See all 3 routes on La Crosse River
Wisconsin | Western Wisconsin
La Crosse RiverVeterans Memorial County Park to Holiday Heights Park
Lower La Crosse River day trip from the county campground canoe landing to Holiday Heights Park, with fast easy current, sandbanks, bluff views, and a direct downstream USGS gauge tied to a route-specific Wisconsin River Trips CFS ladder.
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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 from the Veterans Memorial Campground canoe landing on the La Crosse River and take out at the public Holiday Heights canoe landing in Onalaska. The first miles are straighter and noisier near I-90, while the lower half has better sandbanks, faster current, and bluff views.
Access map
Put-in
Veterans Memorial Campground canoe landingLa Crosse County publishes campground coordinates for Veterans Memorial Campground and confirms river access; Wisconsin River Trips notes the actual canoe landing is inside the campground and parking may be several hundred feet from the water.
Take-out
Holiday Heights public canoe landing / park access areaOnalaska's redevelopment plan identifies an accessible canoe launch at public Holiday Heights Park; Wisconsin River Trips describes the landing as a public-access take-out with parking but no restroom. The stored coordinate is an access-area anchor, not a surveyed water-entry point.
Road shuttle
Use a westbound car shuttle from Veterans Memorial Campground near West Salem to Holiday Heights Park in Onalaska. A bike shuttle can use the La Crosse River State Trail for much of the return, but trail passes, route-finding from the park, and boat security at the take-out need to be planned ahead.
Additional access notes
- The Holiday Heights access road can be easy to miss from Highway 16; confirm the turn pattern before leaving a shuttle vehicle.
More route and safety guidance
- Higher water can make the otherwise easy current pushy, especially around bridges and covered sandbars.
- Use the named Veterans and Holiday Heights accesses, keep the campground/park logistics current, and plan for cold shoulder-season water.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
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Plan ahead
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
La Crosse River Near La Crosse, WI. 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.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | La Crosse River Near La Crosse, WI |
| Discharge | Checking |
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| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
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| Wind | Checking |
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| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 301 cfs to 400 cfs |
| Low threshold | 0 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 La Crosse River - Veterans Memorial Campground depth guide |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Depth guide301-400 cfs target
Wisconsin River Trips treats 301-400 cfs as the average target range, 401-500 cfs as high but navigable, 501-600 cfs as very high and skilled-paddler-only, and 601+ cfs as perhaps too high for enjoyable paddling.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 05383075
USGS operates the La Crosse River Near La Crosse, WI monitoring location used by Wisconsin River Trips for this lower-river route.
- Route shape8.6 miles
Wisconsin River Trips documents Veterans Memorial Campground to Holiday Heights Park as an 8.6-mile route normally taking about three to four hours.
- Put-in supportVeterans Memorial Campground canoe landing
La Crosse County lists Veterans Memorial Campground at N4668 County Road VP with GPS coordinates, confirms it is located on the La Crosse River, and related trail/campground materials list a canoe landing.
- Take-out supportHoliday Heights Park / landing
Onalaska's redevelopment plan identifies an accessible canoe launch at public Holiday Heights Park; Wisconsin River Trips describes Holiday Heights Landing as a public-access take-out with parking. The route coordinate is an access-area anchor, not a surveyed water-entry point.
- HazardsFast strainers and high-water push
Wisconsin River Trips reports fast current, minor Class I riffles, and several strainers that should be avoided or portaged if a paddler is not comfortable squeezing past.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- Wisconsin River Trips La Crosse River - Veterans Memorial Campground
- USGS 05383075 La Crosse River near La Crosse
- La Crosse County campgrounds
- Veterans Memorial Park - La Crosse River State Trail
- Onalaska Holiday Heights Park
- Onalaska redevelopment plan: Holiday Heights accessible canoe launch
- Mapcarta Holiday Heights Park
- Travel Wisconsin La Crosse River
Other routes nearby
More on La Crosse River
All 3Nearby routes within 75 miles
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