The Eau Claire River Water Trail is an underrated destination in our community. You will feel as if you are far away from any urban life and will likely encounter an abundance of wildlife like deer, bald eagles, turtles, and more. The ride will depend on the water level as it will be calm and serene at low levels, or adventuresome and challenging at higher levels. Fortunately, the USGS has a guage located near the Ross Avenue bridge and a website that reports that data for public use. The link to that website is posted below. Generally, if the water depth is around one foot at that gauge station, the river is at the ideal height for beginners. Any depth below half a foot will like require boaters to portage during certain streches of the trail. Water depths over two feet will signal that the ride will be more challenging with multiple streches of rapids. At this depth, only experienced paddlers should be on the water.
USGS Ross Ave River Gauge
Another great resource to learn about the Eau Claire River Trail and other waterways in the state is the Miles Paddled website. This website was started by an avid paddler that had a goal of journaling all the kayak adventures that he went on.
For more details on all launch sites, please click the links below.
Canoe/Kayak Launch Area and Parking Plans
Lower Eau Claire River Water Trail Vision Plan (Adopted 10-26-15, amended 7/26/16)
Lower Eau Claire River Water Trail Presentation
