See all 11 routes on North Raccoon River
Iowa | Northwest Iowa
North Raccoon River
White Horse Access to Grant Park
Check current paddling conditions for this North Raccoon River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
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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
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Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Best window today
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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
Paddle the short wooded White Horse-to-Grant split, ending at Grant Park before the rock-dam decision and campground area.
Put-in
White Horse AccessOpen mapDNR says the Grant Park rock-dam take-out requires scouting because no signs are visible from the river.
Take-out
Grant ParkOpen mapGrant Park's coordinate is a practical park/ramp anchor derived from the named park location and North Raccoon shoreline context; verify the actual ramp before launching.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- DNR says the Grant Park rock-dam take-out requires scouting because no signs are visible from the river.
- Grant Park's coordinate is a practical park/ramp anchor derived from the named park location and North Raccoon shoreline context; verify the actual ramp before launching.
- Do not drift past Grant unless the Grant-to-Rainbow route is staged from below the rock-dam boundary.
Watch for
- White Horse rock-dam context at the put-in and low-water scrape points.
- Unsigned Grant Park rock-dam approach and portage/take-out decision.
- Wood, private banks, fast rises, and short-route timing into the take-out.
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 Lanesboro, IA |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 | 0.00 ft to 11.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 0.00 ft |
| High threshold | 11.00 ft |
| Data confidence behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Iowa DNR North Raccoon Sac/Calhoun/Carroll guide Lanesboro/Jefferson guidance |
| 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 splitWhite Horse Access to Grant Park, 4.5 mi
Iowa DNR describes the 4.5 miles between White Horse Access and Grant Park as a wooded lower-North-Raccoon water-trail reach.
- Grant portageScout; portage recommended at normal levels
DNR says the Grant Park rock-dam take-out needs scouting because no signs are visible from the river, and portaging is recommended for all except skilled whitewater paddlers.
- Endpoint supportWhite Horse public access; Grant hard-surface ramp and campground
Iowa DNR says White Horse was created to provide paddler access, and MyCountyParks says Grant Park has a hard-surface boat ramp and three camping areas.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 05482430 7.65 ft; USGS 05482300 54.3 cfs / 6.85 ft; USGS 05482500 218 cfs / 5.12 ft
USGS Water Services returned current North Raccoon values at 2026-07-24 02:15 CDT 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
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Reports
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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 Lanesboro, IA and treats 0.00 ft to 11.00 ft 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 White Horse Access and ends at Grant Park, about 4.5 mi on the water.
Is this North Raccoon 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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