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Wisconsin | Northwest Wisconsin
St. Croix RiverGordon Dam Landing to Riverside Landing
Long upper St. Croix Riverway trip from Gordon Dam to Riverside Landing, with frequent public landings, designated river campsites, Class I-II boulder rapids, and a direct Danbury gauge. It is scenic and well documented, but the length, remoteness, rocks, and sudden rapids make it more than a casual float.
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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 Gordon Dam Landing and finish at Riverside Landing after the Namekagon confluence corridor. The route is a long Wild and Scenic Riverway paddle with boulder-bed Class I-II rapids, public landing options, and enough remoteness that conservative groups should plan it as an overnight.
Access map
Put-in
Gordon Dam LandingDo not start the full reach unless the shuttle, campsite plan, and daylight plan are realistic for a 23.4-mile trip.
Take-out
Riverside LandingIntermediate landings make shorter sections possible, but each landing and campsite should be verified on the latest NPS map before use.
Road shuttle
Long upper-Riverway shuttle from Gordon Dam Landing to Riverside Landing. Use NPS Map 4 to plan intermediate landings such as County Road T, Schoen Park, Dry Landing, and CCC Bridge before committing to the full 23-plus miles.
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Gordon Dam Landing to Riverside Landing is about 23.4 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Additional access notes
- Bring drinking water or treatment; NPS warns river water is not safe to drink unless purified.
More route and safety guidance
- Scout Coppermine Dam before attempting the chute or use the right-side portage; old sluice timbers may contain metal spikes.
- Fish Trap Rapids are winding Class I-II rapids with no portage, and NPS notes additional rapids near Big Island and the Riverside approach.
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Conditions
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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
St. Croix River near Danbury, 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
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 | St. Croix River near Danbury, WI |
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| Preferred range | 1,000 cfs to 3,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 1,000 cfs |
| High threshold | 3,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater St. Croix Gordon Dam-to-Riverside runnable range |
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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.
- Exact Riverway mapMap 4: Gordon Dam to Riverside Landing
NPS publishes the current Section 4 map for this exact St. Croix reach and says the maps show landings, picnic areas, campsites, and river miles.
- Route-specific AW reach23.4 miles; Class I-II
American Whitewater documents Gordon Dam to Riverside Landing as a 23.4-mile Class I-II reach on the St. Croix River.
- Runnable range1,000 to 3,000 cfs
American Whitewater ties the Gordon Dam-to-Riverside reach to USGS 05333500 St. Croix River near Danbury and publishes 1,000-3,000 cfs as its route-specific runnable band.
- Camping supportDesignated campsites along route
American Whitewater describes small and large designated river campsites with fire rings and pit toilets, while NPS Map 4 shows campsite and landing information for the corridor.
- Primary safety cautionsLow water rocks, sudden rapids, Coppermine Dam
NPS Map 4 warns that low water can make paddlers dodge rocks and boulders, that Class I-II rapids can come up suddenly before Scott Bridge, that Coppermine Dam should be scouted or portaged, and that Fish Trap Rapids have no portage.
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
More on St. Croix River
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