See all 3 routes on Sheboygan River
Wisconsin | Sheboygan County
Sheboygan River
Johnsonville Fire Department to Dassow Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Sheboygan River 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 below the Johnsonville low-head dam and take out at Dassow Park for a clear upper-Sheboygan riffle day with wooded banks, gravel shallows, and a conservative downstream Sheboygan gauge floor.
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
Johnsonville Fire Department / Highway JM accessOpen mapDo not launch above or run the Johnsonville low-head dam. Carry below it from the fire-station parking area and inspect the smaller downstream ledge before launching.
Take-out
Dassow Park river accessOpen mapHighway J and Highway M are WRT-listed alternate access points, but parking and bank conditions are less formal than Dassow Park. Verify before using them as bailouts.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Do not launch above or run the Johnsonville low-head dam. Carry below it from the fire-station parking area and inspect the smaller downstream ledge before launching.
- Highway J and Highway M are WRT-listed alternate access points, but parking and bank conditions are less formal than Dassow Park. Verify before using them as bailouts.
- Neither endpoint has a full-service outfitter or facilities. Set the shuttle and backup contact before launching.
Watch for
- Bumpy shallow riffles and possible wading at or below about 85 cfs on the downstream Sheboygan gauge.
- High or rising water at the launch ledges, strainers in bends, cold clear water, bridge current, and private or farm-bank limitations.
- Factory, farm, and water-quality context near Johnsonville; avoid contact after spills, storms, or visible contamination.
Route gallery
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Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
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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 | Sheboygan River at Sheboygan, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 85 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Johnsonville observed runnable level |
| 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 reportJohnsonville Fire Department to Dassow Park, 6.4 mi
Wisconsin River Trips documents the exact route, named endpoints, distance, gradient, access notes, riffle character, and dam warning.
- Minimum-only gauge model86 cfs / 1.97 ft observed; 85 cfs floor
WRT reports the route was doable at 86 cfs but bumpy through many riffles and did not publish a complete threshold ladder. PaddleToday uses a conservative floor only.
- Current gauge check57.8 cfs / 1.88 ft at 2026-07-23 03:00 CDT
USGS Water Services placed the downstream Sheboygan gauge below the selected minimum-only floor during this run.
- Water-trail access contextSheboygan County / city public access planning
The Sheboygan River Water Trail project documents official county/city access-map and safety-planning context for the same river corridor.
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.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Sheboygan River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Sheboygan River?
Paddle Today watches Sheboygan River at Sheboygan, WI and uses 85 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Sheboygan River route start and end?
This route starts at Johnsonville Fire Department / Highway JM access and ends at Dassow Park river access, about 6.4 mi on the water.
Is this Sheboygan 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.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.