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Kansas | Northeast Kansas
Kansas RiverOgden to St. George / Boggs Landing
Long upper-Kaw continuation from Ogden to St. George / Boggs Landing. Friends of the Kaw documents the public access chain through Manhattan, and the Wamego gauge remains the closest defensible same-river discharge proxy for the full combined reach.
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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 Ogden and take out at St. George / Boggs Landing for a long upper-Kaw trip past Manhattan. Allow for the distance, changing conditions, and limited easy exits. The Wamego gauge is downstream, so use its flow and trend as broad river context and check conditions at both endpoints.
Access map
Put-in
Ogden Access RampThe Ogden ramp is straightforward, but same-day mud, sand, and trailer traffic still affect launch conditions.
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 Ogden. Inspect both ramps before launching because this is a long commitment and the Manhattan corridor in the middle can add fatigue before the final miles.
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
- The Manhattan K-177 ramp often has a sandbar at the toe, and nearby Blue River current can change when Tuttle Creek releases rise.
- Stay with public ramps and legal sandbar stops between the high-water marks; do not plan on private banks for rest, camping, or take-out use.
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Conditions
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Gauge source
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Tomorrow and the weekend
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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-inOgden Access Ramp, RM 163.4
Friends of the Kaw lists the Ogden ramp with GPS 39.10503, -96.69633, river-left access, trailer parking, and public amenities.
- 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, public parking, and strong town amenities.
- Route distanceAbout 26 mi
Friends of the Kaw says 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 route. Use its live reading and trend as broad Kansas River context, then check conditions at Ogden, Manhattan, and St. George before launching.
- 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.
- Mid-route caveatsManhattan sandbar and Blue River release context
The Ogden page warns of a sandbar at the toe of the Manhattan ramp, and the Manhattan page warns the nearby Blue River variation can be difficult when Tuttle Creek releases exceed 500 cfs.
- 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 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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