See all 2 routes on Red Cedar River
Wisconsin | Northwest Wisconsin
Red Cedar RiverTom Prince Memorial Park to Russian Slough County Park
Fast northwest-Wisconsin Red Cedar day below Colfax, with easy Class I riffles, gravel bars, tall sand banks, and a direct Colfax gauge ladder. The route is scenic but strainer-sensitive, so it is best treated as an intermediate moving-water run.
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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
Launch at Tom Prince Memorial Park in Colfax and paddle the Red Cedar River to Russian Slough County Park. Expect brisk current, easy riffles, gravel bars, tall sand banks, and a rustic county-park take-out.
Access map
Put-in
Tom Prince Memorial Park LandingTom Prince is the longer Colfax launch for this route; Felland Park is a shorter alternate 1.3 miles downstream.
Take-out
Russian Slough County ParkRussian Slough is public county land on the Red Cedar corridor, but Dunn County says it has no amenities or developed boat landing. Treat it as a primitive take-out and confirm it is open before relying on it.
Road shuttle
Use a rural two-car shuttle from Tom Prince Memorial Park in Colfax to Russian Slough County Park off 860th Avenue. The final Russian Slough approach is a narrow dirt access road, so scout the take-out before launching.
Additional access notes
- The take-out is on the east end of an island/slough complex; mark it before launching and stay alert as the river begins to split near the finish.
More route and safety guidance
- Use the direct Colfax gauge and keep broad-audience trips in the 401-600 cfs target. The route source calls 601-800 cfs pushy, 801-1,200 cfs expert-only because of strainers, and 1,201+ cfs potentially too high.
- Mark Russian Slough before launching. The take-out sits on the east end of an island-and-slough complex, and Dunn County says the park has no developed boat landing and closes during the spring walleye-spawning period.
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Station details and river cameras
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Measurement notes and coverage
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River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Red Cedar River Near Colfax, WI. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
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Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
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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
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| Gauge site | Red Cedar River Near Colfax, WI |
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| Preferred range | 401 cfs to 600 cfs |
| Low threshold | 400 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 Red Cedar River - Colfax gauge guidance |
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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.
- Public put-inTom Prince Memorial Park
Wisconsin River Trips describes Tom Prince Memorial Park Landing in Colfax as the upstream Red Cedar launch for this route, and Paddling.com lists Tom Prince Memorial Park on the Red Cedar River with launch-point coordinates.
- Public take-outRussian Slough County Park
Wisconsin River Trips uses Russian Slough County Park as the route take-out and describes the signed dirt-road approach. Dunn County confirms Russian Slough is county-owned public land at the mouth of the Red Cedar River, while warning it has no amenities or developed boat landing and may close in spring for walleye spawning.
- Endpoint coordinatesTom Prince 45.0026972, -91.729812; Russian Slough 44.9933827, -91.8095487
The Wisconsin River Trips shuttle map resolves the planned endpoints; Paddling.com independently corroborates Tom Prince Memorial Park at 45.002775, -91.729783.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 05367500
USGS operates Red Cedar River near Colfax, WI, downstream on the same river corridor and Wisconsin River Trips uses that exact gauge for the route ladder.
- Gauge ladder401-600 cfs good depth
Wisconsin River Trips gives route-specific Colfax-gauge guidance: under 400 cfs still navigable, 401-600 cfs good depth, 601-800 cfs a bit high and pushy, 801-1200 cfs expert-only because of strainers, and 1201+ cfs maybe too high.
- Route character7.7 miles with Class I riffles
Wisconsin River Trips documents the Tom Prince to Russian Slough route as 7.7 miles with fast current, roughly 30 easy Class I pitches, gravel bars, a major sand bank, and a strainer warning around side channels.
- DNR access contextNotable public accesses include Russian Slough
Wisconsin DNR's 2024 Red Cedar River survey names Felland Park, Dobbs Landing, and Russian Slough among notable public accesses on the Red Cedar River in Dunn County.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
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