See all 3 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 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
Checking weather.
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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 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.
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
Highway 59 / Yahara River near Fulton gauge accessHighway 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 accessMurwin 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.
Plan this segment
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
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 | 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 |
| Evidence strength 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
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
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.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.