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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 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
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.
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
Highway 131 bridge south of Michigan RoadThe 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 PLanding 1 is the start of the numbered upper Kickapoo access system and can be busy during peak season.
Plan this segment
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.
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 | 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 |
| Evidence strength 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
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
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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.
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