See all 3 routes on Middle Raccoon River
Iowa | Central Iowa
Middle Raccoon RiverP-28 Access to Cowles River Access
Middle split of the protected Panora-area Middle Raccoon water trail, linking the P-28 bridge ramp to Cowles through riffles, sandstone bluffs, boulders, and public-land bends.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at P-28 and take out at Cowles for a compact protected Middle Raccoon day through riffles, boulders, sandstone bluffs, public-land bends, and the 248th Street access corridor.
Access map
Put-in
P-28 AccessIowa DNR feature OBJECTID 805 and Guthrie County identify the 248th Trail access as the intermediate Route A landing, 3.2 river miles below P-28; DNR reports a concrete access and 10 ft parking-to-access distance.
Take-out
Cowles River AccessThe selected P-28 and Cowles coordinates come from paddling/boat-ramp indexes matched against DNR/Guthrie County access names; use posted signs and ramps on arrival.
Road shuttle
Stage Cowles River Access first, then drive back to P-28. Treat the 248th Street / Middle Raccoon River Access as an intermediate public access only after confirming it from land.
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Access planner
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P-28 Access to Cowles River Access is about 6.6 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Additional access notes
- At low flow, the route may be slower and shallower than the mileage suggests. At high/rising flow, riffle sweepers and bridge debris become more consequential.
More route and safety guidance
- Scout from public areas where possible and portage only where legal or necessary for safety; do not turn private banks into routine rest stops.
- Low water below the 400 cfs floor can expose riffles and make this split much slower than the mileage suggests.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
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Weather
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Tomorrow and the weekend
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Middle Raccoon River at Panora, IA. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Middle Raccoon River at Panora, 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 |
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| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 400 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Iowa Parklands Middle Raccoon / Paddling Iowa 400 cfs note |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route shapeP-28 to Cowles within the first 9 Middle Raccoon miles
Iowa DNR describes the P-28, 248th Street / Middle Raccoon River Access, and Cowles access sequence inside the first 9-mile protected-water-area section.
- Exact trip-day levelP-28 to Cowles at 600 cfs
Iowa Parklands describes launching at the P28 bridge boat ramp and taking out at Cowles after a 600 cfs morning gauge reading, with riffles covered enough to avoid scraping.
- Access coordinatesP-28 41.6675, -94.3569; Cowles 41.6196, -94.2869
Paddling Hub and BoatRampMap publish public boat-ramp coordinates for P-28 and Cowles, matching the DNR/Guthrie County named access chain.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-2376.1 cfs / 4.24 ft at 2026-07-23 05:15 CDT
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
More on Middle Raccoon River
All 3Nearby routes within 75 miles
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