See all 2 routes on Red Cedar River
Wisconsin | Northwest Wisconsin
Red Cedar River
Tom Prince Memorial Park to Russian Slough County Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Red Cedar River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
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
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 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.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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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.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Tom Prince is the longer Colfax launch for this route; Felland Park is a shorter alternate 1.3 miles downstream.
- Russian 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.
- 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.
Watch for
- Fast current and frequent strainers, especially near side channels and island splits.
- Roughly 30 easy Class I riffles that become pushier as the Colfax gauge rises.
- A minor logjam near the large sand banks that may require a quick scooch or gravel-bar walkaround.
- High water above about 800 cfs changes this from a scenic moving-water day into an expert-only strainer route.
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
Why this score
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 | Red Cedar River Near Colfax, 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 | 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 |
| 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.
- 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
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
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Quick answers
Red Cedar River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Red Cedar River?
Paddle Today watches Red Cedar River Near Colfax, WI and treats 401 cfs to 600 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Red Cedar River route start and end?
This route starts at Tom Prince Memorial Park Landing and ends at Russian Slough County Park, about 7.7 mi on the water.
Is this Red Cedar River 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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