See all 11 routes on North Raccoon River
Iowa | Central Iowa
North Raccoon River
Eureka Bridge Access to Henderson Park Access
Check current paddling conditions for this North Raccoon 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 Eureka Bridge Access and take out at Henderson Park for the shorter half of the official McMahon-to-Henderson North Raccoon water-trail section. Use the Jefferson gauge conservatively and scout wood and the Henderson rock-dam area.
Put-in
Eureka Bridge AccessOpen mapGreene County says Eureka Bridge is 4.5 miles upstream of Henderson Park, matching the short split from the DNR guide.
Take-out
Henderson Park AccessOpen mapThe DNR guide warns about a rock dam above Henderson Park Access. Identify the take-out and any required carry before relaxing near the finish.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Greene County says Eureka Bridge is 4.5 miles upstream of Henderson Park, matching the short split from the DNR guide.
- The DNR guide warns about a rock dam above Henderson Park Access. Identify the take-out and any required carry before relaxing near the finish.
- The threshold range is route-adjacent rather than exact. Make a same-day visual call for wood, depth, and current at Eureka.
- Most banks are private outside public accesses; do not use farm banks as routine stops.
Watch for
- Downed trees and log piles at sharp bends, especially when current is up.
- Rock-dam current near Henderson Park, riffles, shallow bony lines, and bank-swallows/bluff erosion zones.
- Low water below about 150 cfs at Jefferson, when dragging and bony riffles become likely.
- High water above about 2,000 cfs at Jefferson, when the broader published range becomes pushy and rescue margins shrink.
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 Raccoon River near Jefferson, 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 | 150 cfs to 2,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 150 cfs |
| High threshold | 2,000 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | CanWePaddle North Raccoon Jefferson-to-Cooper estimated range |
| 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 splitEureka Bridge is the halfway split on McMahon-to-Henderson
The Iowa DNR Greene County North Raccoon guide says McMahon to Eureka to Henderson is 8.6 miles and can be broken into two shorter paddles at Eureka Bridge Access.
- County endpoint supportEureka Bridge 4.5 miles upstream of Henderson
Greene County MyCountyParks says Eureka Bridge Access provides boating access and is 4.5 miles upstream from Henderson Park; Henderson Park has a boat ramp developed for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking.
- Published corridor range150 to 2,000 cfs
CanWePaddle publishes an estimated range for the broader North Raccoon Jefferson-to-Cooper corridor using the same Jefferson gauge.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 05482500 at 248 cfs / 5.18 ft
USGS Water Services returned North Raccoon River near Jefferson values of 248 cfs and 5.18 ft at 2026-07-22 17:15 CDT.
- HazardsDowned trees, log piles, and Henderson rock dam
The Iowa DNR guide warns paddlers to use care around downed trees and log piles and when getting out at the rock dam above Henderson Park Access.
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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
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Quick answers
North Raccoon River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling North Raccoon River?
Paddle Today watches North Raccoon River near Jefferson, IA and treats 150 cfs to 2,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this North Raccoon River route start and end?
This route starts at Eureka Bridge Access and ends at Henderson Park Access, about About 4.5 mi on the water.
Is this North Raccoon River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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