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Texas | East Texas
Village Creek
US 96 Boat Launch to Village Creek State Park canoe launch
Check current paddling conditions for this Village Creek 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 the US 96 public ramp and finish at Village Creek State Park for the short downstream state-park segment. Use USGS 08041500 near Kountze with a conservative 200 cfs floor, then make a same-day call on current, flood impacts, wildlife, and launch conditions before committing.
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
US 96 Boat LaunchNPS identifies the US 96 launch as a paved public ramp and says the next launch is Village Creek State Park 3.2 miles downstream; TPWD separately publishes the state-park canoe-launch coordinate and paddling access.
Take-out
Village Creek State Park canoe launchCheck with Village Creek State Park on the status of the canoe launch after flooding or storm damage. Do not assume the normal take-out path is usable on every visit.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- NPS identifies the US 96 launch as a paved public ramp and says the next launch is Village Creek State Park 3.2 miles downstream; TPWD separately publishes the state-park canoe-launch coordinate and paddling access.
- Check with Village Creek State Park on the status of the canoe launch after flooding or storm damage. Do not assume the normal take-out path is usable on every visit.
- TPWD says alligators live in the area. Give wildlife space, keep pets and food controlled, and do not create shoreline conflicts at the park launch.
- TPWD says Village Creek water quality is variable and not recommended for drinking. Bring your own water even on this short segment.
- This route uses a conservative minimum-only threshold, not a full ideal-range recommendation. If the gauge is below about 200 cfs, expect more shallow sandbars and wood near the park finish.
Watch for
- Flows near or below about 200 cfs, or stage below roughly 3 ft, when exposed sandbars, logs, and shallow routing become more common.
- Stage around or above about 10 ft, rising water, fresh heavy rain, or park-launch flood impacts that can turn an easy short float into a poor access decision.
- Snags, logjams, floating debris, insects, thunderstorms, muddy footing, alligators, and other wildlife near the lower corridor and park take-out.
- Private banks between the launches and the temptation to treat state-park access as proof that any stop along the way is equally public.
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 | Village Ck nr Kountze, TX |
| 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 | 200 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 | Texas River Flows five-level Village Creek / Kountze gauge table |
| 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.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 08041500 at 287 cfs / 4.14 ft
USGS Water Services returned same-day July 11, 2026 discharge and stage values for Village Creek near Kountze, confirming the direct live gauge path used for this route.
- Conservative low-water floor200 cfs minimum-only
The Texas River Flows five-level table lists Village Creek at the Kountze gauge with a first-tier 200 cfs minimum, defined as the minimum water available for floating. Paddle Today uses only that conservative floor and does not infer an ideal or upper scoring band.
- Official route shapeUS 96 to Village Creek State Park, 3.2 mi
Current TPWD and NPS Village Creek trail pages identify US 96 to Village Creek State Park as the lower trail segment in the public access chain.
- Exact public launch coordinates30.28570, -94.19145 to 30.2553, -94.1710
NPS publishes the US 96 launch coordinate, and TPWD's current state-park trails information publishes the canoe-launch coordinate inside Village Creek State Park.
- Endpoint campground supportVillage Creek State Park campsites and cabin at take-out
TPWD says the park has tent and RV campsites, a cabin, and direct access to the Village Creek paddling trail from the canoe launch.
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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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Village Creek paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Village Creek?
Paddle Today watches Village Ck nr Kountze, TX and uses 200 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Village Creek route start and end?
This route starts at US 96 Boat Launch and ends at Village Creek State Park canoe launch, about About 3.2 mi on the water.
Is this Village Creek 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.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.