Wisconsin | Southern Wisconsin

Bark River

Prince's Point to Burnt Village Park

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Today

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Today's conditions

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Quick facts

On-water distance 7.4 mi Prince's Point to Burnt Village Park

Difficulty easy Mostly slow flatwater with no rapids. The main issues are a possible hop-over logjam just below Princes Point, slow open marsh miles, motorboat traffic, private-bank no-trespassing areas, and flooded access when levels rise.

Shuttle Car or bike Use a short rural car shuttle between the County D landing at Prince's Point Wildlife Area and Burnt Village Park on County Highway N. Wisconsin River Trips reports a manageable bike shuttle, but staging vehicles is simpler.

Permits None noted No route-specific paddling permit is known. Follow Wisconsin DNR wildlife-area rules at Princes Point and posted Jefferson County park rules at Burnt Village.

Camping Day trip No on-route camping is documented for this marsh-and-floodplain day route. Treat it as a day paddle.

Season Apr-Oct Spring through fall can work because this lower marsh reach stays floatable even when shallow. Higher water can make the floodplain woods more interesting, but it also hides banks, expands marsh current, and can flood Burnt Village Park.

Plan

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Access plan

Access, shuttle, and map

Launch from the Wisconsin DNR County D boat landing at Prince's Point Wildlife Area and finish at Burnt Village Park. This lower Bark reach is mostly slow flatwater through floodplain woods and marsh, with the strongest scenery near the put-in.

Directions Apple Maps OpenStreetMap

Start

Put-in

Prince's Point Wildlife Area / County D boat landing Open map

Wisconsin DNR warns that weather, local water levels, and county road closures may affect Princes Point parking-lot availability.

Finish

Take-out

Burnt Village Park / County Highway N launch Open map

Jefferson County lists Burnt Village Park as prone to flooding, so check both the Rome gauge and current park conditions before staging a vehicle there.

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Access caveats

Wisconsin DNR warns that weather, local water levels, and county road closures may affect Princes Point parking-lot availability.
Jefferson County lists Burnt Village Park as prone to flooding, so check both the Rome gauge and current park conditions before staging a vehicle there.
Much of the middle route borders private land. Stay in the public waterway corridor and do not use private banks as casual stops.

Watch for

A possible hop-over logjam just downstream from Prince's Point.
Slow open-marsh miles with little current, especially near the final approach to Burnt Village.
Flooded woods, hidden banks, motorboat traffic, carp activity, and cold-water exposure outside summer.

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Sources

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Data behind the score Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge site	Bark River Near Rome, WI
Discharge	Checking
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Target band	31 cfs to 75 cfs
Low threshold	0 cfs
High threshold	101 cfs
Data confidence behind the range	Local route guidance
Gauge observed	Checking
Paddle Today updated	Checking
Main source behind this score	Wisconsin River Trips Bark River - Prince's Point gauge guide
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Notes What to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

Published route ladder 31 to 75 cfs normal range

Wisconsin River Trips ties this Prince's Point-to-Burnt Village route to the Bark River at Rome gauge and publishes the usable flow bands from low-but-fine through flooded woods-paddling.

Source
Direct gauge USGS 05426250

USGS operates the Bark River Near Rome monitoring location, the same-river live gauge used by the route-specific Wisconsin River Trips ladder.

Source
Put-in support County D boat landing

Wisconsin DNR lists a County D Parking Lot and Boat Landing for Princes Point Wildlife Area, and Jefferson County maps the water-trail access on Highway D with trailer parking and a graveled launch.

Source
Take-out support Burnt Village Park launch

Travel Wisconsin, submitted by Jefferson County Parks, describes Burnt Village County Park on County Highway N at the Bark River bridge as a lower-Bark launch for small boats, canoes, and kayaks.

Source
Access coordinates Prince's Point 42.8941667, -88.7010972; Burnt Village 42.9147222, -88.7792528

Jefferson County water-trail guide publishes both endpoint coordinates and access notes for the Princes Point Wildlife Area and Burnt Village Park PITO sites.

Source

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Reports

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Quick answers

Bark River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Bark River?

Paddle Today watches Bark River Near Rome, WI and treats 31 cfs to 75 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Bark River route start and end?

This route starts at Prince's Point Wildlife Area / County D boat landing and ends at Burnt Village Park / County Highway N launch, about 7.4 mi on the water.

Is this Bark River route good for beginners?

This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.

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