Baraboo
Hwy.12 to Hwy.113 (4.5 miles)
| Difficulty | I(II) |
| Length | 4.7 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 11 fpm |
| Gauge | Baraboo River Near Baraboo, Wi |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 378 cfsIlow runnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | March 3, 2025 |
River Description
Removal of three dams has restored this stretch (formerly known as the 'Baraboo Rapids') to free-flowing.
Generally gentle gravel-bed rapids in a wide, shallow riverbed may provide some local entertainment at the right flows. Specifically, the best rips (that I'm aware of) occur:
(1) at the put-in (within sight right upstream of Hwy.12),
(2) at the former 'Oak Street Dam' site, where some minor playable waves form up, and
(3) near the Circus World Museum.
All may be viable as individual park-and-play sites, or the full reach may be enjoyed as a pleasant swiftwater 'splishy-splash' run for local novice boaters. (At the levels I have looked here, I have not seen anything which would appear to merit very far a drive for serious whitewater play boaters, but ....)
There is a very scenic longer reach (upstream of this reach) which would make a pleasant flatwater float trip. This has been detailed in published canoe guidebooks.
A fine ~7.5 minute video from Tom Lindblade running the longer reach is available on YouTube.
The video shows a stretch of rapids from about 2:00 until 3:25 on the 'counter'.
(This is not the only rapids on the river, just the only significant rapids on the video.)
Looking at historical gauge data, it is likely this was at a flow in the neighborhood of 525-530 cfs.
You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/vcOT8muGsvs?t=128.
Fun fact: Boat thru Circus World Museum property!
River Features
Put In
Alternate Take-Out
Since most of what lies downstream (to the listed take-out) is lesser gradient, many may prefer to take out here.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportConcur with Varun's comments. Add that at 375 cfs it's still a fun run of minor rapids with a better rapid at the Ash/Walnut bridge but I wouldn't want to go at levels too much lower than that.
Ran it today at 1300 CFS was at probably the upper limit of good flows. Have run it a bunch of times last year at flows ranging from 400-100 CFS. ~800 CFS is when the river gains are honest whitewater character. So best flows are 800-1300 CFS. Lower level is ~ 300-400 CFS.
Also, there is an alternate take out point at the Circus parking spot which avoids the boring flatwater section after the circus world. Here is the Google Maps link from for the directions from the Put in to the Take out. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/43.47122,-89.7696146/43.4650912,-89.730457/@43.465585,-89.7671307,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m4!4m3!1m0!1m0!3e0