Milwaukee River
This is a classic paddling river located in Southeastern Wisconsin. The highlight is the downtown leg which goes through downtown Milwaukee.
Trip Reports
Washington Street Dam to Quaas Creek Park
Date Paddled: September 5th, 2020
Distance: 3.9 miles
Time: Expect 90 minutes
The removal of the Woolen Mills Dam has revealed one of the nicer stretches of the Milwaukee River. Highlights include great current, attractive urban riverfront and scenic prairies.
Read More...Quaas Creek Park to Goeden Park
Date Paddled: June 23rd, 2018
Distance: 6.3 miles
Time: 4 hours 6 minutes (3 hours is more typical)
A return to the Upper Milwaukee River for a pleasant and easy float. Highlights include little development, clear water, and good access options.
Read More...Main Street Bridge @ Newburg to Hwy A Bridge
Date Paddled: September 6th, 2014
Distance: 6.0 Miles
Time: 2 hours 54 minutes
This is probably the best section on the Milwaukee River. A fine paddle, with clear, red water; no jams/hazards; swift, fun current; good bank quality; and a surprising amount of wilderness for a river with this namesake. Put-in: Just downstream/east of the Main Street bridge in Newburg is a nice public put-in. Note: while this […]
Read More...Hwy A to Waubedonia Park
Date Paddled: October 15th, 2022
Distance: 5.4 miles
Time: Expect 2-3 hours
A decent leg with good current, some rocky stretches, and nice fall color. The North Branch joins up on this leg and significantly enlarges the river.
Read More...Waubedonia Park to Ehler's Park
Date Paddled: August 9th, 2021
Distance: 5.5 miles
Time: 2 hours
A guest review for the Milwaukee River between Fredonia and Saukville.
Read More...Thiensville Village Park Launch to Badger Meter River Park
Date Paddled: August 4th, 2023
Distance: 4.7 miles
Time: Expect 2 hours
This is a less popular stretch of the Milwaukee. While not bad, it had somewhat repetitive scenery and lack of unique features.
Read More...Riverside Park to McKinley Marina
Date Paddled: August 18th, 2018
Distance: 6.3 miles
Time: 4 hours 4 minutes (3 hours is more typical)
A fantastic paddle on the last segment of the Milwaukee River, which flows through the heart of downtown Milwaukee. Highlights include Wisconsin's tallest buildings, fantastic architecture, moveable bridges, large tour boats, and a great view of the Milwaukee Riverwalk.
Read More...Overview Map
Detailed Overview
Additional access options are visible on the overview map. Special thanks to Milwaukeeriverkeeper.org which has some detailed information on the river, including this great map.
- Above Kewaskum: The Milwaukee River splits into two (west branch and main branch) and while I think these are good creek prospects (especially the west branch), I don't know enough to say. Some additional information has been posted on the overview map.
- Hwy 45 to Kewaskum Dam: (3.6 miles) Starts technically on the West Branch. Maybe 2-3 logjams, otherwise a nice prospect.
- Kewaskum Dam/Park to Hwy H: (2.9 miles) Solid prospect.
- Hwy H to First West Bend Dam: (6.3 miles) A solid prospect with some flowage paddling at the end. The take-out entails dragging your boat across a private parking lot.
- First West Bend Dam (Barton Ave) to the Second West Bend Dam: (1.3 miles) Mostly an urban flowage paddle. The first dam is a difficult portage or put-in.
- 2nd West Bend Dam to Quaas Creek Park: (3.8 miles)
- 2nd West Bend Dam (Washington Street) to South River Road: (2.1 miles) Terrific section with a restored prairie, fast current, light rapids, and good urban scenery.
- South River Road to Quaas Creek Park: (1.7 miles) A paddle through urban woods...pleasant but not top-notch.
- 2nd West Bend Dam (Washington Street) to South River Road:
- South River Road to Hwy M: (6.3 miles) A pleasant stretch with little development and clear water.
- Hwy M to Main Street Bridge (Newburg): (3.4 miles) Good prospect with small boulder gardens in shallow water.
