See all 9 routes on Levisa Fork
Kentucky | Eastern Kentucky
Levisa Fork
Cedar Creek Ramp to Thompson Road Ramp
Check current paddling conditions for this Levisa Fork 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 Cedar Creek Canoe Access and take out three miles downstream at Thompson Road Canoe Access for the short Pikeville / Hatfield-McCoy River Trail segment through the Cut-Through corridor. KDFWR gives a good Pikeville gauge band of 800 to 1,400 cfs.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Cedar Creek Canoe AccessCedar Creek is a KDFWR carry-down access under the KY 1384 bridge with unpaved parking and no amenities.
Take-out
Thompson Road Canoe AccessThompson Road is a KDFWR single-lane ramp with year-round availability, but land around the ramp is private or thickly vegetated; land at the signed access rather than spreading onto nearby banks.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Cedar Creek is a KDFWR carry-down access under the KY 1384 bridge with unpaved parking and no amenities.
- Thompson Road is a KDFWR single-lane ramp with year-round availability, but land around the ramp is private or thickly vegetated; land at the signed access rather than spreading onto nearby banks.
- KDFWR notes bank and wade fishing are limited at these sites because surrounding land is private, steep, rocky, or heavily vegetated. Stay with the documented public ramps and do not assume private-bank stops are allowed.
- The app uses USGS 03209500 as the direct gauge. The official USGS inventory page was stale during review, so same-day live confirmation came from RiverApp text that says it imports this station from USGS Water Services.
Watch for
- Woody debris, root wads, strainers, and bridge approaches, especially after storms or release changes.
- Low water below 800 cfs or 7.4 ft, when shallow shoals and dragging become more likely.
- High water above 1,400 cfs or 8.5 ft, when KDFWR moves the Pikeville reach out of the good band and swift current can make wood and landings dangerous.
- Fishtrap Lake release changes and Russell Fork inflow upstream; do not treat a stable-looking ramp as a substitute for checking the gauge trend.
- Private banks and urban corridor hazards; keep the trip to the named access points unless there is an emergency.
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 | Levisa Fork at Pikeville, KY |
| 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 | 800 cfs to 1,400 cfs |
| Low threshold | 800 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,400 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | KDFWR recommended river levels for Levisa Fork at Pikeville |
| 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.
- Official level band800-1,400 cfs / 7.4-8.5 ft
KDFWR rates Levisa Fork at Pikeville as Low below 800 cfs or 7.4 ft, Good from 800 to 1,400 cfs or 7.4 to 8.5 ft, and High above 1,400 cfs or 8.5 ft.
- Official route segmentCedar Creek Ramp to Thompson Road Ramp, 3.0 miles
KDFWR lists Cedar Creek Ramp to Thompson Road Ramp as a 3.0-mile public-access segment on the Levisa Fork access mileage table.
- Put-in accessCedar Creek Canoe Access, 37.4802, -82.5446
KDFWR identifies Cedar Creek Canoe Access under the KY-1384 bridge in Pikeville as a free carry-down site with unpaved parking.
- Take-out accessThompson Road Canoe Access, 37.5096, -82.5435
KDFWR identifies Thompson Road Canoe Access as a free single-lane ramp with year-round 24-hour boat-ramp availability and published coordinates.
- Route characterClass I beginner-friendly at normal levels
Visit Pikeville describes the Hatfield-McCoy River Trail trip through the Pikeville Cut-Through as Class I water suitable for beginners and families.
- Live-gauge supportUSGS 03209500
RiverApp showed same-day May 31, 2026 Pikeville readings and says values for this station are imported from USGS Water Services. The official USGS inventory page remains stale, so this route keeps that caveat visible.
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
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Quick answers
Levisa Fork paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Levisa Fork?
Paddle Today watches Levisa Fork at Pikeville, KY and treats 800 cfs to 1,400 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Levisa Fork route start and end?
This route starts at Cedar Creek Canoe Access and ends at Thompson Road Canoe Access, about 3.0 mi on the water.
Is this Levisa Fork 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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