See all 6 routes on North Fork Maquoketa River
Iowa | Northeast Iowa
North Fork Maquoketa RiverD61 Access / Whitewater Creek to Ozark Bridge / 21st Ave
Remote Driftless continuation from the Whitewater Creek D61 access to Ozark Bridge, with bluff-lined bends, riffles, and a direct Fulton gauge on a corridor with very few clean exits.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at D61 Access on Whitewater Creek, work out to the North Fork, and continue through the bluff-heavy wilderness corridor to Ozark Bridge. This is the longer middle reach between the shorter Cascade-to-D61 and Ozark-to-Caven records.
Access map
Put-in
D61 Access / Whitewater Creek bridge accessThe D61 put-in is on Whitewater Creek rather than the main river. Expect a short final move downstream into the North Fork, and scout the muddy bridge-bank entry before unloading heavier boats.
Take-out
Ozark Bridge / 21st Ave access areaOnce you leave Whitewater Creek, practical public bailout options become scarce until Ozark Bridge. Do not launch late or with a group that is uncertain about covering the mileage.
Road shuttle
Set the Ozark vehicle first and treat this as a wilderness shuttle rather than a casual bike-back route. The county-road return is long, hilly, and slower than the map may suggest.
Additional access notes
- Ozark Bridge is an undeveloped bridge access with a roadside pull-off and carry path rather than a polished ramp.
More route and safety guidance
- Use the Fulton gauge with the trend and recent rain. Wisconsin River Trips pushes 701+ cfs beyond the normal recreational recommendation for this corridor.
- Scout the muddy D61 launch and undeveloped Ozark landing before unloading heavy boats, and do not use private banks or campground accesses as fallback exits without permission.
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Conditions
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Station details and river cameras
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Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
North Fork Maquoketa River near Fulton, IA. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
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Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | North Fork Maquoketa River near Fulton, IA |
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| Preferred range | 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 Whitewater-to-Ozark gauge ladder |
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NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
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, and Wisconsin River Trips says paddlers use that access by taking out of the North Fork and moving a short distance up Whitewater Creek.
- Published route reportWhitewater Creek Mouth to 21st Ave / Ozark Bridge, 12.1 mi
Wisconsin River Trips documents the exact Whitewater Creek Mouth to 21st Ave continuation through the bluff-heavy wilderness corridor downstream of Cascade.
- Public take-outOzark Bridge / 21st Ave access area
Jackson County Conservation lists Ozark Bridge on the North Fork water-trail access table, and Jones County describes Ozark Bridge as one of the practical Jackson County take-outs below Cascade.
- Gauge ladder231 to 400 cfs broad target
Wisconsin River Trips uses the same Fulton-gauge ladder for the upper wilderness corridor, with less than 150 cfs flagged as too shallow and 701+ cfs pushed into the advanced-only range.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-06USGS 05418400 at 939 cfs / 5.03 ft
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- Endpoint coordinates42.27778, -90.9371 to 42.19, -90.87
The current D61 and Ozark access anchors come from the already-vetted county access pages and route-report corridor used by adjacent live North Fork routes.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
More on North Fork Maquoketa River
All 6Nearby routes within 75 miles
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