- Main Street Bridge (Newburg) to Hwy A Bridge: (6.3 miles) A popular paddle with great water clarity.
- Hwy A to Waubedonia Park (Waubeka): (5.7 miles) A decent leg with good current, some rocky stretches, and nice color in the fall. North Branch joins up and significantly enlarges the river.
- Waubedonia Park to Ehlers Park/Mink Ranch Road: (5.3 miles) A good stretch with a number of light rapids.
- Ehlers Park to Peninsula Park: (2.5 miles) A suburban stretch with maybe one set of rapids.
- Peninsula Park to Grafton Canoe Launch (south Saukville on Hwy O): (1.9 miles) Kind of a suburban paddle.
- Grafton Canoe Launch to Veterans Memorial Park (Grafton): (4.1 miles) Some suburban and flowage paddling, although I think there are minor rapids in the upper stretch.
- Grafton Dam (SW of Bridge Street) to Lime Kiln Park: (1.3 miles) A terrific section with class 2-3 whitewater and scenic dells.
- Lime Kiln Park to Hwy T: (1.6 miles) Good section with scenic 'Grafton Dells' and some Class 1 whitewater. I'm not sure Hwy T is a good take-out.
- Hwy T to Pioneer Road: (1.9 miles) A solid prospect.
- Pioneer Road to Thiensville Park: (6.9 miles) Solid prospect but with some flowage paddling at the end.
- Thiensville Park to Badger Meter River Park: (4.8 miles) This is a less popular stretch of the Milwaukee. While not bad, it had somewhat repetitive scenery and lack of unique features.
- Badger Meter River Park to Kletzsch Park: (5.3 miles) This is a solid prospect.
- Kletzsch Park to Estabrook Park: (4.1 miles) Some flowage paddling and a nasty low-head dam to portage. A second dam has been I believe recently removed so this section might be very different now.
- Estabrook Park to Riverside Park: (3.1 miles) A number of decent rapids in this wooded but urban paddle.
- Riverside Park to McKinley Marina: (6.3 miles) A great trip on the last section of the Milwaukee.
- Riverside Park to Bruce Street Boat Ramp: (3.9 miles) A scenic paddle through downtown Milwaukee featuring some skyscrapers and great architecture.
- Bruce Street Boat Ramp to McKinley Marina: (2.5 miles) A bonus add-on section along Lake Michigan that features scenic vistas of the downtown.
Nearby Guages
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Comments
Shoreland Nature Preserve is not an island, and lies upstream of the dam at Thiensville, thus is not the property which was inquired about.
RE: islands within Milwaukee River: most of the sizable islands are under control of the federal BLM (Bureau of Land Management), and are designated for 'day use only'.
Update as of September 2024...there are several logjams in this section that require portaging.
Thanks Gregor for the heads up. It's on my todo list!
Aaron, I didn't take many pictures but I highly suggest you come out to paddle the Grafton section of the River. I started at the Grafton portage launch just downstream of the dam, and took out on Highland Road. My trip was 7.8 miles but I suspect most would want to take out on Pioneer Road for a more succinct trip ~5 miles. There are some class II rapids just south of the portage, and another fun set of class I rapids/shelves in Lime Kiln Park. Nearly constant Riffles until you reach Lakefield Road. Plus there are some of the great limestone borders and geology that the Cedarburg segment has making you feel like you are more in Door County than Suburban Milwaukee.
A kayak was flipped and lost by Waubedonia Park on the Milwaukee river. If you find a light blue kayak please contact Ashley. https://www.facebook.com/ashley.wilke For reference, the Milwaukee River was well above normal and despite dropping these past days is still dangerous.
Katie, it does not look like any camping is offered on that island property https://www.ci.mequon.wi.us/parks/page/shoreland-nature-preserve
That's a good question I don't know the answer to. You contact the Mequon Parks department...if they didn't know the answer they likely would know who to contact.
