See all 5 routes on Sugar River
Wisconsin | South-Central Wisconsin
Sugar River
County Road X to County Road EE
Check current paddling conditions for this Sugar 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
Use the County Road X bridge access south of Belleville and finish at County Road EE north of Albany. This is a mellow wooded float, but low water and the full 11.5-mile length make the day feel bigger than it first looks.
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
County Road X bridge access (Sugar River)These accesses are supported by the regional Capitol Water Trails map, and Wisconsin DNR confirms downstream public parking and a boat launch in the Albany Wildlife Area corridor, but the exact County Road EE bridge landing still deserves a same-day check.
Take-out
County Road EE bridge access (Sugar River)County bridge landings can be muddy or debris-prone after rain, especially on the take-out side.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- These accesses are supported by the regional Capitol Water Trails map, and Wisconsin DNR confirms downstream public parking and a boat launch in the Albany Wildlife Area corridor, but the exact County Road EE bridge landing still deserves a same-day check.
- County bridge landings can be muddy or debris-prone after rain, especially on the take-out side.
Watch for
- Low water slowing the day down or causing repeated grounding.
- Strainers or fresh deadfall on outer bends after storms.
- Fatigue, food, and weather management on a longer flatwater day.
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 | Sugar River near Verona, 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 | 60 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | MilesPaddled Sugar River V minimum-flow note |
| 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.
- Published minimum60 cfs
MilesPaddled recommends avoiding very low flow on the Verona gauge so this segment does not turn into a shallow, frustrating day.
- Trip styleMellow, full day
County Road X to County Road EE is a scenic 11.5-mile float with low water as the primary quality problem rather than technical difficulty.
- Access supportRegional trail map
Capitol Water Trails maps both bridge access points, but local parking authority is still lighter than a formal DNR access page.
- Downstream public-access corridorAlbany Wildlife Area has parking and a boat launch
Wisconsin DNR says Albany Wildlife Area offers a parking lot and a boat launch on the Sugar River corridor, which improves downstream public-access confidence near Albany even though it does not by itself prove the exact County Road EE bridge landing.
- Gauge contextVerona gauge only
The Verona gauge gives a useful low-water mark, but there is still not enough high-water guidance for this exact lower Sugar segment.
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
Sugar River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Sugar River?
Paddle Today watches Sugar River near Verona, WI and uses 60 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Sugar River route start and end?
This route starts at County Road X bridge access (Sugar River) and ends at County Road EE bridge access (Sugar River), about 11.5 mi on the water.
Is this Sugar 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.