Wisconsin | South-Central Wisconsin

Sugar River

Highway X to Attica Highway C Access

Check current paddling conditions for this Sugar River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. This usually takes a few seconds.
Checking live data

Route snapshot

Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.

Route alerts

Email me when this route improves

We'll email you when this route climbs into Good or Strong. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

We only email on a new threshold crossing.

Get the answer fast, then scan the route.

Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.

Level Checking Checking
Trend Checking Checking 24h change
Weather Loading Air: No reading
Rain Loading Recent rain: Checking

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Best window today

Checking weather.

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
-- -- Loading --
Difficulty easy No rapids and only moderate current at normal levels. The main concerns are low-water scraping, strainers after storms, turbid water, and a few less-scenic open banks before the wooded final mile.
Permits None noted No route-specific paddling permit is known. Check posted access and roadside parking rules before leaving a vehicle.
Camping Day trip No on-route camping is documented for this short reach. Treat it as a day paddle.
Season Apr-Oct Spring through fall can work when the Verona gauge is above its shallow fall lows. Summer average water is a good fit, while rain-driven highs can make the current pushy and reduce clarity.

Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.

Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.

Access, shuttle, and map

Put in at the Highway X public access and take out at the Attica Highway C access. This is a simple lower-Sugar float with easy current, a wooded final mile, and a clear Verona-gauge ladder.

Start

Put-in

Highway X public access Open map

The accesses are bridge-area public landings, so confirm parking and bank conditions before committing to the shuttle.

Finish

Take-out

Attica Highway C Access Open map

This route overlaps the upstream half of the longer County Road X to County Road EE entry, but the Attica take-out creates a shorter, cleaner beginner day.

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

Access caveats

  • The accesses are bridge-area public landings, so confirm parking and bank conditions before committing to the shuttle.
  • This route overlaps the upstream half of the longer County Road X to County Road EE entry, but the Attica take-out creates a shorter, cleaner beginner day.

Watch for

  • Low-water scraping below the normal summer range.
  • Strainers after storms or at higher, pushier levels.
  • Turbid water, limited scenery on some open-bank miles, and cold-water exposure outside summer.

Check the data behind today's call.

Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge input Checking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather input Checking

Waiting on weather.

Next step Checking

Waiting on enough data to give the next step.

Today's data confidence is checking

Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

  • Checking data confidence notes.
Tomorrow and weekend

This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.

Tomorrow Checking

Waiting on forecast.

Weekend Checking

Waiting on forecast.

Gauge, thresholds, and timing

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

Gauge site Sugar River near Verona, WI
Discharge Checking
Gauge height Checking
24h trend Checking
24h change Checking
Current band Checking
Rain last 24h Checking
Rain last 72h Checking
Air temp Checking
Water temp Checking
Wind Checking
Gusts Checking
Rain timing Checking
Target band 21 cfs to 130 cfs
Low threshold 0 cfs
High threshold 201 cfs
Data confidence behind the range Local route guidance
Gauge observed Checking
Paddle Today updated Checking
Main source behind this score Wisconsin River Trips Sugar River - Hwy X gauge guide
Gauge source Checking
Weather source Checking
Rainfall source Checking
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 21 to 130 cfs normal window

    Wisconsin River Trips ties the Highway X-to-Attica route to the Sugar River near Verona gauge and publishes bands from low-but-navigable through very high/adventurous.

    Source

  • Direct gauge USGS 05435950

    USGS operates the Sugar River near Verona monitoring location used by the route-specific gauge guide.

    Source

  • Put-in support Highway X public access

    Wisconsin River Trips describes an excellent public access northeast of the Highway X bridge.

    Source

  • Take-out support Attica Highway C Access

    Wisconsin River Trips describes the Attica Highway C access north of the bridge as another good public Sugar River access.

    Source

  • Endpoint coordinates Highway X 42.754137, -89.429329; Attica 42.733903, -89.406695

    The route shuttle map linked from Wisconsin River Trips resolves to the Highway X and Attica access coordinates.

    Source

Check the source links

Photos, paddler notes, and updates.

See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.

Help build the route page

Add photos or send a quick condition report.

Photos

Upload route photos

Add access, hazard, or on-water photos.

No files selected yet.

Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.

Sugar River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Sugar River?

Paddle Today watches Sugar River near Verona, WI and treats 21 cfs to 130 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Sugar River route start and end?

This route starts at Highway X public access and ends at Attica Highway C Access, about 5.4 mi on the water.

Is this Sugar 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.

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.