See all 6 routes on North Fork Maquoketa River
Iowa | Northeast Iowa
North Fork Maquoketa River
Cascade Historic Limestone Silo to Ozark Bridge / 21st Ave
Check current paddling conditions for this North Fork Maquoketa 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
Checking the next several hours.
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 at Cascade and stay on the North Fork all the way to Ozark Bridge for the long wilderness continuation. This route strings together the scenic Cascade reach and the bluff-heavy Whitewater-to-Ozark corridor with very few practical public exits in between.
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
Cascade Historic Limestone Silo / Cascade landingUse the public ramp below the Cascade dam, not an improvised launch in the dam zone or above the structure.
Take-out
Ozark Bridge / 21st Ave access areaOnce you pass the Whitewater Creek mouth, public bailout options become scarce until Ozark Bridge. Do not launch late or with a group that is uncertain about covering the mileage.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Use the public ramp below the Cascade dam, not an improvised launch in the dam zone or above the structure.
- Once you pass the Whitewater Creek mouth, public bailout options become scarce until Ozark Bridge. Do not launch late or with a group that is uncertain about covering the mileage.
- Ozark Bridge is an undeveloped bridge access. Expect a basic roadside pull-off and a carry path rather than a polished county ramp.
Watch for
- A long sequence of riffles, outside-bend boulders, wood, and fatigue-related mistakes late in the day.
- Fast rises and muddier current after storms, which make this isolated corridor significantly more consequential than the short Ozark-to-Caven route.
- Private banks and private campground accesses that should not be treated as normal public take-outs.
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 | North Fork Maquoketa River near Fulton, IA |
| 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 | 231 cfs to 400 cfs |
| Low threshold | 150 cfs |
| High threshold | 701 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips North Fork Maquoketa Fulton gauge ladder |
| 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.
- Public launch supportCascade Historic Limestone Silo / Cascade landing
The City of Cascade says the Riverview Park corridor has a nearby landing and parking area for canoers and kayakers floating south of town, and WRT describes the practical concrete-ramp launch by the historic limestone silo below the dam.
- Official long-corridor supportCascade to Ozark / Caven wilderness stretch, about 18 mi
Jones County describes about 18 miles between Cascade and the Jackson County Ozark Bridge or Caven Bridge take-outs through a long, largely inaccessible wilderness corridor.
- Published continuation mileageCascade to D61 plus Whitewater Creek mouth to 21st Ave, about 19.9 mi
Wisconsin River Trips documents Cascade Historic Limestone Silo to D61 at 7.8 miles and Whitewater Creek Mouth to 21st Ave / Ozark Bridge at 12.1 miles, supporting the long Cascade-to-Ozark continuation.
- Public take-outOzark Bridge / 21st Ave access area
Jackson County Conservation lists Ozark Bridge on the North Fork water-trail access table, and the existing Ozark-to-Caven route in this corridor uses those published access-area coordinates.
- Gauge ladder231 to 400 cfs broad target
Wisconsin River Trips uses the same Fulton gauge ladder for the scenic upper North Fork corridor, with less than 150 cfs flagged as too shallow and 701+ cfs pushed into the advanced-only range.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 05418400 at 943 cfs / 5.04 ft
USGS Water Services returned current North Fork Maquoketa River near Fulton values of 943 cfs and 5.04 ft at 2026-07-06 11:00 CDT.
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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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
North Fork Maquoketa River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling North Fork Maquoketa River?
Paddle Today watches North Fork Maquoketa River near Fulton, IA and treats 231 cfs to 400 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this North Fork Maquoketa River route start and end?
This route starts at Cascade Historic Limestone Silo / Cascade landing and ends at Ozark Bridge / 21st Ave access area, about About 18 to 20 mi on the water.
Is this North Fork Maquoketa River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.