See all 3 routes on Manitowoc River
Wisconsin | East-Central Wisconsin
Manitowoc River
County Road S / Game Protection Site to North Union Road
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
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
Continue from County Road S to North Union Road for a short Manitowoc water-trail run below the Cato ledges. The route is useful as its own half-day paddle or as a connector, but shallow ledges, strainers, fast rises, and private banks keep it in a caution profile.
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
County Road S / Manitowoc County Game Protection SiteMRW lists County Road S, County Road H, and North Union Road as consecutive public water-trail access sites.
Take-out
North Union Road accessNorth Union Road has limited roadside parking in the official access inventory; stage compactly and leave room for local traffic.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- MRW lists County Road S, County Road H, and North Union Road as consecutive public water-trail access sites.
- North Union Road has limited roadside parking in the official access inventory; stage compactly and leave room for local traffic.
- County Road S and North Union coordinates are access anchors, not promises that every water level creates an easy bank landing.
Watch for
- Riffles, boulder gardens, strainers, and bridge debris after rain.
- Low-water scraping below the WRT useful band and pushy, dirty water above the high/whitewater-only range.
- Private banks and few public bailout options between the named access points.
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 chainCounty Road S to North Union Road
MRW lists the County Road S/Game Protection Site, County Road H, and North Union Road as consecutive Manitowoc River water-trail access sites.
- Route split and mileageCounty S to North Union Road, about 3.5 mi
Wisconsin River Trips separates this reach from the Clarks Mills start and describes County S and North Union as practical public access points.
- Threshold model101-300 cfs useful; 60 low; 501+ whitewater-only
The selected model uses the WRT Manitowoc depth guide tied to USGS 04085427 and avoids inventing a different segment-specific band.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 04085427 22.6 cfs / 4.13 ft at 2026-07-23 10:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Manitowoc River at Manitowoc data during this run.
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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More routes to check next
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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 County Road S / Manitowoc County Game Protection Site and ends at North Union Road access, about About 3.5 mi on the water.
Is this Manitowoc River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.