See all 2 routes on Red Cedar River
Wisconsin | West-Central Wisconsin
Red Cedar RiverMenomonie to Dunnville
Easy lower Red Cedar day with mild riffles, a strong access pair, and one of the better bike shuttles in the current seed set. It still needs enough water to keep the riffles fun instead of scratchy.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Use Riverside Park in Menomonie as the put-in and Dunnville Bottoms as the take-out. This is a long but friendly downstream Red Cedar day when the gauge keeps enough water in the riffles.
Access map
Put-in
Riverside Park Canoe Launch (Menomonie)Both ends are backed by Wisconsin DNR access records, which is stronger than most community-seeded routes.
Take-out
Dunnville Bottoms Boat Landing (County Road Y)Do not let the easy character obscure the nearly 15-mile commitment; the exact-route report logged 14.75 miles from Riverside Park to County Road Y.
Road shuttle
Best shuttle option is the Red Cedar State Trail bike return if your group wants to avoid a second car. A driving shuttle is still straightforward and usually simpler on cold or rainy days.
More route and safety guidance
- Check the narrower final meanders for fresh deadfall and strainers because the older trip report is not a current clearance guarantee.
- Use only the named Riverside Park and Dunnville Bottoms accesses; plan for fatigue, wind, and cold water over this nearly 15-mile day.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Red Cedar River at Menomonie, WI. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Red Cedar River at Menomonie, WI |
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| Rain last 24h | Checking |
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| Preferred range | 6.40 ft to 7.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 5.80 ft |
| High threshold | 8.20 ft |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | MilesPaddled Red Cedar River I gauge note |
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NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Same-route sweet spot6.4 to 7.0 ft
MilesPaddled describes about 6.4 to 7.0 ft at Menomonie as the best range for keeping some character in the riffles without turning the river into fast, featureless high water.
- Trip length14.75 mi
This is a real day trip, but the rail-trail shuttle and mild current keep it friendlier than many 15-mile river days.
- Access confidenceVerified
Both Riverside Park Canoe Launch and Dunnville Bottoms Boat Landing are backed by Wisconsin DNR boat-access records.
- Lower-reach deadfallObserved but passable
The 2018 exact-route report describes clusters of deadfall in the narrower final meanders but says none required maneuvering at the reported 6.6 ft level.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
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All 2Nearby routes within 75 miles
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