See all 6 routes on Mecan River
Wisconsin | Central Wisconsin
Mecan River
11th Road to Dakota / Highway Y-JJ
Check current paddling conditions for this Mecan River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
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 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.
Put-in
11th Road bridge accessOpen mapUse 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 accessOpen mapAt Dakota, use the established access area shared with the downstream card. WRT comments warn against using upstream private property around the culvert.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
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.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
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 | 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 |
| Data confidence 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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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.