See all 11 routes on St. Croix River
Wisconsin | Northwest Wisconsin
St. Croix River
Thayers Landing to Norway Point Landing
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
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
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
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 Thayers Landing and take out at Norway Point for the quietwater SC4 link. It is easier than the downstream rapid split, but it still needs a Danbury gauge check, wind judgment, and precise landing navigation.
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.
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
Thayers LandingDanbury is upstream of this route and should be treated as a corridor proxy once tributary inflow and wind affect the broad lower water.
Take-out
Norway Point LandingNPS Map 5 warns that the St. Croix State Park main landing sits behind an island on river right and is easy to miss.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Danbury is upstream of this route and should be treated as a corridor proxy once tributary inflow and wind affect the broad lower water.
- NPS Map 5 warns that the St. Croix State Park main landing sits behind an island on river right and is easy to miss.
- Norway Point is the planned Wisconsin take-out. Do not drift into the SC5 rapid corridor unless your group has planned that separate route.
Watch for
- Wide-channel wind, slow progress, sandbars in low water, wooded island channels, and missed landings.
- Fallen trees, strainers, cold water, ticks, poison ivy, and limited remote rescue.
- Private banks and campsite capacity/rule limits on busy summer weekends.
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
Data and sources
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 shape14.3 miles / SC4
Wisconsin Trail Guide documents Thayers Landing to Norway Point Landing as a 14.3-mile easy segment with broad quietwater, islands, and riffles.
- Coordinate supportWTG GPX endpoint and landing waypoints
WTG GPX resolves Thayers, Little Yellow Banks, St. Croix State Park, Sand Creek, and Norway Point landings with waypoint coordinates.
- Official Riverway map supportNPS Maps 5 and 6
NPS Section Maps 5 and 6 cover the Thayers-to-Norway landing chain and publish current Riverway safety, campsite, and rule context.
- 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 below the scrapable floor during this run; USGS 05333500 corroborated 723 cfs / 0.68 ft at 21:00 CDT.
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.
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
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 Thayers Landing and ends at Norway Point Landing, about 14.3 mi on the water.
Is this St. Croix River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.