Wisconsin | Driftless Wisconsin
Pecatonica River - Mineral Point Branch
Ludden Lake Boat Ramp to North Oak Park Road
Check current paddling conditions for this Pecatonica River - Mineral Point Branch 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 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.
Put-in
Ludden Lake Boat RampOpen mapLudden 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-outOpen mapNorth 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.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
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
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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 | 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 |
| Data confidence 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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
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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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