Wisconsin | Southeastern Wisconsin
Root River5 Mile Road / Linwood Park to Horlick Park
Racine-area Root River reach with riffles, shoals, park access, a direct American Whitewater gauge tie, and mandatory take-out discipline at Horlick Park.
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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 5 Mile Road / Linwood Park and take out at Horlick Park for the AW-listed Root River reach. The W. Eight Mile Road gauge currently runs below the selected minimum, so low-water scraping and a same-day visual check matter.
Access map
Put-in
5 Mile Road / Linwood Park Root River accessThe 5 Mile Road access is source-backed by Miles Paddled and the AW reach name, but parking, bank footing, and park rules should be checked before unloading.
Take-out
Horlick Park / Rapids Court canoe and kayak launchHorlick Park is the take-out boundary. Do not continue into the Horlick dam-removal / downstream rapid corridor without a separate safety and access plan.
Road shuttle
Stage Horlick Park / Rapids Court first, then return to the 5 Mile Road / Linwood Park access. A bike shuttle is possible only if the group is comfortable with Racine-area traffic and urban crossings.
Additional access notes
- Middle accesses around Highway 31 or Armstrong Park should be treated as bailouts only after confirming legal parking, bank footing, and any local construction restrictions.
More route and safety guidance
- Low water can make the riffles scrape and drag; rising rainwater can make bends, bridges, and wood pushier than the Class I label suggests.
- Expect urban water-quality concerns, private or golf-course banks, cold water, and limited clean bailout points between parks; Highway 31/Ole Davidson is not an officially designated landing.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.
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Conditions
Check how the river is changing and what weather to expect.
Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
Hourly forecast
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
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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
Root River at W. Eight Mile Rd near Caledonia, 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.
Share a recent access update, hazard observation or photo.
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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- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Root River at W. Eight Mile Rd near Caledonia, 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 |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 100 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Root River Five Mile Road flow page |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Route and gaugeFive Mile Road to Horlick Dam Pond / USGS 040872342
American Whitewater lists the reach, Class I difficulty, 7.5-mile length, the W. Eight Mile Road gauge, and a 100-3,000 cfs range on the flow page. It describes the Highway 31/Ole Davidson utility pull-off as having no official landing designation, so it is not treated as a public bailout.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-2321.5 cfs / 4.52 ft at 2026-07-23 07:30 CDT
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- Endpoint coordinates5 Mile Road 42.79984, -87.87081; Horlick 42.7538, -87.82322
Miles Paddled publishes the endpoint coordinates, 7.75-mile distance, riffle character, and a too-low 14 cfs trip with guidance to use more water.
- Horlick safety contextHand-launch take-out above a dam-removal corridor
Racine County documents Horlick Park small-boat/canoe/kayak launch context, while American Whitewater warns dam removal could change downstream recommendations.
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
Nearby routes within 75 miles
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