See all 6 routes on Mecan River
Wisconsin | Central Wisconsin
Mecan River
11th Road to Dakota / Highway Y-JJ
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
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
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
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
Launch at 11th Road and take out at Dakota / Highway Y-JJ for WRT’s favorite upper-Mecan segment. The app uses Chaffee Creek as a cautious minimum-only proxy because WRT’s original Silver Creek reference is not accurate enough for product scoring.
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
11th Road bridge accessUse the 11th Road bridge access and public parking north of the bridge; avoid trampling banks or blocking rural-road traffic.
Take-out
Dakota / Highway Y-JJ bridge accessAt Dakota, use the established access area shared with the downstream card. WRT comments warn against using upstream private property around the culvert.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Use the 11th Road bridge access and public parking north of the bridge; avoid trampling banks or blocking rural-road traffic.
- At Dakota, use the established access area shared with the downstream card. WRT comments warn against using upstream private property around the culvert.
- Because the selected gauge is proxy-only and the threshold is based on later route comments, same-day depth, clarity, current, and wood checks matter more than the score near the floor.
Watch for
- Low trees, slide-overs, tight bends, and narrow current that can be awkward for longer boats.
- Cold clear water, low-water scraping, fresh wood, and private banks.
- The Chaffee Creek proxy reading sitting below the conservative same-route comment floor, which should trigger extra caution or a visual stand-down.
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
Data and sources
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 | Chaffee Creek at I-39 near Coloma, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 12 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips 11th-to-Dakota Chaffee Creek comment support |
| 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.
- Route report11th Road to JJ / Dakota, 3.7 miles
WRT documents the exact endpoint pair, access notes, distance, clear-water character, and light riffle current.
- Updated Chaffee support12.3 to 14.5 cfs reported good to excellent
Later WRT comments report good or excellent 11th Road corridor trips with Chaffee Creek readings around 12.3 to 14.5 cfs and no required portages.
- Current gauge check11.6 cfs / 3.62 ft at 2026-07-22 22:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned a fresh Chaffee Creek reading just below the selected conservative same-route comment 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.
Share your trip
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
Mecan River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Mecan River?
Paddle Today watches Chaffee Creek at I-39 near Coloma, WI and uses 12 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Mecan River route start and end?
This route starts at 11th Road bridge access and ends at Dakota / Highway Y-JJ bridge access, about About 3.7 mi on the water.
Is this Mecan 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.