See all 6 routes on Milwaukee River
Wisconsin | Southeast Wisconsin
Milwaukee RiverWaubedonia Park to Veterans Memorial Park
Longer lower-Milwaukee day with mostly easy current, a few livelier upper stretches, and a simple main question first: is Cedarburg comfortably above the skinny-water floor without levels climbing high enough to turn a mellow day into a murkier faster river run?
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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
Start at Waubedonia Park and finish at Veterans Memorial Park for a longer lower-Milwaukee day with a mix of light rapids up top and slower suburban river miles near Grafton.
Access map
Put-in
Waubedonia Park (Fredonia)Waubedonia is a clean county-park launch, and the county says the park is open to day visitors from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., but campground activity and event use can still change how easy the parking feels.
Take-out
Veterans Memorial Park (Grafton)Veterans Memorial Park is a village launch with adjacent parking rather than a large isolated landing, so expect more neighborhood context and less room to spread out gear.
Road shuttle
Plan a straightforward two-car shuttle of roughly 12 road miles. A bike shuttle is possible, but it is long enough that most groups will prefer the simpler car setup.
Additional access notes
- Veterans is the planned finish upstream of the Highway 60 bridge dam. Use the named canoe/kayak pier and do not continue downstream without a separate, source-backed dam-portage plan.
- This route is long enough that a slightly too-low river can quietly turn into a slow frustrating day, so do not treat the gauge as an afterthought.
More route and safety guidance
- Expect intermittent riffles and one Class I+ ledge-like feature in the upper Waubedonia-to-Saukville section. Scout the line if the level is higher than the familiar low-water range or your group is new to moving water.
- Take out at the Veterans Memorial Park canoe/kayak pier upstream of the Highway 60 bridge dam. Do not continue downstream from the named take-out without a separate plan and confirmed dam portage information.
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Conditions
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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
Milwaukee River near Cedarburg, WI. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
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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 | Milwaukee River near Cedarburg, WI |
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| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 390 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 | Conservative same-gauge floor from Milwaukee River community trip reports |
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NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Route shape13.25 river miles
MilesPaddled documents Waubedonia Park to Veterans Memorial Park as a 13.25-mile downstream Milwaukee River shuttle.
- Conservative low-water floor390 cfs
The app carries forward the same Cedarburg-gauge minimum used on the immediately upstream Newburg to Waubedonia route. That same-gauge floor is a safer low-side call than pretending this lower route has its own clean published minimum.
- High-water reference day760 cfs = high
MilesPaddled reports this Waubedonia-to-Grafton run at about 760 cfs on the Cedarburg gauge and describes the river as high that day.
- Supplemental downstream context101 to 200 cfs low side; 801+ cfs maybe too high
Wisconsin River Trips treats the Thiensville stretch of the same river and same gauge as low but navigable around 101 to 200 cfs, average at 201 to 300 cfs, and potentially too high for enjoyable paddling above about 801 cfs. That is useful context, but not a route-specific standard for this whole Waubedonia-to-Grafton corridor.
- Route characterLight rapids upstream; more suburban and flowage paddling near Grafton
Wisconsin River Trips’ Milwaukee overview breaks this corridor into a livelier Waubedonia-to-Ehlers section and a slower Grafton Canoe Launch-to-Veterans section with only minor rapids in the upper stretch.
- Access qualityCounty-park launch to village canoe/kayak park
Waubedonia Park has a public boat/canoe/kayak launch, and Veterans Memorial Park has a village canoe/kayak launch plus adjacent parking.
- Dam boundaryVeterans Memorial Park is upstream of the Highway 60 bridge dam
The route-specific report places the Veterans take-out on river-right immediately upstream of the Highway 60 bridge dam and identifies the floating canoe/kayak pier as the intended finish.
- Official park operationsWaubedonia 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; public launch at no cost
Ozaukee County says Waubedonia is open to day visitors from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and that boats, canoes, and kayaks are welcome at the public launch at no cost.
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
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