Wisconsin | Southeast Wisconsin

Milwaukee River

Lime Kiln Park to Village Park

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Today

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Today's conditions

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Quick facts

On-water distance 8.75 mi Lime Kiln Park to Village Park

Difficulty moderate The first mile asks for more boat control than the average easy Milwaukee route because of the island split, riffles, and a Class I ledge option. The lower half then slows down and picks up more suburban and motorboat context.

Shuttle Car or bike Plan a straightforward two-car shuttle of roughly 6 miles. A bike shuttle is possible on local roads and trail links, but a car shuttle is simpler for most groups.

Permits None noted No route-specific permit is identified. Follow posted park, launch, and parking rules at Lime Kiln Park and Thiensville Village Park.

Camping Day trip No on-route camping is expected for this suburban Milwaukee River segment. Treat it as a day trip.

Season Apr-Sep Spring through early fall is the practical window. The route is more likely to lose quality from low water and summer weediness than from a narrow official sweet spot.

Plan

Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.

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Access plan

Access, shuttle, and map

Put in at Lime Kiln Park in Grafton and take out at Thiensville Village Park. This is one of the more interesting lower-Milwaukee day trips because the upper mile is genuinely lively before the river widens and slows.

Directions Apple Maps OpenStreetMap

Start

Put-in

Lime Kiln Park canoe ramp Open map

Lime Kiln Park is an official canoe-ramp access with multiple parking lots, but the exact launch line still deserves a quick scout because paddlers can choose between a calmer dock launch and a more direct upper launch near the opening features.

Finish

Take-out

Village Park boat launch (Thiensville) Open map

Village Park is the correct official Thiensville take-out. The old Villa Grove naming from the carried-over draft was weaker than the current village boating and park pages.

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Access caveats

Lime Kiln Park is an official canoe-ramp access with multiple parking lots, but the exact launch line still deserves a quick scout because paddlers can choose between a calmer dock launch and a more direct upper launch near the opening features.
Village Park is the correct official Thiensville take-out. The old Villa Grove naming from the carried-over draft was weaker than the current village boating and park pages.

Watch for

A quick opening decision around the island at Lime Kiln Park, with riffles on one side and a Class I ledge/drop on the other.
Shallow gravel runs and extra scraping if Cedarburg falls back toward the floor.
More development, slower current, and occasional powerboat traffic in the lower half approaching Thiensville.

Route gallery

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Sources

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Why this score Today's data confidence is checking

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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	Milwaukee River near Cedarburg, WI
Discharge	Checking
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Ideal range	Needs paddler reports
Known low-water floor	260 cfs
High threshold	Not calibrated yet
Data confidence behind the range	Local route guidance
Gauge observed	Checking
Paddle Today updated	Checking
Main source behind this score	MilesPaddled Milwaukee River III route-day gauge note
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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.

Route-day floor 260 cfs

MilesPaddled ran this exact Lime Kiln Park to Thiensville route at 260 cfs on the Cedarburg gauge and recommended that level for the trip.

Source
Route shape 8.75 river miles

MilesPaddled documents the route as an 8.75-mile shuttle from Lime Kiln Park in Grafton to Thiensville.

Source
Put-in authority Village park with canoe ramp

Grafton officially says Lime Kiln Park includes a canoe ramp plus upper and lower parking lots, which is stronger endpoint support than the old route draft had.

Source
Take-out authority Village Park boat launch and trailer parking

Thiensville officially says Village Park has a boat launch and trailer parking on the Milwaukee River and serves as the local portage point around the dam.

Source
Route character Riffles and Class I ledge up top; slower suburban lower half

MilesPaddled describes an opening island split with either riffles and a rock wall or a Class I drop, followed by a wider slower lower river with more development and powerboats.

Source
Operations note Village Park hours 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The official Village Park page confirms a boat launch, two parking lots, and posted park hours, which strengthens the Thiensville finish logistics.

Source

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Quick answers

Milwaukee River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Milwaukee River?

Paddle Today watches Milwaukee River near Cedarburg, WI and uses 260 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.

Where does this Milwaukee River route start and end?

This route starts at Lime Kiln Park canoe ramp and ends at Village Park boat launch (Thiensville), about 8.75 mi on the water.

Is this Milwaukee River route good for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.

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