See all 6 routes on North Fork Maquoketa River
Iowa | Northeast Iowa
North Fork Maquoketa River
D61 Access / Whitewater Creek 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
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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
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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 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.
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
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.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The 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.
- Once 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.
- Ozark Bridge is an undeveloped bridge access with a roadside pull-off and carry path rather than a polished ramp.
Watch for
- Long sequences of riffles, outside-bend boulders, and faster current when the Fulton gauge rises above the broad 231-400 cfs target range.
- Fatigue, wood, blind bends, and limited easy exits in the middle miles of the corridor.
- Private banks and private campground accesses that should not be treated as normal public stops or 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 Whitewater-to-Ozark 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, 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 D61 Access / Whitewater Creek bridge access and ends at Ozark Bridge / 21st Ave access area, about About 12.1 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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