See all 5 routes on Kickapoo River
Wisconsin | Driftless Wisconsin
Kickapoo River
Highway 131 south of Michigan Road to Ontario Landing 1
Check current paddling conditions for this Kickapoo River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at the Highway 131 bridge south of Michigan Road and take out at Ontario Landing 1 for a shallow, upper Kickapoo day above the classic Ontario-to-Rockton card. Use the direct Ontario gauge and do not launch below the published low-water floor unless you are prepared for dragging.
Put-in
Highway 131 bridge south of Michigan RoadOpen mapThe put-in is a bridge access, not a developed livery landing; confirm shoulder parking and footing before unloading.
Take-out
Landing 1 / Highway 33 and County Road POpen mapLanding 1 is the start of the numbered upper Kickapoo access system and can be busy during peak season.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The put-in is a bridge access, not a developed livery landing; confirm shoulder parking and footing before unloading.
- Landing 1 is the start of the numbered upper Kickapoo access system and can be busy during peak season.
- KVR notes 2026 Highway 131 construction in the area with local access allowed but possible intermittent bridge closures; check current route access before committing to the shuttle.
Watch for
- Shallow riffles, scraping, and dragging below the 93 cfs minimum published by Miles Paddled.
- Class I current, a possible Class II set in the Oil City family, snags, strainers, and weedy bridge accesses.
- Flash-flood potential after storms, cold spring-fed water, private banks, and limited rescue access between road bends.
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.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Kickapoo River at Ontario, 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 | 93 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Miles Paddled Kickapoo River III Ontario-gauge minimum |
| 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-specific reportHighway 131 to Landing 1, 8.5 miles
Miles Paddled documents the exact route, GPS endpoints, shuttle, Class I difficulty, and Ontario gauge reading.
- Published low-water floor93 cfs at Ontario
Miles Paddled says its 93 cfs / 8.9 ft trip reading was the minimum recommended level and that around 9 ft is preferred to avoid shallows while keeping clarity.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 05407468
USGS operates the Kickapoo River at State Highway 131 at Ontario gauge, and the route source links this exact gauge.
- Upper-route family contextWilton to Ontario seldom-paddled upper Kickapoo
Wisconsin River Trips describes Wilton to Ontario as a cleaner, faster, underrated upper reach with weedy bridge accesses, occasional snags, outcrops, shallow riffles, and a Class II set in the Oil City subreach.
- Official safety contextKVR / DNR gauge and hazard guidance
Wisconsin DNR says USGS operates an Ontario gauge for Kickapoo planning and warns about log jams, downed trees, and the Gays Mills low-head dam farther downstream; KVR warns the river is flash-flood prone and uses numbered upper-river landings.
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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Kickapoo River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Kickapoo River?
Paddle Today watches Kickapoo River at Ontario, WI and uses 93 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Kickapoo River route start and end?
This route starts at Highway 131 bridge south of Michigan Road and ends at Landing 1 / Highway 33 and County Road P, about 8.5 mi on the water.
Is this Kickapoo 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.