See all 3 routes on Eau Claire River
Wisconsin | Central Wisconsin
Eau Claire River
Ross Avenue River Access to Yellow Banks Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Eau Claire 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
Continue from Ross Avenue to Yellow Banks Park for a short lower Eau Claire water-trail segment with public endpoints and a direct same-corridor stage gauge. The route is useful but source coverage is thinner below Ross, so scout for debris, snags, low-water side channels, and the Yellow Banks landing before launching.
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
Ross Avenue River AccessRoss Avenue is a developed access with gauge and trail context; still check the landing for high current and crowding before launching.
Take-out
Yellow Banks Park LaunchYellow Banks Park is the selected take-out. Weston lists Yellow Banks Launch at 3903 Northwestern Avenue and local sources document recent launch improvements, but paddlers should verify the current launch condition.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Ross Avenue is a developed access with gauge and trail context; still check the landing for high current and crowding before launching.
- Yellow Banks Park is the selected take-out. Weston lists Yellow Banks Launch at 3903 Northwestern Avenue and local sources document recent launch improvements, but paddlers should verify the current launch condition.
- Do not continue downstream toward the Eau Claire River Conservancy, flowage, Drott Street, or Brooks & Ross Dam without a separate route plan and portage/take-out decision.
Watch for
- Possible rapids, debris, snags, and shallow or side-channel route choices below Ross.
- Low-water walking below the Weston 0.5 ft floor and pushier water above the 2 ft experienced-paddler threshold.
- Private banks, limited bailout choices, cold water, and increased exposure if the group misses Yellow Banks.
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 | Eau Claire River at Kelly, WI |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 | 1.00 ft to 2.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 0.50 ft |
| High threshold | 2.00 ft |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Village of Weston Eau Claire River water-trail stage guidance |
| 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 and mileageRoss Avenue to Yellow Banks Park, about 2.7 mi
Wisconsin River Trips lists Ross Avenue to Yellowbanks Park as a 2.7-mile lower Eau Claire split with some rapids.
- Access coordinatesWRT overview KML resolves Ross Avenue and Yellow Banks Park
The WRT KML marks Ross Avenue at -89.5518243, 44.9183349 and Yellow Banks Park at -89.5740223, 44.9281782.
- Public take-outYellow Banks Launch, 3903 Northwestern Ave
Weston lists Yellow Banks Launch as a canoe/kayak launch site and names the Northwestern Avenue address.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 05397500 Water Services returned HTTP 503 on 2026-07-23
The official monitoring page is available, but the legacy JSON live-value endpoint returned service unavailable during this run; users should recheck the monitoring page before launch.
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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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Eau Claire River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Eau Claire River?
Paddle Today watches Eau Claire River at Kelly, WI and treats 1.00 ft to 2.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Eau Claire River route start and end?
This route starts at Ross Avenue River Access and ends at Yellow Banks Park Launch, about About 2.7 mi on the water.
Is this Eau Claire 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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