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 snapshot
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
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 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.
Put-in
Washington Street Dam launch (south of Hwy 33)Open mapThe 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 launchOpen mapQuaas Creek Park has multiple access points; Wisconsin River Trips used the south access, which involves a longer carry but cleaner official parking.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
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.
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 | 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 |
| Data confidence 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
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
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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.