See all 11 routes on North Raccoon River
Iowa | Central Iowa
North Raccoon River
Hyde Park Access to McMahon Access
Check current paddling conditions for this North Raccoon River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
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 Hyde Park and paddle the longer Greene County North Raccoon split through Brown Bridge to McMahon Access.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Put-in
Hyde Park AccessOpen mapStart below or otherwise avoid the Hyde Park rock dam unless a land scout and skill assessment make conditions clearly appropriate.
Take-out
McMahon AccessOpen mapBrown Bridge is an official intermediate access and rock-dam area; confirm current public access from land.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Start below or otherwise avoid the Hyde Park rock dam unless a land scout and skill assessment make conditions clearly appropriate.
- Brown Bridge is an official intermediate access and rock-dam area; confirm current public access from land.
- DNR places McMahon below another rock dam and notes no obvious portage on the map.
Watch for
- Rock dams at Hyde Park, Brown Bridge, and near McMahon.
- Downed trees and log piles.
- Long rural mileage and limited alternate exits.
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.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
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 and mileageHyde Park to McMahon, 13.5 mi
Iowa DNR names Hyde Park Access to Brown Bridge to McMahon Access as a 13.5-mile section.
- Public McMahon endpointConcrete boat ramp and parking
Greene County / MyCountyParks describes McMahon Access as a concrete boat ramp with parking and fishing riffle.
- Threshold range150-2,000 cfs
CanWePaddle ties the Jefferson-to-Cooper corridor to USGS 05482500.
- Current gauge check228 cfs / 5.14 ft at 2026-07-23 15:15 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current North Raccoon near Jefferson data during this run.
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.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
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 Hyde Park Access and ends at McMahon Access, about About 13.5 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.