Wisconsin Canoe Company

Seems like kayaks always get to do the fun stuff. I want to see a powered canoe with a hydrofoil.

A couple years ago, myself and a few friends would cut a hole into Lake Mendota through the ice every Monday night throughout the winter.  It was all I could do to get myself out as quickly as possible with nearly paralyzed limbs.  The hot cocoa and bags of candy we treated ourselves to afterwards was worth it though (Actually, it wasn't because we no longer go lake jumping, but still, it helped). This man truly has a mind of steel and a tolerance for cold unmatched by any midwesterner.

The following guides offer mile by mile descriptions and sites to see for the entirety of the Lower Wisconsin River.  These guides include GPS coordinates for each canoe/kayak landing and basic river maps with mileages.  Guides also include the best shuttle route for each take out point along the river as well as what to look for while you're paddling so you don't go past your landing.

Keep in mind that river conditions can change and your GPS may not be spot on so keep an eye on your surroundings.  You can also find up to the minute river conditions on the Lower Wisconsin and high detail river maps on our site.

(1/4) Sauk City to Spring Green - Guide - Map/GPS Coordinates

(2/4) Spring Green to Muscoda - Guide - Map/GPS Coordinates

(3/4) Muscoda to Woodman - Guide - Map/GPS Coordinates

(4/4) Woodman to Wyalusing - Guide - Map/GPS Coordinates

Over the past few weeks we've been able to put together a new tool that allows us to easily pull information from the US Geological Survey's real-time water data and put it into an easy to understand graph.  What's even better is that with very minor modifications, our tool can be applied to any monitoring station across the country (and there are over 12,000 sites covering nearly every navigable stream and river).  It will track up to 6 months of current flow rates, river levels, water temperature, and precipitation totals and updates automatically everytime the page is reloaded. 

If you'd like to add these graphs to your own website or blog, you're more than welcome to copy and paste the code below:

<!--How to change what information is displayed.  

Default is 21 days of flow rates for the Muscoda
station on the Lower Wisconsin River.

'wStation' is USGS monitoring site number
        http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt shows 
        all monitoring stations in the country. 
'wDays' shows history up to 120 days. 
'wType' changes data set and shows the following: 
      00060 = flow rate
      00065 = river depth
      00010 = water temperature
      00045 = precipitation-->

<script type='text/javascript'>

    wStation = "05407000";
    wDays = "21";
    wType = "00060";
    wWidth = "576px"; 
    wHeight = "400px";
    wFColor = "#000033";
    wTitle = "WI";
    document.write('<div id="riverlevels"></div>');
    document.write('<scr'+'ipt type="text/JavaScript"src="http://goo.gl/RM5ML"></scr'+'ipt>');
</script>

For reference, the code above will output the graph below:

Hope you'll find this as useful as we do!

I've gotten a couple questions in the last few weeks about doing a canoe trip over winter on the Wisconsin River.  The first thought to mind is usually "good luck with that."  In reality, it is possible, but you've really got to know what you're doing.  As far as the Wisconsin River is concerned, the majority of the river is frozen over throughout the winter months, but there is a small section you could feasibly canoe or kayak starting just below the dam at the head of the Lower Wisconsin in Prairie Du Sac.  

The constant high water flows keep the ice somewhat at bay allowing you to get maybe a few miles depending on the time of year and recent temperatures, however you absolutely do not want to get caught in a remote stretch of river (and there are a lot of them) when water comes to ice and it's too thick to paddle through and too thin to walk on.  Combine that with moving water that's constantly trying to push you downstream and you've got a pretty solid chance of disaster.  Basically, it's something to be avoided for the vast majority of people.

That said, there is one slice of winter paddling heaven nearby that is a local favorite for those of us that just need to get our paddles wet no matter the time of year.  That place is Lake Columbia, a year round 70 degree hot spot of open water and thick fog that serves as the cooling pond for the Portage power plant.  It's small, but it's ice free, and the fog is pretty cool to paddle through.

You may have noticed a few popups here and there, including a new feedback button on the right side of our site.  Believe it or not, I don't know everything which means your thoughts count!

If there's anything you want to say - ideas, questions, problems, praise - just click the feedback button and we'll hear about it (plus everyone else will be able to see it and follow up on our progress).  Other than that, a select few will receive specific questions that pop up at the bottom right of a some particular pages.  These are usually questions that we're trying to figure out and that only our customers know the answers to.

The goal behind adding these features is twofold - give you a chance to give us some quick and easy feedback, and give us insight into how to make the canoe and kayak rental experience better for you.  And don't worry (because I have no doubt we're the center of your universe and any changes could create a personal crisis of epic proportions), we'll keep on being available via facebook, email, phone, and twitter (but still, don't use twitter) in case you ever just need to talk.

We get quite a few people that consider themselves old pros when it comes to canoeing or kayaking the Wisconsin River (whether or not some of these people have any real knowledge is debatable, but that's another story).  However, we understand that being well prepared for your trip is never a bad thing, so we've put together some of our best resources to make sure you set off on the right foot, whether you think you're an expert or you're perfectly happy to admit this is your first time.

For the "Never Been Boating" crowd:

Picking up a paddle and learning by doing will certainly get you down the river.  You may not be the most efficient paddler, but you'll get where you're going.  The videos below will give you some solid pointers if you're a little worried.

• Video - Basic canoe paddle strokes and what to do if you tip your canoe
• Video - Basic kayak paddle strokes

First time on the Wisconsin River:

The Lower Wisconsin is 98% sand and only about 5 feet deep on average.  In fact, you can walk across most of it.  However, you should be aware of quick drop offs and being carried downstream by the current.  (Better to play in the water above the sandbar than below)  The typical current ranges from 2 mph between Sauk City and Spring Green to 1 mph below Spring Green.

• Article - How to canoe camp on the river
• PDF - Informational newsletter (WI DNR) - includes history and geography/maps
• Images - Pictures of what you can expect of the river/sandbars/camping
• FAQ - Common rental and river questions

Trip Planning Resources:

You're ready to start planning out your trip!  The links below will give you a good idea of what you should pack, what kinds of food you can make, and what kind of river/weather conditions you can expect.

• Easy wilderness meal suggestions
• Equipment Checklist
• Driving directions
• River Guides
• River Maps
• Current River Conditions
• Current Weather Conditions

You're all set!  But if for some reason you still have a question or aren't quite sure of something, don't hesitate to ask us!

Our first order of new Holy Cow Canoes has been placed - I just wrote out the check!  Look forward to seeing them in their bright and shiny glory this spring parked right next to the kayaks (which are already here!)