See all 11 routes on St. Croix River
Wisconsin | Northwest Wisconsin
St. Croix River
Riverside Landing to Thayers Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this St. Croix 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
Checking preferred range.
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
Checking the next several hours.
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 Riverside Landing and take out at Thayers Landing for the missing SC3 link below the existing Gordon-to-Riverside card. This is a long scenic St. Croix day with one Class I-II rapid area, official campsite support, and a currently low Danbury gauge.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Riverside LandingThe Danbury DNR gauge is at the put-in corridor and is the product gauge, but several tributaries enter before Thayers. Make same-day visual and wind checks rather than trusting the number alone.
Take-out
Thayers LandingNPS says river conditions vary along the 255-mile Riverway and tells paddlers to check USGS/river levels or contact a ranger before launching.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Danbury DNR gauge is at the put-in corridor and is the product gauge, but several tributaries enter before Thayers. Make same-day visual and wind checks rather than trusting the number alone.
- NPS says river conditions vary along the 255-mile Riverway and tells paddlers to check USGS/river levels or contact a ranger before launching.
- Use Riverside and Thayers as the planned public endpoints. Do not improvise on private banks except for true emergencies.
Watch for
- State Line Rapids, shallow rock-dodging below the official scrapable floor, and slower island-channel choices.
- Fallen trees and strainers, cold water, ticks, poison ivy, and limited remote rescue.
- Wind on the wider lower half and long-day fatigue if the group treats this as a casual float.
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 | St. Croix River nr Danbury, 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 | 1,500 cfs to 2,200 cfs |
| Low threshold | 1,250 cfs |
| High threshold | 6,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | MN DNR Danbury interpreted river-level bands |
| 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 shape13.4 miles / SC3
Wisconsin Trail Guide documents Riverside Landing to Thayers Landing as a 13.4-mile SC3 route with mostly flatwater and one State Line Rapids Class I-II area.
- Official map and safetyNPS Map 5
NPS Map 5 covers Riverside Landing to Sand Creek Landing and gives landing, campsite, river-condition, downed-tree, drinking-water, and ability-check guidance for this corridor.
- Official DNR bands1,250 / 1,500-2,200 / 6,000 cfs
MN DNR site 212 at Danbury is the official interpreted St. Croix gauge used here: scrapable below 1,250 cfs, medium from 1,500 to 2,200 cfs, and very high above 6,000 cfs.
- Current gauge check727 cfs at 2026-07-22 20:00 CDT
The MN DNR feed returned Danbury at 727 cfs during this run, below the scrapable floor. USGS 05333500 corroborated the same corridor at 723 cfs / 0.68 ft at 21:00 CDT.
- Camping supportTwo individual and two group Riverway campsites
WTG says NPS has two individual and two group campsites in the SC3 segment, with first-come Riverway rules and no glass containers.
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
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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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
St. Croix River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling St. Croix River?
Paddle Today watches St. Croix River nr Danbury, WI and treats 1,500 cfs to 2,200 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this St. Croix River route start and end?
This route starts at Riverside Landing and ends at Thayers Landing, about 13.4 mi on the water.
Is this St. Croix 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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