side start.
- Route split and mileageGordon Creek to Highway 78 to River Road, about 9 to 10 mi
Wisconsin River Trips lists Gordon Creek Landing-to-Highway 78 and Highway 78-to-River Road as adjacent lower East Branch splits; Miles Paddled describes Highway 78-to-River Road as about 5.75 miles.
- Threshold evidence90 cfs workable; 360 cfs highest recommended for Highway 78-to-River Road
Miles Paddled recorded 90 cfs on the Highway 78-to-Argyle trip and later described 360 cfs / 7.2 ft as the highest recommended level for the Highway 78-to-River Road split.
- Current gauge check140 cfs / 4.62 ft at 2026-07-23 04:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current East Branch Pecatonica River near Blanchardville 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
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 treats 90 cfs to 360 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this East Branch Pecatonica River route start and end?
This route starts at Gordon Creek Boat Ramp and ends at River Road / Thunder Bridge Landing, about About 9.5 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.
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