See all 2 routes on Yahara River
Wisconsin | South Central Wisconsin
Yahara River
Highway 59 to Murwin County Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Yahara 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
Checking weather.
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 the Highway 59 gauge bridge and take out at Murwin County Park for the popular lower-Yahara continuation below Badfish Creek. The card intentionally avoids Stebbinsville as a default access and stops before a Rock River extension.
Put-in
Highway 59 / Yahara River near Fulton gauge accessOpen mapHighway 59 is the selected put-in because it is documented by WRT as a public access and coincides with the live Fulton gauge corridor.
Take-out
Murwin County Park Yahara River accessOpen mapMurwin County Park is the planned take-out. Identify the access from shore before launching and do not continue toward the Rock River unless that separate shuttle is deliberate.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Highway 59 is the selected put-in because it is documented by WRT as a public access and coincides with the live Fulton gauge corridor.
- Murwin County Park is the planned take-out. Identify the access from shore before launching and do not continue toward the Rock River unless that separate shuttle is deliberate.
- Private banks line much of the lower route; use named public access points for routine stops and treat other landings as emergency-only.
Watch for
- High or rising water, especially above the lower-Yahara target range, when strainers and bridge currents become more serious.
- Post-storm debris in the Yahara/Badfish corridor, including the 2024 tornado-debris concern documented in WRT comments.
- Low-water shallows, slow water below the scenic target, water-quality issues after rain, and cold water outside summer.
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 | Yahara River near Fulton, 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 | 330 cfs to 500 cfs |
| Low threshold | 0 cfs |
| High threshold | 801 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Miles Paddled Yahara River VI lower-section 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.
- Route and mileageHighway 59 to Murwin Park, about 4.4 mi
Wisconsin River Trips lists the Highway 59-to-Murwin split as a solid and popular lower-Yahara stretch.
- Access coordinatesHighway 59 gauge 42.82638889, -89.1719444; Murwin Park 42.81095, -89.12807
USGS site metadata resolves the Highway 59 bridge gauge, and Miles Paddled plus WRT KML resolve the Murwin County Park access.
- Murwin public accessCounty park canoe/kayak take-out
Travel Wisconsin describes Murwin Park as a canoe/kayak launch downstream and a take-out point for Yahara River paddlers.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 05430175 103 cfs / 3.83 ft at 2026-07-23 14:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Fulton discharge and stage during this run, below the Miles Paddled appealing 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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
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Quick answers
Yahara River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Yahara River?
Paddle Today watches Yahara River near Fulton, WI and treats 330 cfs to 500 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Yahara River route start and end?
This route starts at Highway 59 / Yahara River near Fulton gauge access and ends at Murwin County Park Yahara River access, about About 4.4 mi on the water.
Is this Yahara 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
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.