Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

See all 7 routes on Winooski River

Vermont | Bolton–Richmond / Chittenden County

Winooski RiverBolton Canoe Access Area to Jonesville

A mellow lower-Winooski day reach from the Bolton Canoe Access Area to the documented Jonesville takeout below Cochran Road Bridge.

Route location

Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceAbout 6.5 river miles
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAllow 3–5 hours with current
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Winooski River passes through Montpelier, Vermont.
River contextWinooski River at Montpelier; same-river context, not an endpoint or current-conditions photograph river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Michael Calore via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
Pulling the latest gauge and weather. This usually takes a few seconds.
View Primary Source
Embed this route

Route alerts

Email me when this route improves

We'll email you when this route climbs into Good or Strong. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

We only email on a new threshold crossing.

Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 6.5 river milesBolton Canoe Access Area to Jonesville
DifficultyeasyThe Bolton–Richmond guide describes mostly flatwater to Class I with one rapid below Bolton Dam that should be scouted and portaged when needed. Dams, strainers, cold water and changing access remain active hazards.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the downstream vehicle at the named public access, then drive to the upstream launch.
PermitsCheck posted rulesConfirm Richmond, Green Mountain Power and local parking rules before unloading.
CampingDay tripNo overnight camping is included; use established municipal or NFCT campgrounds outside the route and never camp on private banks.
SeasonApr-OctSnowmelt and rain can raise the Winooski quickly. Check the Essex Junction gauge, trend, weather, wood and dam notices before launch.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A mellow lower-Winooski day reach from the Bolton Canoe Access Area to the documented Jonesville takeout below Cochran Road Bridge.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

Bolton Canoe Access Area
Open mapDirections to put-in

Use documented public access only and follow posted parking limits.

Finish

Take-out

Jonesville takeout below Cochran Road Bridge
Open mapDirections to take-out

Portage the Bolton rapid or any hydraulic feature when current conditions exceed your ability.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Use documented public access only and follow posted parking limits.
  • Portage the Bolton rapid or any hydraulic feature when current conditions exceed your ability.
  • Recheck flow, trend, weather, wood and seasonal closures on launch day.

Watch for

  • USGS 04290500 trend and fast rises
  • Rapid below Bolton Dam, strainers and cold water
  • Private banks and limited shoulder parking

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.

Browser plans

Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.

Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check how the river is changing and what weather to expect.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

------------

Weather

Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

Loading today's forecast.

Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
----Loading--

Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

The Winooski River passes through Montpelier, Vermont.
Winooski River at Montpelier; same-river context, not an endpoint or current-conditions photograph river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Michael Calore via Wikimedia Commons
CC BY 2.0

Score & sources

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today’s call.

Data status
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

Next stepChecking

Waiting on enough data to give the next step.

Why this scoreData reliability: checking

This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.

Why
  • Checking data sources and update times.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times

These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.

Gauge siteWinooski River near Essex Junction, VT
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Preferred range400 cfs to 1,200 cfs
Low threshold200 cfs
High threshold3,000 cfs
Evidence strength behind the rangeLocal route guidance
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreWinooski River paddling guide, Bolton to Richmond
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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.

  • Named reach and accessBolton Canoe Access Area to Jonesville

    Richmond and the Winooski paddling guide document the public access sequence and route context.

    Source

  • Scoring band200 cfs minimum cue; 400–1,200 cfs preferred planning band; review above 3,000 cfs

    The band is a conservative planning interpretation around the documented lower-Winooski day-paddle corridor. Verify live telemetry, trend, weather and wood before travel.

    Source

  • Direct gaugeUSGS 04290500 near Essex Junction

    Direct lower-Winooski River telemetry.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

See recent photos and notes from people on the route.

Share your trip

Help build the route page

Add photos or send a quick condition report.

Photos

Upload route photos

Add access, hazard, or on-water photos.

No files selected yet.

Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in Vermont

All 38 routes
Vermont route guideBrowse every tracked Vermont route.Bolton–Richmond / Chittenden CountyJump to routes in this region.

More on Winooski River

All 7
Bolton Dam Access to Bolton Canoe Access AreaBolton–Richmond / Chittenden CountyEasy · About 4 river milesBolton Dam Access to JonesvilleBolton–Richmond / Chittenden CountyEasy · About 10.5 river milesMarshfield Old Schoolhouse Common to Middlesex town accessCentral Vermont / Winooski ValleyModerate · About 19 river milesMarshfield Old Schoolhouse Common to Montpelier Gateway ParkCentral Vermont / Winooski ValleyModerate · About 24 river miles

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Lamoille RiverDorothy Smith Access to Fairfax Falls below-dam access · about 19 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 13 river milesLamoille RiverDorothy Smith Access to Arrowhead Mountain Lake public boat ramp · about 19 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 21 river milesLamoille RiverCadyville Falls to Waterman Brook · about 20 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 5 river milesLamoille RiverCadyville Falls access below the falls to Dog Head Falls access below the falls · about 20 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 6 river miles

Quick answers

Winooski River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Bolton Canoe Access Area to Jonesville route on the Winooski River?

Paddle Today watches Winooski River near Essex Junction, VT and treats 400 cfs to 1,200 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does the Bolton Canoe Access Area to Jonesville route on the Winooski River start and end?

This route starts at Bolton Canoe Access Area and ends at Jonesville takeout below Cochran Road Bridge, about 6.5 river miles on the water.

Is the Bolton Canoe Access Area to Jonesville route on the Winooski River suitable 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.

Report a changeEmail update