Wisconsin | Driftless Wisconsin
Pecatonica River - Mineral Point Branch
Ludden Lake Boat Ramp to North Oak Park Road
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
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
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 the Ludden Lake public boat ramp, portage Ludden Lake dam, and take out at North Oak Park Road for a short scenic Mineral Point Branch run. The Darlington gauge is a downstream proxy, so same-day visual and access checks are mandatory.
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.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Ludden Lake Boat RampLudden Lake has a DNR-listed public boat landing, but the route immediately requires a dam portage below the lake.
Take-out
North Oak Park Road bridge / VPA-area take-outNorth Oak Park Road is not a polished launch. WRT used it with fence and DNR voluntary-access context; verify current signs and do not cross private land beyond the lawful access corridor.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Ludden Lake has a DNR-listed public boat landing, but the route immediately requires a dam portage below the lake.
- North Oak Park Road is not a polished launch. WRT used it with fence and DNR voluntary-access context; verify current signs and do not cross private land beyond the lawful access corridor.
- If the take-out looks questionable, S. Oak Park Road is a possible downstream bridge option, but that is a separate extension and should be scouted before launch.
Watch for
- Mandatory Ludden Lake dam portage and a late low bridge that acts like a small dam.
- Low-water scraping below the 351 cfs Darlington proxy target, fast pushy current above the high bands, and rapid local changes after rain.
- One logjam portage from the route report, fences, cattle, eroding banks, private banks, and cold spring-fed tributary water.
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
Data and sources
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 | Pecatonica River at Darlington, WI |
| 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 | 351 cfs to 650 cfs |
| Low threshold | 250 cfs |
| High threshold | 801 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Mineral Point Branch Darlington proxy 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.
- Route guide4.8 miles; about 2.5 hr typical
Wisconsin River Trips documents Ludden Lake Boat Ramp to North Oak Park Road as a short Mineral Point Branch route with pasture, rolling hills, outcrops, and light rapids.
- Put-in accessLudden Lake public boat landing
Wisconsin DNR says Ludden Lake visitors have access from a public boat landing, and WRT describes good public access off Ludden Lake.
- Take-out access caveatNorth Oak Park Road VPA/DOT context
Wisconsin River Trips says the North Oak Park Road take-out requires crossing a fence but that surrounding property was posted under a DNR voluntary access program; scout current signage before launch.
- Proxy gauge ladder351-650 cfs target; 801+ high
WRT uses the downstream Darlington gauge, notes it is not super accurate for this tributary, and gives a route-specific ladder from too shallow to maybe too high.
- HazardsDam, low bridge, logjam, fences
The route report says to portage Ludden Lake dam, portage a low bridge that acts like a dam, expect one logjam portage, and treat the faster riffles as Class I.
- Current conditions check217 cfs / 3.21 ft on 2026-07-17 00:00 CDT
USGS legacy current conditions showed the Darlington proxy below the 351 cfs preferred floor 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
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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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
Pecatonica River - Mineral Point Branch paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Pecatonica River - Mineral Point Branch?
Paddle Today watches Pecatonica River at Darlington, WI and treats 351 cfs to 650 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Pecatonica River - Mineral Point Branch route start and end?
This route starts at Ludden Lake Boat Ramp and ends at North Oak Park Road bridge / VPA-area take-out, about 4.8 mi on the water.
Is this Pecatonica River - Mineral Point Branch 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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