See all 6 routes on Milwaukee River
Wisconsin | Southeast Wisconsin
Milwaukee River
Washington Street Dam to Quaas Creek Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Milwaukee River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
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
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
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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 south of the Washington Street dam in West Bend and finish at Quaas Creek Park. This is a short but lively Milwaukee River run with downtown riffles, a restored-prairie middle stretch, and a cleaner route-specific gauge story than most upper-Milwaukee prospects.
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
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.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- 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.
- Quaas Creek Park has multiple access points; Wisconsin River Trips used the south access, which involves a longer carry but cleaner official parking.
- If you shorten the trip to Riverside Park, you keep most of the best current but end up with a very short paddle.
Watch for
- Many Class I riffles through downtown West Bend and a stronger rapid below Indiana Avenue that can feel Class II at higher water.
- A strainer-choked right channel at the island below the railroad bridge; stay left there.
- Fast current, shoreline strainers in high water, and cold-water consequences outside warm weather.
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
Why this score
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 | Milwaukee River near Cedarburg, 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 |
| Target band | 351 cfs to 600 cfs |
| Low threshold | 250 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,001 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Milwaukee River - West Bend gauge guide |
| 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.
- Published route ladder351 to 600 cfs target range
Wisconsin River Trips says 0 to 250 cfs is likely too shallow above Riverside Park, 251 to 350 can require walking, 351 to 600 is a good target, 601 to 800 is high but manageable, 801 to 1000 is very high, and 1001+ is probably too high.
- 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.
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.
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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
Milwaukee River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Milwaukee River?
Paddle Today watches Milwaukee River near Cedarburg, WI and treats 351 cfs to 600 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Milwaukee River route start and end?
This route starts at Washington Street Dam launch (south of Hwy 33) and ends at Quaas Creek Park canoe/kayak launch, about 3.9 mi on the water.
Is this Milwaukee River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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