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Iowa | Northeast Iowa
Maquoketa River
Mon-Maq Dam Access to Pictured Rocks Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Maquoketa 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.
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Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch from the sandbar access below Mon-Maq Dam and paddle the classic lower-Maquoketa bluff section to the hard-surface Pictured Rocks Park access. Expect steady current, wooded banks, limestone outcrops, public wildlife-area scenery, and a popular take-out with parking and restrooms.
Prepare this trip
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Put-in
Mon-Maq Dam Access / Lower Mon-Maq sandbar launchThe practical put-in is below the Mon-Maq Dam, not above it. Use the lower sandbar/access area and stay clear of dam hydraulics.
Take-out
Pictured Rocks Park AccessPictured Rocks has hard-surface river access, parking, restrooms, and water in the water-trail guide, but Jones County notes the steep access road is typically closed after the first snowfall.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The practical put-in is below the Mon-Maq Dam, not above it. Use the lower sandbar/access area and stay clear of dam hydraulics.
- Pictured Rocks has hard-surface river access, parking, restrooms, and water in the water-trail guide, but Jones County notes the steep access road is typically closed after the first snowfall.
- Summer weekends can be busy because this is one of the better-known lower-Maquoketa bluff runs and Pictured Rocks also draws hikers and climbers.
Watch for
- Shallow gravel bars and grounding risk below about 500 cfs on the Maquoketa near Maquoketa gauge.
- Eight miles of moving water, which the official guide says can be long for beginners even though the section is not technical.
- Pushier, dirtier current above about 2,000 cfs, especially around outside bends, wood, bridge areas, and the Pictured Rocks landing.
- Private-property boundaries between public access areas and wildlife-area frontage.
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 | Maquoketa River near Maquoketa, IA |
| 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 | 701 cfs to 1,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 500 cfs |
| High threshold | 2,001 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips lower Maquoketa gauge ladder |
| 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 water-trail routeMon-Maq Dam to Pictured Rocks Park
The Iowa DNR/Jones County water-trail guide describes the sandbar access below Mon-Maq Dam, the Pictured Rocks stone boat ramp, amenities at both accesses, and the eight-mile route as suitable for all skill levels though long for beginners.
- County paddling accessPictured Rocks Park
Jones County describes Pictured Rocks along the Maquoketa River, notes paddling among steep limestone bluffs, and confirms hard-surface river access.
- DNR lower-river access contextPictured Rocks hard-surface boat ramp
Iowa DNR Fish Iowa lists Pictured Rocks Park among the hard surface boat ramps on the lower Maquoketa and describes the upper part of the below-Monticello segment as more accessible by canoe or small jon boat.
- Published route contextMonticello Dam Lower Access to Pictured Rocks Boat Ramp
Wisconsin River Trips identifies this 8.1-mile leg as the start of one of the more popular and scenic lower-Maquoketa stretches with elevated limestone outcrops and possible summer-weekend crowds.
- Target range701 to 1,000 cfs
WRT describes 701 to 1,000 cfs on the Maquoketa near Maquoketa gauge as an average fall depth and good target range for the lower river.
- Low-water floor500 cfs
The same WRT ladder treats less than 500 cfs as likely too low for enjoyable paddling and 501 to 700 cfs as mostly okay but with grounding risk.
- High-water ceiling2,001+ cfs
WRT treats 2,001+ cfs as very high, pushy, dirty water that may be beyond enjoyable paddling on the lower Maquoketa.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 05418500
USGS operates Maquoketa River near Maquoketa, IA downstream on the same river, and WRT uses this gauge for its lower-Maquoketa ladder.
- Endpoint coordinatesMon-Maq 42.24511929, -91.17077245; Pictured Rocks 42.20569962, -91.10253825
Water Quality Portal sites named AWARE 9 Mon-Maq Dam Maquoketa River and AWARE 10 Pictured Rocks Park Maquoketa River provide NAD83 coordinates for the named endpoint corridors.
- HazardsLength, crowds, access road, high water
The route is not technical, but eight miles can be long for beginners, Pictured Rocks has a steep seasonal access road, summer weekends can be busy, and very high water makes the lower river pushier and dirtier.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- Iowa DNR Maquoketa River Water Trail
- Jones County Pictured Rocks
- Iowa DNR Fish Iowa Maquoketa below Monticello
- Wisconsin River Trips Maquoketa River - Buzzard Ridge
- USGS 05418500 monitoring location
- Water Quality Portal Mon-Maq Dam
- Water Quality Portal Pictured Rocks Park
- USGS public-domain Maquoketa River image
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
Maquoketa River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Maquoketa River?
Paddle Today watches Maquoketa River near Maquoketa, IA and treats 701 cfs to 1,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Maquoketa River route start and end?
This route starts at Mon-Maq Dam Access / Lower Mon-Maq sandbar launch and ends at Pictured Rocks Park Access, about 8 to 8.1 mi on the water.
Is this Maquoketa River 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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