See all 6 routes on North Fork Maquoketa River
Iowa | Northeast Iowa
North Fork Maquoketa River
D61 Access / Whitewater Creek to Caven Bridge Access
Check current paddling conditions for this North Fork Maquoketa 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
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 at D61 Access on Whitewater Creek and continue all the way to Caven Bridge for the full lower North Fork continuation below Whitewater Creek. This route adds the short Ozark Wildlife Area finish onto the longer D61-to-Ozark wilderness day.
Put-in
D61 Access / Whitewater Creek bridge accessOpen mapThe D61 put-in is on Whitewater Creek rather than the main river. Scout the muddy bridge-bank launch and expect a short move into the North Fork before the route settles into the main corridor.
Take-out
Caven Bridge Access / 60th AveOpen mapPublic bailout options remain scarce until Ozark Bridge, and the final Caven access is still an undeveloped east-bank bridge corridor rather than a polished county ramp.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The D61 put-in is on Whitewater Creek rather than the main river. Scout the muddy bridge-bank launch and expect a short move into the North Fork before the route settles into the main corridor.
- Public bailout options remain scarce until Ozark Bridge, and the final Caven access is still an undeveloped east-bank bridge corridor rather than a polished county ramp.
- Use the east-bank Caven Bridge Access only; the west bank is private and should not be treated as a public take-out.
Watch for
- A long sequence of riffles, outside-bend boulders, and fatigue-related mistakes late in the day.
- Fast rises after storms, muddier current, and harder landings throughout the isolated lower corridor.
- Private banks, steep gravel-road approaches, and narrow roadside maneuvering at the undeveloped bridge accesses.
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 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 |
| Data confidence 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 put-inD61 Access on Whitewater Creek
Dubuque County lists D61 Access as a true public canoe/kayak access on Whitewater Creek, which is the practical launch for the Whitewater-to-Ozark continuation described by Wisconsin River Trips.
- Published route chainWhitewater Creek Mouth to 21st Ave plus Ozark to Caven, about 16.5 mi
Wisconsin River Trips documents the Whitewater Creek Mouth to 21st Ave / Ozark Bridge continuation at 12.1 miles and the Ozark Wildlife Area route from 21st Ave to 60th Ave / Caven at 4.4 miles, supporting the full D61-to-Caven continuation.
- Public take-outCaven Bridge Access / 60th Ave
Jackson County Conservation lists Caven Bridge Access on the North Fork water-trail table and warns that the public take-out is on the east bank where the old bridge crossing used to be.
- Gauge ladder231 to 400 cfs broad target
Wisconsin River Trips uses the same Fulton-gauge ladder for both the Whitewater-to-Ozark and Ozark-to-Caven corridor, with less than 150 cfs flagged as too shallow and 701+ cfs as beyond the normal recreational recommendation.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 05418400 at 939 cfs / 5.03 ft
USGS Water Services returned current North Fork Maquoketa River near Fulton values of 939 cfs and 5.03 ft at 2026-07-06 12:00 CDT.
- County corridor supportOzark and Caven as Jackson County finishes below Cascade
Jones County describes the remote lower North Fork below Cascade and specifically names Ozark Bridge and Caven Bridge Access as the practical downstream Jackson County take-outs.
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
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Reports
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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 D61 Access / Whitewater Creek bridge access and ends at Caven Bridge Access / 60th Ave, about About 16.5 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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