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Iowa | Northeast Iowa
Maquoketa River
Pictured Rocks Park to Eby's Mill Access
Check current paddling conditions for this Maquoketa 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 from Pictured Rocks and take out at the rebuilt Eby's Mill ramp for a compact scenic Maquoketa day through the public-land bluff corridor. The Manchester gauge supports a low-water floor but not a high-water ceiling.
Put-in
Pictured Rocks Park AccessOpen mapThis card starts below the Mon-Maq/Monticello dam corridor. Do not include any upstream dam approach as part of the route.
Take-out
Eby's Mill AccessOpen mapEby's Mill is the planned take-out. The downstream Supples Bridge access is explicitly weaker in the Iowa DNR/Jones County guide and is not used as the default finish.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- This card starts below the Mon-Maq/Monticello dam corridor. Do not include any upstream dam approach as part of the route.
- Eby's Mill is the planned take-out. The downstream Supples Bridge access is explicitly weaker in the Iowa DNR/Jones County guide and is not used as the default finish.
- Use public park and access lands only. Pictured Rocks has public land along the river, but adjacent downstream banks can still be private.
Watch for
- Scraping below the Manchester-gauge floor, wind across broad sandy reaches, and shallow gravel bars.
- Overhanging trees, logjams, bridge abutments, big rocks, and strainers called out in the Iowa DNR/Jones County guide.
- Cold water, fishing pressure, and faster current after upstream rain.
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 | Maquoketa River at Manchester, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 155 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Miles Paddled Maquoketa River III Manchester-gauge note |
| 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.
- Current gauge check414 cfs / 5.16 ft at 2026-07-23 01:15 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Manchester discharge and stage during this run.
- Minimum water guidance155 cfs minimum; 200-250 cfs better
Miles Paddled recorded 155 cfs / 4.4 ft at Manchester as a minimal recommended level for the Monticello-to-Eby’s route and says 200 to 250 cfs is better to avoid scraping.
- Official route shapePictured Rocks to Eby’s Mill inside the 11.7-mile Pictured Rocks-to-Highway-136 section
The Iowa DNR/Jones County guide describes six-plus miles between Pictured Rocks Park Access and Eby’s Mill Road along public land with limestone bluffs, then continues to Highway 136.
- Take-out supportEby's Mill rebuilt hard-surface ramp
Jones County says Eby's Mill River Access was redone with a hard-surface ramp, stabilized shoreline, parking, sidewalk, and kiosk support for kayaks, canoes, and tubers.
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.
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Quick answers
Maquoketa River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Maquoketa River?
Paddle Today watches Maquoketa River at Manchester, IA and uses 155 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Maquoketa River route start and end?
This route starts at Pictured Rocks Park Access and ends at Eby's Mill Access, about About 6 to 6.5 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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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.