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Wisconsin | Southeast Wisconsin
Milwaukee RiverWashington Street Dam to Quaas Creek Park
West Bend float: 3.9 miles from below Washington Street Dam to Quaas Creek Park. Allow about 1.5–2.5 hours. Expect urban riffles, a stronger rapid below Indiana Avenue at high water, and strainers at the railroad-bridge island; stay in the north channel. USGS 04086600 near Cedarburg is downstream, and Wisconsin River Trips' low-flow walking guidance applies above Riverside Park, so use its community flow ladder as broad, conservative context for this full run.
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Put in below Washington Street Dam and paddle 3.9 miles downstream to Quaas Creek Park in West Bend. Allow about 1.5–2.5 hours. Expect downtown riffles and quicker current; at the railroad-bridge island, stay in the north channel to avoid strainers. USGS 04086600 near Cedarburg is downstream, and its low-water walking guidance describes the shallow stretch above Riverside Park, so use the community gauge ladder as broad context for the full run.
Access map
Put-in
Washington Street Dam launch (south of Hwy 33)The put-in is a public launch area below the dam rather than a large formal boat ramp, so scout the shoreline and current before unloading.
Take-out
Quaas Creek Park canoe/kayak launchQuaas Creek Park has multiple access points; Wisconsin River Trips used the south access, which involves a longer carry but cleaner official parking.
Road shuttle
The standard shuttle is about 3.5 miles. Wisconsin River Trips says it works especially well as a short bike-and-paddle combo using city trails, but a simple car shuttle is easier for most groups.
Additional access notes
- If you shorten the trip to Riverside Park, you keep most of the best current but end up with a very short paddle.
More route and safety guidance
- Downtown Class I riffles and a stronger rapid below Indiana Avenue can become Class II at higher water.
- Avoid the strainer-choked right channel below the railroad bridge; fast current and cold water raise consequences.
More trip guidance
Before you go
Plan the West Bend riffles and shuttle
A short urban route can still have different water-depth and boat-control demands within the same trip.
Start below Washington Street Dam
Visit West Bend pairs the public launch south of Washington Street Dam with Quaas Creek Park, about four miles downstream. Confirm the carry and parking at both ends before unloading.
Apply the flow ladder to the right section
WRT’s 351–600 cfs target concerns the shallower stretch above Riverside Park. Its reference gauge is downstream at Cedarburg. The lower section is deeper, so the same reading does not describe identical conditions for every mile.
Recheck the island and rapid
WRT reports a blocked south channel below the railroad bridge and a stronger rapid below Indiana Avenue at higher water. These are dated field observations: inspect current channels and wood rather than assuming a previously open line remains clear.
Guides and maps checked . We have not inspected this trip in person. Check with the launch manager for current access and closures.
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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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Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Guides and maps checked 2026-10-19. 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 | 351 cfs to 600 cfs |
| Low threshold | 250 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,001 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
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| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Milwaukee River - West Bend gauge guide |
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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.
- Published route ladder351 to 600 cfs target for the stretch above Riverside Park
Wisconsin River Trips says 0 to 250 cfs is likely too shallow above Riverside Park, 251 to 350 can require walking there, and 351 to 600 is a good target for that upper stretch; 601 to 800 is high but manageable, 801 to 1000 is very high, and 1001+ is probably too high for most paddlers.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 04086600
USGS operates the Milwaukee River near Cedarburg monitoring location used by the route-specific Wisconsin River Trips guidance.
- Route pairingWashington Street dam to Quaas Creek Park
Visit West Bend tells paddlers to launch south of the Washington Street dam and paddle downstream to Quaas Creek Park for a trip of about four miles.
- Take-out supportCity park canoe/kayak launch
Visit West Bend describes Quaas Creek Park as a good place to launch canoes and kayaks on the Milwaukee River corridor.
- Put-in coordinates43.42833, -88.18399
A named monitoring point in the Milwaukee River basin bioassessment plan identifies the West Bend Dam tailwater at Highway 33, matching the public Washington Street dam launch area described by Wisconsin River Trips and Visit West Bend.
- Take-out coordinates43.41636, -88.14629
Mapcarta resolves the named Quaas Creek Park feature at the city park address used by Visit West Bend.
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 Milwaukee River
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