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Wisconsin | Driftless Wisconsin
Kickapoo River
Plum Creek Landing to Highway 60 Landing
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 Plum Creek Landing and finish at Highway 60 Landing for a lower Kickapoo day with fast current, wooded bluffs, and fewer crowds than the upper reserve corridor. The Steuben stage is directly tied by WRT to this route, but same-day visual checks still matter around strainers.
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
Plum Creek LandingPlum Creek Landing is the default public put-in and has better route support than informal bridge banks.
Take-out
Highway 60 LandingHighway 60 Landing is also called Wauzeka Boat Landing on some maps, but WRT warns that this name can be confusing because Wauzeka has another downstream landing.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Plum Creek Landing is the default public put-in and has better route support than informal bridge banks.
- Highway 60 Landing is also called Wauzeka Boat Landing on some maps, but WRT warns that this name can be confusing because Wauzeka has another downstream landing.
- Do not unintentionally continue toward Lowell Geitz Memorial Boat Landing, the Wisconsin River, Adiantum Woods, or Woodman Landing without a separate downstream plan.
Watch for
- Fast current pushing into deadfall and strainers, especially as stage rises above the WRT average bands.
- Deep, turbid, cold water and limited emergency exits between the public landings.
- High-water conditions at 7.5 ft and above on the Steuben gauge, where WRT says fast current and strainers can become dangerous.
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 Steuben, WI |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 |
| Target band | 6.60 ft to 7.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 0.00 ft |
| High threshold | 7.50 ft |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Plum Creek Steuben-stage ladder |
| 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 reportPlum Creek Landing to Highway 60 Landing, 6.6 miles
Wisconsin River Trips documents the exact route, mileage, public landings, shuttle, current, strainers, and route-specific Steuben gauge ladder.
- Public access pairPlum Creek Landing and Highway 60 Landing
WRT calls Plum Creek Landing very good and Highway 60 Landing a terrific public canoe/kayak access with a massive parking lot; Paddle Guide resolves the Highway 60 access at 43.1010, -90.8586 and identifies Wisconsin DNR management.
- Stage ladder6.6-7.0 ft average to above average; 7.5+ very high
WRT says below 6.5 ft remains plenty deep, 6.6-6.7 ft is average, 6.8-7.0 ft above average, 7.1-7.4 ft high, and 7.5+ ft very high/dangerous because fast current combines with strainers.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 05410490
WRT links Kickapoo River at Steuben as the closest gauge for this exact route, and USGS provides current stage and discharge for that station.
- Upstream access corroborationPlum Creek Landing GPS
Miles Paddled's Plum-Creek-to-Wauzeka report publishes the Plum Creek put-in at 43.11429, -90.91274 and the distinct Wauzeka Boat Landing take-out at 43.08471, -90.87906; this prevents the downstream Wauzeka point from being mislabeled as Plum Creek.
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
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 Steuben, WI and treats 6.60 ft to 7.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Kickapoo River route start and end?
This route starts at Plum Creek Landing and ends at Highway 60 Landing, about 6.6 mi on the water.
Is this Kickapoo River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.