See all 8 routes on Wapsipinicon River
Iowa | Eastern Iowa
Wapsipinicon River
Sherman Park to Allen's Grove Access
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
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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
Paddle the first half of the official Sherman-to-Gambril section, taking out at Allen's Grove rather than committing to the full 21-mile lower-river day.
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
Sherman Park boat rampAllen's Grove is about a quarter mile south of the Y52/956 bridge and has a cement ramp and eddy, but same-day water level and ramp condition still control usability.
Take-out
Allen's Grove AccessThe Wapsi River Environmental Center access is across from Sherman, more than 200 yards downhill from parking, and DNR says it is only for facility renters.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Allen's Grove is about a quarter mile south of the Y52/956 bridge and has a cement ramp and eddy, but same-day water level and ramp condition still control usability.
- The Wapsi River Environmental Center access is across from Sherman, more than 200 yards downhill from parking, and DNR says it is only for facility renters.
- USGS 05421740 is an upstream threshold proxy; use the De Witt gauge as a direct lower-river corroboration and inspect the landings.
Watch for
- Side channels and river bends where current can sweep boats into dead logs.
- Large beaches, cabins, private banks, and rural stretches with few easy bailouts.
- High/rising water that makes eddies, ramps, and wood avoidance more consequential.
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 | Wapsipinicon River near Anamosa, IA |
| 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 | 200 cfs to 2,800 cfs |
| Low threshold | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | 2,800 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | CanWePaddle lower Wapsipinicon Anamosa-to-Oxford range |
| 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.
- Official route familySherman Park to Allen's Grove to Gambril, 21 mi
Iowa DNR lists Sherman Park to Allen's Grove Accesses to Gambril Access as a 21-mile lower-Wapsipinicon section.
- Intermediate accessAllen's Grove at about 11 mi
Iowa DNR says Allen's Grove provides a stop at approximately the 11-mile mark and can make a suitable trip for paddlers with at least intermediate experience.
- Allen's Grove access supportPublic boat ramp, no camping
Scott County describes Allen's Grove as a public use area with a boat ramp on the Wapsipinicon River and notes no camping is allowed there.
- Current gauge checkAnamosa 1,920 cfs / 7.13 ft; De Witt 2,270 cfs / 8.02 ft
USGS Water Services returned current Wapsipinicon values at 2026-07-24 07:15 CDT for Anamosa and 07:30 CDT for De Witt during this run.
- Threshold model200 to 2,800 cfs
CanWePaddle supplies the accepted lower-Wapsi Anamosa-to-Oxford model; this downstream split uses it conservatively with mandatory local checks and De Witt corroboration rather than a new invented range.
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
Wapsipinicon River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Wapsipinicon River?
Paddle Today watches Wapsipinicon River near Anamosa, IA and treats 200 cfs to 2,800 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Wapsipinicon River route start and end?
This route starts at Sherman Park boat ramp and ends at Allen's Grove Access, about About 11 mi on the water.
Is this Wapsipinicon 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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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.