See all 9 routes on Levisa Fork
Kentucky | Eastern Kentucky
Levisa Fork
Island 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
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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
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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 Island Creek Ramp and take out 4.5 miles downstream at Thompson Road Canoe Access for the longer Pikeville Cut-Through continuation. KDFWR keeps the same good Pikeville gauge band of 800 to 1,400 cfs, or 7.4 to 8.5 ft.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Island Creek RampIsland Creek is a carry-down access behind the South Mayo Trail commercial corridor with unpaved parking and no amenities.
Take-out
Thompson Road Canoe AccessThompson Road is a KDFWR single-lane ramp with year-round availability, but nearby banks are 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
- Island Creek is a carry-down access behind the South Mayo Trail commercial corridor with unpaved parking and no amenities.
- Thompson Road is a KDFWR single-lane ramp with year-round availability, but nearby banks are private or thickly vegetated; land at the signed access rather than spreading onto nearby banks.
- The current Pikeville gauge reading was below the official good discharge band during this run, though the stage just touched the official 7.4 ft floor. Expect slower current, shallower shoals, and more route-finding around exposed gravel or mussel-shell areas until levels rise further.
- KDFWR limits bank and wade fishing at these sites because surrounding land is private, steep, rocky, or heavily vegetated. Stay with the documented public ramps.
Watch for
- Low water below 800 cfs or 7.4 ft, when shoals get shallower and dragging becomes more likely.
- High water above 1,400 cfs or 8.5 ft, when KDFWR moves the route out of the good band and swift current plus woody debris become much less forgiving.
- Mussel shells on the river bottom, woody debris, bridge-area current, and fishing traffic in the Pikeville corridor.
- Urban corridor hazards, private banks, and complacency near the busy Thompson Road finish after a longer easy-looking float.
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 chainIsland Creek Ramp to Cedar Creek Ramp about 1.5 miles plus Cedar Creek Ramp to Thompson Road Ramp 3.0 miles
Current KDFWR Levisa Fork materials still support both linked public segments, supporting an about 4.5-mile Island Creek to Thompson Road continuation on the same river and gauge.
- Put-in accessIsland Creek Ramp, 37.4646, -82.5284
KDFWR identifies Island Creek Ramp as a free carry-down access behind the South Mayo Trail corridor with unpaved parking and no amenities.
- 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 availability and published coordinates.
- Route characterPikeville Cut-Through public float
The KDFWR education page says paddlers can extend past Cedar Creek to the lower Thompson Road take-out after passing through the Pikeville Cut-Through section.
- Live-gauge supportUSGS 03209500
USGS Water Services returned 628 cfs at 2026-07-14 10:30 EDT and 7.46 ft at 2026-07-14 11:00 EDT for Levisa Fork at Pikeville, still below the official good discharge band but just inside the official stage band.
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 Island Creek Ramp and ends at Thompson Road Canoe Access, about About 4.5 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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