Wisconsin | Southern Wisconsin
Horicon Marsh Paddle Trail
Green Head Boat Landing to North Nebraska Street Boat Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this Horicon Marsh Paddle Trail 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
A marked 6.5-mile Horicon Marsh paddle through the state wildlife area, ending at North Nebraska Street in Horicon. The route is flat but exposed, navigation-sensitive, and dependent on water level, wind, floating vegetation, and current marsh restrictions.
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
Green Head Boat LandingThe Horicon National Wildlife Refuge portion is closed to paddling; remain in the state wildlife area route.
Take-out
North Nebraska Street Boat LandingGreen Head and Nebraska Street access can change with marsh conditions, vegetation mats, or management decisions; verify current status.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Horicon National Wildlife Refuge portion is closed to paddling; remain in the state wildlife area route.
- Green Head and Nebraska Street access can change with marsh conditions, vegetation mats, or management decisions; verify current status.
- Do not approach the Horicon dam or electric fish barrier, and do not assume overnight parking or camping.
Watch for
- Water below the documented 40-cfs trip level may be shallow and muddy; rising water, wind, or floating cattail mats can also make the route unsafe or impassable.
- Wind exposure, motorboat wakes, heat, lack of shade, and navigation errors in canals and marsh channels.
- Seasonal rookery restrictions, refuge boundary, route markers, and the Horicon city dam downstream of the landing.
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 | Rock River at Horicon, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 40 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Horicon Marsh gauge observation |
| 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 routeGreen Head Boat Landing to North Nebraska Street Boat Landing, 6.5-7.5 mi
Wisconsin DNR and Friends of Horicon Marsh document the marked marsh paddle trail, public endpoints, approximate length, and shuttle arrangement.
- Minimum-only floor40 cfs documented trip level
Wisconsin River Trips records a direct Rock River at Horicon trip at 40 cfs and describes shallow conditions; the app uses this as a conservative minimum-only reference.
- Marsh restrictions and hazardsState wildlife area only; refuge closed; cattail mats and dam hazard
Wisconsin DNR documents the wildlife-area boundary, floating cattail mats, seasonal rookery closure, motorboat traffic, and the dangerous Horicon dam/electric fish barrier.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 05424057
USGS operates Rock River at Horicon with continuous discharge and gage-height data.
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
Horicon Marsh Paddle Trail paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Horicon Marsh Paddle Trail?
Paddle Today watches Rock River at Horicon, WI and uses 40 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Horicon Marsh Paddle Trail route start and end?
This route starts at Green Head Boat Landing and ends at North Nebraska Street Boat Landing, about About 6.5 mi on the water.
Is this Horicon Marsh Paddle Trail 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.