Hi,
Curious about the large island that is passed just after the Thiensville Dam. Does anyone know if that is a private or state owned island? or of any signage posted on the island? Curious if that could be camped on.
Paddle the stretch from below the Grafton dam to pioneer Road on 5/27/23. River stage was about 5 ft. Duration about 90 minutes. A nice paddle with some challenging little rapids. A little more water on the lower half would have been handy.
Thank you for reporting on your outing. Very helpful information. Looks like it was a find day!
Monica, yes you can launch from Pioneer Park. Garrison's Glen Park is right there. See my overview map for more info: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=128xbGaWlPy7LLlFPFpccf_Si3GZQ4GGF&ll=43.280320038384865%2C-87.94301426193402&z=18
Is there a put in access on pioneer rd for the Milwaukee river in Ozaukee County? We would like to go kayaking but need some help with put in and take out points.
Thanks for the thanks!
I just want to say thank you for this incredible resource that you have compiled! We just bought our first canoe to get our five year old out on the rivers and I am overwhelmingly grateful to have stumbled upon your site!
No I paddled downstream...Newburg is both south of A and upstream of A. Few rivers in Wisconsin flow north, but this leg of the Milwaukee does.
I’m confused are you paddling upstream on this ? It looks like Newburg is south of the Hwy A.
Appreciate the comment! Today was a great day for paddling.
Just got off the river today. 9-23-18 ...Put in at Newburg bridge & out at Hwy A bridge. Great! Will do this again & again. Took 2 1/2 hrs. Only problem was the one time we went right around and island instead of left. We had to pull kayaks over a log. Everyone stayed dry! Thanks again for a great website! Dan
Thanks Dan for the question and the comments. It's been a while since I did this route, but if I remember correctly there is usually an obvious route around the islands, and the minor channel isn't navigable. There could be an exception now though because of the very high water.
I am new to kayaking. Been on the M. river a couple times farther down stream around Fredonia. I want to do the Milwaukee River-2 run and am noticing by your map that the black line on the river goes left at the first 2 splits in the river and then right the last 3 splits in the river. Is this a recommended route or am I over thinking it? Thanks for any input and thanks for a great website! Dan
I do appreciate the comments. While I liked our trip from Quaas to Goeden, I do think the upstream parts by West Bend would have been more interesting which seems to be backed by your observations. The Milwaukee has been low though...was the section by River Road on the shallow side?
It's too bad to hear about your issues with the Potamogeton and downed trees. Perhaps this is a product of the the lower water levels and it being later in the summer.
Thank you for your write ups, they have been very helpful planning my trips.
I just wanted to add a note about the River Rd drop. I have done the drop in on the MKE river at River Rd in West Bend twice now in the last few weeks. Will say that the route from River Rd to Quass Creek Park is excellent. Navigable, nice looking, clear, etc. Very naturesque with little feel you are in the city. My first trip I continued to Goeden Park. I was less happy with the run from Quass to Goeden than I was from River to Quass. The whole area around the airport was bogged down with heavy Potamogeton which made paddling difficult. Beyond that, the first deadfall was exposed and required a hurdle and drag in 4' water (thankfully I'm tall). The second was not a problem, just a bit of a pain. The end before the bridge required mostly dragging the boat due to low water.
Looking forward to trying some of the other spots soon.
I think your best bet would be to simply use Google maps. You can use the "Overview Map" embedded above. Up to you if you want to include the various branches.
I am trying to make a list of all the cities and towns the Milwaukee River goes through. Can you refer me to a map. From Fond du Lac to Milwaukee. Please and thank you.
My personal preference would be for 200-400 CFS per this gauge http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=04086600. This will allow for best clarity. The river is likely fine to paddle at 4-600 CFS as well, but won't be as attractive. 600+ CFS might be not as fun, but likely doable for the determined. The best times of the year will be mid-summer to late fall.
Hi - thank you for this post. Super helpful. Question - when did you find this trip when the depth was ideal? What time of year / month? Might have missed it, but couldn’t find it.
How did your trip turn out? Questions or comments? Feel free to leave your feedback.
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