Cedar Creek, WI

Gauge Information

River Description

General Overview
Historic Cedarburg boasts a fun little run, with two very short, but rather wicked portages down 12' cliffs around dams. Mountain goat skills or ropes will help, especially for early season (ice) or during/immediately after rains (mud). An interesting sidelight regarding this run -- while you boat 2.3 miles, the shuttle is only 0.75 mile (due to a big 'oxbow' in the creek)!

The run consists of shallow bedrock rapids, short ledges, and gorge/dells. In the lower reaches of this run, the gradient has largely 'petered out', but current is still swift. Novice boaters may find themselves in trouble as they negotiate bends and snags, though lately there does seem to be an increase in 'caretaking' of this reach.

Main playable drops are: City Park Ledge, Bank Waves, Estate Bridge, and Railroad Ledge.

Note: this is one of the later southern Wisconsin streams to 'open up' in spring, due to the ponds (behind the two dams on the run) which do not quickly flush free of ice. Specifically, the second one (above the 'Nail Factory Dam') lies in an East-West stretch of river which tends to be rather sheltered from the sun, so it may remain ice-covered and impassible well after other rivers in the area have flushed free of ice.

References
Midwest River Inventory has more details and photos of this reach.