See all 3 routes on Manitowoc River
Wisconsin | East-Central Wisconsin
Manitowoc River
Clarks Mills Dam carry-in to County Road S / Game Protection Site
Check current paddling conditions for this Manitowoc 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
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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 below Clarks Mills Dam for the short ledgy upper-Manitowoc segment to County Road S. The reach is compact but not casual: Lower Cato Falls, boulder gardens, private banks, and water-quality issues after rain all need a conservative scout.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
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
Clarks Mills Dam carry-in below damMRW lists the Clarks Mills site as a carry-in just below the dam with adjacent parking; do not launch upstream of the dam.
Take-out
County Road S / Manitowoc County Game Protection SiteLower Cato Falls County Park provides the scout/portage context, but MRW describes its river access as difficult because of steep slopes.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- MRW lists the Clarks Mills site as a carry-in just below the dam with adjacent parking; do not launch upstream of the dam.
- Lower Cato Falls County Park provides the scout/portage context, but MRW describes its river access as difficult because of steep slopes.
- County Road S / Game Protection Site is the selected take-out; verify parking and footing before launching because flows and mud can change access quality.
Watch for
- Clarks Mills Dam exposure at the put-in; stay downstream and away from dam hydraulics.
- Lower Cato Falls, boulder ledges, fast current, strainers, and pushier water above the WRT recreational window.
- Manure runoff or other water-quality concerns after rain, plus private banks and limited legal bailout choices.
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 | Manitowoc River at Manitowoc, 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 | 101 cfs to 300 cfs |
| Low threshold | 60 cfs |
| High threshold | 501 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Manitowoc River depth guide |
| 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 access chainClarks Mills Dam to County Road S
The Manitowoc River Watershed water-trail access inventory lists the carry-in below Clarks Mills Dam, Lower Cato Falls County Park, the County Road S/Game Protection Site, and downstream bridges as public water-trail sites.
- Route split and hazardsClarks Mills to County S, about 2.7 mi
Wisconsin River Trips breaks the upper Manitowoc into Clarks Mills-to-County-S and County-S-to-North-Union pieces, notes the dam-adjacent launch, Lower Cato Falls, strainers, fast current, and water-quality concerns.
- Whitewater corroborationCato ledges and direct gauge
American Whitewater documents the Manitowoc A/Cato reach with bedrock ledges, Lower Cato features, County Road S take-out, and USGS 04085427 as the gauge.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 04085427 22.6 cfs / 4.13 ft at 2026-07-23 10:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned a current Manitowoc River at Manitowoc reading during this run, below the selected WRT floor.
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
Manitowoc River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Manitowoc River?
Paddle Today watches Manitowoc River at Manitowoc, WI and treats 101 cfs to 300 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Manitowoc River route start and end?
This route starts at Clarks Mills Dam carry-in below dam and ends at County Road S / Manitowoc County Game Protection Site, about About 2.7 mi on the water.
Is this Manitowoc River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
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