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Iowa | Southeast Iowa

Des Moines River

Bentonsport Boat Ramp to Bonaparte Boat Ramp

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Today

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Today's conditions

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Quick facts

On-water distance 3.6 to 5 mi Bentonsport Boat Ramp to Bonaparte Boat Ramp
Difficulty easy The route is short and generally beginner-friendly at lower levels, but old lock-and-dam remnants, riffles, exposed rock bars, and changing sand/gravel landings require attention. Treat very low water as a walking-and-scraping trip, not a clean float.
Shuttle Car shuttle Use a short two-car shuttle between Bentonsport Park and Bonaparte Riverfront / City Park. The road shuttle follows local roads in Van Buren County and is short enough that most groups will spend more time staging boats than driving.
Permits None noted No route-specific paddling permit is known. Follow Van Buren County, City of Bonaparte, and posted Lower Des Moines River Water Trail access rules at both ramps.
Camping Options nearby Bentonsport Park has county campground facilities nearby, but treat camping as a separate reservation or county-park plan rather than part of the day paddle. Bonaparte is best treated as a take-out and town stop.
Season Apr-Oct Late summer and early fall often expose the rock and geode bars that make this route distinctive. Spring flows can still be paddleable, but higher water covers the bars and changes the trip from a slow explore into a broader moving-water float.

Plan

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Access plan

Access, shuttle, and map

Launch at Bentonsport Park and paddle the Lower Des Moines River downstream to Bonaparte Riverfront Park. This short historic-village segment is best when lower water exposes riffles, rock bars, and geode-hunting stops without making the route a scrape-heavy walk.

Directions Apple Maps OpenStreetMap
Start

Put-in

Bentonsport Park / Bentonsport Boat Ramp Open map

Bentonsport Park is a county park with a public boat ramp on the Lower Des Moines River Water Trail, but the saved coordinate is park/access-area context rather than a ramp-survey point.

Finish

Take-out

Bonaparte Riverfront Park / Bonaparte Boat Ramp Open map

Bonaparte Riverfront / City Park is the public riverfront take-out context; use posted local signs for the exact boat-ramp approach and parking.

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Access caveats

  • Bentonsport Park is a county park with a public boat ramp on the Lower Des Moines River Water Trail, but the saved coordinate is park/access-area context rather than a ramp-survey point.
  • Bonaparte Riverfront / City Park is the public riverfront take-out context; use posted local signs for the exact boat-ramp approach and parking.
  • The Des Moines River is meandered here, but private property begins above the ordinary high-water mark. Keep stops to legal bars, public parkland, and clearly public access areas.

Watch for

  • Old lock-and-dam remnants and riffles near Bentonsport and Bonaparte, especially when low water exposes more rock.
  • Walking or dragging boats when the Keosauqua gauge is around 700 to 800 cfs or lower.
  • Rock bars disappearing and current getting less beginner-friendly above roughly 6,000 cfs on the Keosauqua gauge.
  • Large-river wind, floating debris after rain, motorboat traffic, and soft or muddy landings.

Route gallery

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Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.

The Des Moines River flows past Bonaparte riverfront buildings and the old lock structure under a bright sky.
Des Moines River at Bonaparte Photo by Chris Light via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0

Sources

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Why
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Outlook Tomorrow and weekend

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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 Des Moines River at Keosauqua, IA
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Target band 3,000 cfs to 4,500 cfs
Low threshold 800 cfs
High threshold 6,000 cfs
Data confidence behind the range Local route guidance
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Main source behind this score Outdoor Adventures Made Easy Bentonsport-to-Bonaparte level notes
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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.

  • Official water trail Bentonsport to Bonaparte

    The Iowa DNR lower Des Moines water-trail planning material names Segment 6 as Bentonsport Boat Ramp to Bonaparte Boat Ramp, and local water-trail pages list both as access points.

    Source

  • Put-in access Bentonsport Park boat ramp

    Van Buren County / MyCountyParks says Bentonsport Park sits along the Des Moines River and has a boat ramp giving access to the Lower Des Moines River Water Trail.

    Source

  • Take-out access Bonaparte Riverfront / City Park

    Villages of Van Buren lists Bonaparte among the Lower Des Moines River Trail access points, and NPS identifies Bonaparte Riverfront Park as a city-managed riverfront park with auto parking.

    Source

  • Direct gauge USGS 05490500

    USGS operates Des Moines River at Keosauqua, IA, upstream on the same lower-river corridor; the Iowa DNR AQuIA record ties the Keosauqua bridge site to USGS NWIS 05490500.

    Source

  • Route-specific levels 700-6,000 cfs used; about 3,500 cfs preferred

    Outdoor Adventures Made Easy describes the Bentonsport-to-Bonaparte paddle, says 700 to 800 cfs or less can require walking, prefers about 3,500 cfs, and says higher than 6,000 cfs covers many rock bars.

    Source

  • Route character 3.6 to 5 miles

    The route report gives 3.6 miles for the main Bentonsport-to-Bonaparte paddle, while local water-trail access spacing lists Bentonsport to Bonaparte as about five miles. Plan it as a short day with time to stop at bars and historical features.

    Source

  • Access coordinates Bentonsport 40.72454, -91.85125; Bonaparte 40.69785, -91.80552

    Coordinates are anchored to named public park/access map features: Bentonsport Riverside Park / Bentonsport Park and Bonaparte City Park / Riverfront Park. Use posted signs to identify the exact ramp approach.

    Source

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Keep exploring

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Quick answers

Des Moines River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Des Moines River?

Paddle Today watches Des Moines River at Keosauqua, IA and treats 3,000 cfs to 4,500 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Des Moines River route start and end?

This route starts at Bentonsport Park / Bentonsport Boat Ramp and ends at Bonaparte Riverfront Park / Bonaparte Boat Ramp, about 3.6 to 5 mi on the water.

Is this Des Moines 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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