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Kansas | Northeast Kansas
Kansas RiverJunction City / Grant Park to St. George / Boggs Landing
Long upper-Kaw continuation from the Republican River launch at Junction City to St. George / Boggs Landing. Friends of the Kaw documents the public access chain through Ogden and Manhattan, and the downstream Wamego gauge remains the closest defensible same-river discharge proxy.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at Grant Park in Junction City and take out at St. George / Boggs Landing for a long upper-Kaw trip through Ogden and Manhattan. Plan for an overnight or a very long day. The Wamego gauge is downstream, so use its flow and trend as broad river context and check local conditions along the route.
Access map
Put-in
Junction City Access Ramp / Grant ParkThe Junction City ramp is on the Republican River, not directly on the Kansas River. The Kansas River begins about one-third mile downstream where the Republican and Smoky Hill meet.
Take-out
St. George / Boggs Landing Access RampThe Manhattan K-177 / Fairmont ramp mid-corridor often has a sandbar at the toe, and nearby Blue River current can change when Tuttle Creek releases rise.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out at St. George / Boggs Landing first, then drive back to Grant Park in Junction City. This is too long to treat like a normal day float, so confirm both ramps, weather, and the overnight or emergency plan before launching.
Additional access notes
- Stay with public ramps and legal sandbar stops between the high-water marks. The banks above the river are private property.
- All access and parking are subject to same-day city, county, mud, silt, high-water cleanup, and event conditions.
More route and safety guidance
- Watch the Republican and Smoky Hill confluence line near the start, and reassess if current, visibility, or group spacing feels off.
- Stay with public ramps and legal sandbar stops between the high-water marks; do not use private banks as planned rest or bailout points.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
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Weather
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Kansas River at Wamego, KS. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Public put-inJunction City / Grant Park, RM 173
Friends of the Kaw lists Junction City Access Ramp in Grant Park with GPS 39.06029, -96.80341 on the Republican River about one-third mile above the Smoky Hill confluence where the Kansas River begins.
- Public take-outSt. George / Boggs Landing, RM 137
Friends of the Kaw lists St. George / Boggs Landing with GPS 39.18726, -96.42202, river-left access, ample parking, restrooms, lighting, and town services nearby.
- Route distanceAbout 35 mi
Friends of the Kaw says Junction City to Ogden is a little over 9 miles, Ogden to Manhattan is about 14 miles, and Manhattan to St. George is 12 miles, which supports this longer combined public route.
- Gauge relationshipUSGS 06887500 at Wamego, downstream of this reach
The Wamego gauge is downstream of this long route. Use its live reading and trend as broad Kansas River context, then check conditions at Junction City, Manhattan, and St. George before committing.
- Flow safety bands1,000 / 1,500-5,000 / 8,000 cfs
Friends of the Kaw recommends novice paddlers stay below 5,000 cfs and everyone else below 8,000 cfs, while USACE recreation guidance supports the difficult-below-1,000 and no-impact 1,500-5,000 calibration.
- Confluence and mid-route caveatsRepublican/Smoky Hill line plus Manhattan sandbar and Blue River context
The Junction City page warns about unusual currents where the Republican meets the Smoky Hill, while Ogden and Manhattan note the sandbar at the Manhattan ramp and Blue River release effects near Tuttle Creek.
- Camping supportPublic sandbar camping between high-water marks
Friends of the Kaw says the Kansas River is public, sandbar camping is allowed without a special permit, and private banks above the high-water mark remain off-limits.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- Friends of the Kaw Kansas River access map
- Friends of the Kaw Junction City access
- Friends of the Kaw Ogden access
- Friends of the Kaw Manhattan K-177 / Fairmont access
- Friends of the Kaw St. George / Boggs Landing access
- Friends of the Kaw Paddle FAQ
- Friends of the Kaw camping on the Kaw
- USACE Kansas River recreation appendix
- USGS 06887500 Kansas River at Wamego
Other routes nearby
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