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 snapshot
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
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.
Put-in
Clarks Mills Dam carry-in below damOpen mapMRW 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 SiteOpen mapLower Cato Falls County Park provides the scout/portage context, but MRW describes its river access as difficult because of steep slopes.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
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
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Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
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 |
| Data confidence 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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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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.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.