See all 5 routes on North Fork Kentucky River
Kentucky | Eastern Kentucky
North Fork Kentucky River
Hazard City Ramp and Fishing Pier to Perry County Park Ramp
Check current paddling conditions for this North Fork Kentucky River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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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
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Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
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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 behind Hazard City Hall and take out at Perry County Park for the short North Fork River Trail float through Hazard. KDFWR gives a good Hazard gauge band of 4.25 to 5.0 ft, while Perry County frames the route as an easy 2-to-3-hour paddle.
Put-in
Hazard City Ramp and Fishing PierOpen mapThe Hazard City launch is directly upstream from a low-head dam. Launch efficiently, stay out of boil-affected water, and do not drift back toward the dam while organizing gear.
Take-out
Perry County Park RampOpen mapPerry County Park is the clean public take-out with parking, restrooms, and family facilities. Do not assume steep or private banks elsewhere are legal exit spots.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Hazard City launch is directly upstream from a low-head dam. Launch efficiently, stay out of boil-affected water, and do not drift back toward the dam while organizing gear.
- Perry County Park is the clean public take-out with parking, restrooms, and family facilities. Do not assume steep or private banks elsewhere are legal exit spots.
- The Hazard gauge was slightly below the official good band during this run, so expect slower current and occasional scrape-prone shallows rather than ideal push.
Watch for
- Fast rises after rain, muddy current, and fresh wood moving into outside bends.
- The low-head-dam launch context at Hazard and any swirl or boil near the ramp.
- Steep or private banks outside the named accesses, especially if someone wants an unscheduled stop.
Route gallery
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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 | North Fork Kentucky River at Hazard, KY |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 | 4.25 ft to 5.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 4.25 ft |
| High threshold | 5.00 ft |
| Data confidence behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | KDFWR recommended river levels for North Fork Kentucky River at Hazard |
| 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.
- Official route segmentHazard City Ramp to Perry County Park Ramp, 4.8 mi
KDFWR lists Hazard City Ramp to Perry County Park Ramp as a 4.8-mile North Fork Kentucky River segment in the access-mileage table.
- Official level band4.25-5.0 ft
KDFWR rates the North Fork Kentucky River at Hazard as Low below 4.25 ft, Good from 4.25 to 5.0 ft, and High above 5.0 ft.
- Put-in accessHazard City Ramp, 37.2513, -83.1962
KDFWR lists the downtown Hazard City Ramp and Fishing Pier as a paved public launch behind city hall with published coordinates, restrooms, and parking.
- Take-out accessPerry County Park Ramp, 37.2783, -83.2088
KDFWR lists Perry County Park Ramp as the downstream public take-out with published coordinates and park amenities around the landing.
- Trail manager contextNorth Fork River Trail, easy, 2-3 hr
Perry County describes the same Hazard City Hall to Perry County Park reach as an easy approximately 5-mile North Fork River Trail and says to allow 2 to 3 hours.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 03277500 at 4.17 ft
USGS Water Services returned a same-day stage of 4.17 ft at 19:45 EDT on June 25, 2026 for the North Fork Kentucky River at Hazard.
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
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Quick answers
North Fork Kentucky River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling North Fork Kentucky River?
Paddle Today watches North Fork Kentucky River at Hazard, KY and treats 4.25 ft to 5.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this North Fork Kentucky River route start and end?
This route starts at Hazard City Ramp and Fishing Pier and ends at Perry County Park Ramp, about About 4.8 mi on the water.
Is this North Fork Kentucky River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.