See all 4 routes on La Crosse River
Wisconsin | Western Wisconsin
La Crosse River
Highway 108 / County C to Veterans Memorial County Park
Check current paddling conditions for this La Crosse River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
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
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
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 below the West Salem / Neshonoc dam area and take out at Veterans Memorial County Park for a compact La Crosse River moving-water route. The La Crosse gauge is currently inside the preferred window but near its high end, so expect brisker current than a low-water day.
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 108 / County C public landing below Neshonoc damLaunch below the dam/outflow area. Do not drift upstream toward the dam or treat the powerhouse/tunnel outflow as part of this route.
Take-out
Veterans Memorial County Park canoe landingThe Veterans Memorial campground landing is marked from the water but easier to miss from land. Scout it before launching.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Launch below the dam/outflow area. Do not drift upstream toward the dam or treat the powerhouse/tunnel outflow as part of this route.
- The Veterans Memorial campground landing is marked from the water but easier to miss from land. Scout it before launching.
- The former-dam ledge downstream from County M can be portaged on river left only where access is legal and practical; do not use private river-right yards.
Watch for
- Class II former-dam ledge, riffles, boulder gardens, and standing waves.
- Leaning branches and strainers in fast current, especially when the La Crosse gauge rises above about 450 cfs.
- Cold water, campground traffic, private banks, and the risk of overshooting the take-out.
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 | La Crosse River Near La Crosse, 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 |
| Target band | 300 cfs to 450 cfs |
| Low threshold | 250 cfs |
| High threshold | 601 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips and Miles Paddled West Salem / La Crosse gauge notes |
| 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.
- Exact route reportHighway 108 to Veterans Memorial Campground, 4.2 miles
Wisconsin River Trips documents the public landing by Highway 108, Veterans Memorial Campground take-out, 4.2-mile distance, riffles, and former-dam class II ledge.
- Gauge bands300-450 cfs useful, 601+ too high
Wisconsin River Trips says 300 cfs is typical, 250 cfs is rarely reached, above 450 cfs gets ugly, and 1000 cfs happens only a few times a year. Miles Paddled separately points downstream West Salem-to-Mississippi paddling toward about 450 cfs at the La Crosse gauge.
- Current gauge check435 cfs / 3.05 ft at 2026-07-23 01:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned same-day La Crosse River near La Crosse values during this run, inside the selected preferred window but near the high end.
- Endpoint coordinates43.91421, -91.07612 to 43.89187, -91.11906
Miles Paddled publishes coordinates for the below-dam Highway 108 / County C put-in and Veterans Memorial County Park take-out.
- Campground endpointVeterans Memorial County Park
La Crosse County lists Veterans Memorial Campground on the La Crosse River, with a normal camping season and park services. Treat camping as endpoint campground support, not informal river camping.
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.
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
La Crosse River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling La Crosse River?
Paddle Today watches La Crosse River Near La Crosse, WI and treats 300 cfs to 450 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this La Crosse River route start and end?
This route starts at Highway 108 / County C public landing below Neshonoc dam and ends at Veterans Memorial County Park canoe landing, about About 4.2 mi on the water.
Is this La Crosse 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.