See all 11 routes on Kansas River
Kansas | Northeast Kansas
Kansas RiverLawrence 8th Street to Eudora
Nine-mile Kansas River Water Trail day from the Lawrence Riverfront Park East / 8th Street ramp to the Eudora ramp on the Wakarusa River. Friends of the Kaw documents both public ramps, the route distance, and the key flow cautions, while the downstream De Soto USGS gauge gives a conservative Kaw level check.
Checking current river conditions…
Route location
Loading the route map.
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch below the Lawrence dam complex at the Riverfront Park East / 8th Street ramp and take out at Eudora. This is a public Kansas River Water Trail segment with a downstream De Soto gauge proxy and special attention needed for Wakarusa releases at the take-out.
Access map
Put-in
Lawrence Riverfront Park East / 8th Street Access RampThe 8th Street ramp is below Bowersock Dam; do not start from the upstream Lawrence Riverfront Park ramp unless you have a separate dam-portage plan.
Take-out
Eudora Access RampThe Eudora ramp is on the Wakarusa River. From the Kansas River, turn hard right upstream into the Wakarusa and paddle about three-quarters of a mile to the ramp.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out at the Eudora Public Works / Main Street ramp, then drive back to the Lawrence 8th Street access. Inspect the Eudora take-out first because it requires an upstream paddle on the Wakarusa River from the Kansas River confluence.
Additional access notes
- Friends of the Kaw warns that Clinton Reservoir releases into the Wakarusa at 250 cfs and above can make the Eudora upstream take-out paddle difficult to impossible.
- All access and parking are subject to same-day city, county, and ramp conditions. Mud, silt, event closures, and shifted sand can change ramp usability.
More route and safety guidance
- Use the below-dam 8th Street launch for this route, then check wind, storms, floating wood, and shifting sandbars before committing.
- Stay with public ramps and legal sandbar stops; do not use private banks as planned rest or bailout points.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.
Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.
Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.
Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.
Conditions
Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampDetailed weather
Weather
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
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 De Soto, 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.
Share a recent access update, hazard observation or photo.
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-inLawrence Riverfront Park East / 8th Street, RM 51
Friends of the Kaw lists the Lawrence Riverfront Park East / 8th Street ramp with GPS 38.972, -95.21639, river-left access, parking, restroom, trash can, and kiosk.
- Public take-outEudora Access Ramp, RM 42
Friends of the Kaw lists the Eudora ramp with GPS 38.94999, -95.09963, public parking, picnic shelter, fishing platform, and kiosk. The ramp sits on the Wakarusa River about three-quarters of a mile upstream from the Kansas River.
- Route distanceAbout 9 miles
The 8th Street access page says the next access is about 9 miles downriver to Eudora at river mile 42.
- Public river and rampsKansas, Arkansas, and Missouri Rivers public in Kansas
Friends of the Kaw says the Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri Rivers are public rivers in Kansas and that all Kansas River boat ramps are open to the public.
- Flow safety bandsNovices under 5,000 cfs; all paddlers under 8,000 cfs
Friends of the Kaw recommends novice paddlers stay below 5,000 cfs and more experienced paddlers stay below 8,000 cfs; at 8,000 cfs and higher, few sandbars remain for rest stops.
- Low-flow recreation impacts<1,000 / 1,500-5,000 / 8,000+ cfs
USACE Kansas River recreation material identifies difficult paddling below 1,000 cfs, no recreation impacts from 1,500 to 5,000 cfs, novice impacts from 5,000 to 8,000 cfs, and extremely difficult paddling from 8,000 to 11,000 cfs.
- GaugeUSGS 06892350 at De Soto
USGS operates Kansas River at De Soto, KS, downstream of Eudora and near river mile 31. Use it as a lower-Kaw proxy rather than a precise Lawrence-to-Eudora reach gauge.
- Eudora take-out caveatWakarusa upstream paddle
Friends of the Kaw warns that taking out at Eudora requires turning upstream into the Wakarusa River and paddling about three-quarters of a mile; Clinton Reservoir releases of 250 cfs and above can make that upstream paddle difficult to impossible.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
More on Kansas River
All 11Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.