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Wisconsin | Lower Wisconsin Riverway
Wisconsin River
Gotham / Buena Vista Landing to Muscoda Landing West
Check current paddling conditions for this Wisconsin River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
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Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at Gotham / Buena Vista Boat Landing near the Pine River mouth and finish at Muscoda Landing West just downstream of the Highway 80 bridge. This is a short Lower Wisconsin day with big sandbars, bluff views, side-channel exploration, and a direct Muscoda gauge.
Put-in
Gotham / Buena Vista Boat LandingOpen mapWisconsin DNR lists Buena Vista Boat Landing and Muscoda west-side access as major public access points on the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway.
Take-out
Muscoda Landing WestOpen mapWisconsin River Trips notes that Gotham is a good public access but has no outhouse, prohibits overnight parking, and has poison ivy around the landing.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Wisconsin DNR lists Buena Vista Boat Landing and Muscoda west-side access as major public access points on the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway.
- Wisconsin River Trips notes that Gotham is a good public access but has no outhouse, prohibits overnight parking, and has poison ivy around the landing.
- Muscoda has multiple landings. This route uses Muscoda Landing West / Old Muscoda Landing on West River Road, not the newer Victoria Riverside Park motorboat ramp upstream.
Watch for
- Fast main-channel current at Gotham and around sandbars.
- Strainers along eroding banks and in narrow side channels, especially when higher water opens smaller cuts.
- Undercurrents, fewer sandbars, and poor camping options above the normal range, especially around 17,000 cfs and higher.
- Wind, powerboats near Muscoda, poison ivy at access points, and steep sandbar drop-offs.
Route gallery
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Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Wisconsin River at Muscoda, 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 | 4,000 cfs to 10,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 2,500 cfs |
| High threshold | 20,000 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin Trail Guide Lower Wisconsin Riverway LWSR2 suggested river levels |
| 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 level bands4,000 to 10,000 cfs normal
Wisconsin Trail Guide treats 4,000 to 10,000 cfs at Muscoda as normal summer conditions with many medium to large sandbars, 14,000 to 17,000 cfs as high flow with sandbar camping not recommended, and above 20,000 cfs as paddling not recommended.
- Exact route report7.9 miles
Wisconsin River Trips documents Gotham / Buena Vista Boat Landing to Old Muscoda Landing as a 7.9-mile route with sandbars, bluff scenery, side-channel exploration, fast current, and a 3 to 4 hour expected paddle time.
- Access supportDNR-listed public access points
Wisconsin DNR lists Buena Vista Boat Landing (Gotham) and Muscoda west side of Highway 80 among major Lower Wisconsin State Riverway public access points.
- Endpoint coordinatesWTG LWSR2 WGS84 points
Wisconsin Trail Guide publishes Buena Vista Landing at 43.20903, -90.30424 and Muscoda Landing West at 43.19800, -90.44576 in its LWSR2 guide.
- Primary hazardsHidden current and narrow-channel strainers
Wisconsin Trail Guide warns of undercurrents at higher flows, especially around sandbars and islands; Wisconsin River Trips also notes fast current, dangerous shoreline strainers, and poison ivy at Gotham.
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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Wisconsin River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Wisconsin River?
Paddle Today watches Wisconsin River at Muscoda, WI and treats 4,000 cfs to 10,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Wisconsin River route start and end?
This route starts at Gotham / Buena Vista Boat Landing and ends at Muscoda Landing West, about 7.9 mi on the water.
Is this Wisconsin 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.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.