Kayaking & Canoeing the Cedar River

Iowa paddling guide

275 mi
River mapped
129
Boat launches
26
Campgrounds
11
Counties

The Cedar River is one of Iowa's paddling rivers, tracing roughly 275 mi, winding through Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer and Cedar and other Counties. This guide maps 129 public boat launches and access points and 26 nearby campgrounds on the Cedar River, plus the live USGS gauge readings you need to plan a safe day kayaking, canoeing or tubing in Iowa.

A popular way to paddle the Cedar River is to put in at Otranto Impoundment and take out at River Forks — check the live gauge first and always leave a shuttle vehicle at your take-out.

🗺️ Open the live paddling map

Boat launches & access points on the Cedar River

129 public access points for putting in and taking out.

  • ▸5 and 1 DamLinn Co.
  • ▸Acorn ParkMitchell Co.
  • ▸Alice Wyth JettyBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Anglers LaunchBenton Co.
  • ▸Bennett AccessMitchell Co.
  • ▸Benton City - FryBenton Co.
  • ▸Black Hawk ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Boat RampLinn Co.
  • ▸Boat RampBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Boat RampLinn Co.
  • ▸Brandon Road AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Brantingham ParkFloyd Co.
  • ▸Brett Klima Wildlife AreaBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Brinker Lake Boat RampBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Brookwood ParkBremer Co.
  • ▸Cedar Bend ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Cedar Bend ParkBremer Co.
  • ▸Cedar BluffCedar Co.
  • ▸Cedar Bottoms Wildlife AreaMuscatine Co.
  • ▸Cedar LakeLinn Co.
  • ▸Cedar River AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Cedar River AreaBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Cedar River DockFloyd Co.
  • ▸Cedar River ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Cedar River Wildlife AreaBremer Co.
  • ▸Cedar Terrace ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Cedar Valley ParkCedar Co.
  • ▸Cedar Valley Park QuarryCedar Co.
  • ▸Cedar View ParkChickasaw Co.
  • ▸Chain LakesLinn Co.
  • ▸Deerwood ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸DudgeonBenton Co.
  • ▸dudgeon lake wildlife areaBenton Co.
  • ▸East JettyBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Exchange ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Exchange Park AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Falls AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Falls AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Fisher Lake Boat RampBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Fishing PierBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Flora Ellis AreaFloyd Co.
  • ▸George Wyth State ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸George Wyth State Park (Alice Lake) AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸George Wyth State Park (George Wyth Lake) AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Gilbertville ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Put in 1Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Put in 2Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Put in 3Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Put in 4Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Put in 5Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Put in 6Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Put in 7Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Put in 8Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Put in 9Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Take out 1Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Take Out 2Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Take out 3Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Take Out 4Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Take Out 5Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Take out 6Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Take out 7Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸GWSP Portage Take out 8Black Hawk Co.
  • ▸Halvorson ParkMitchell Co.
  • ▸Hartman Reserve N. UnitBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Highway 9 AccessMitchell Co.
  • ▸Hoefle - DulinBenton Co.
  • ▸Howard WoodsFloyd Co.
  • ▸Idlewild AccessFloyd Co.
  • ▸Interstate ParkMitchell Co.
  • ▸Island ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Jack Shugar Memorial ParkMuscatine Co.
  • ▸Janesville City ParkBremer Co.
  • ▸Klienwort AccessMitchell Co.
  • ▸Lakeshore ParkChickasaw Co.
  • ▸Lou's Area AccessLinn Co.
  • ▸Manhattan - Robbins LakeLinn Co.
  • ▸Manhattan - Robbins Lake Harbor RampLinn Co.
  • ▸Manhattan - Robbins Lake River RampLinn Co.
  • ▸McFarlane ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸McKeown AccessMuscatine Co.
  • ▸Milroy AccessBenton Co.
  • ▸Minne EstemaBenton Co.
  • ▸Mohawk ParkLinn Co.
  • ▸Mohawk Park LakeLinn Co.
  • ▸Murphy LakeLinn Co.
  • ▸Nashua AccessChickasaw Co.
  • ▸North Cedar Natural AreaLinn Co.
  • ▸North Cedar ParkBremer Co.
  • ▸North JettyBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Ontranto AccessMitchell Co.
  • ▸Otis Road AccessLinn Co.
  • ▸Otranto ImpoundmentMitchell Co.
  • ▸Palisades-Kepler St. ParkLinn Co.
  • ▸Pearl RockChickasaw Co.
  • ▸Plainfield Lake AccessBremer Co.
  • ▸Prairie Park FisheryLinn Co.
  • ▸Prairie Park River AccessLinn Co.
  • ▸River ForksLouisa Co.
  • ▸River Forks Boat RampLouisa Co.
  • ▸River RoadLinn Co.
  • ▸Riverside City ParkBenton Co.
  • ▸Riverview ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Riverview Recrecation Area (Mitchell Lake) AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Robbins LakeLinn Co.
  • ▸Rochester ParkCedar Co.
  • ▸Roller DamLinn Co.
  • ▸Rotary AccessFloyd Co.
  • ▸Sac and FoxLinn Co.
  • ▸Saulsbury Bridge AccessMuscatine Co.
  • ▸Seminole ValleyLinn Co.
  • ▸Seminole Valley Park LakeLinn Co.
  • ▸Seter's LandingFloyd Co.
  • ▸South CedarLinn Co.
  • ▸South JettyBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Spring ParkMitchell Co.
  • ▸Sturgis Park AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Sutliff AccessJohnson Co.
  • ▸T38 AccessMitchell Co.
  • ▸Three Rivers ParkBremer Co.
  • ▸Tourists ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Upper Palisades AccessLinn Co.
  • ▸Washington ParkBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Washington Union AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Washington Union AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Washington-Union AccessBlack Hawk Co.
  • ▸Waverly Impoundment Fishing AccessBremer Co.
  • ▸wiese slough wildlife areaMuscatine Co.
  • ▸Wildcat BluffBenton Co.
  • ▸Winegar AccessBenton Co.

Camping near the Cedar River

  • ⛺Black Hawk Park Campground
  • ⛺CampgroundLinn Co.
  • ⛺CampgroundBlack Hawk Co.
  • ⛺Campground
  • ⛺Campground
  • ⛺Campground
  • ⛺Cedar Bend Park Campground
  • ⛺Cedar View
  • ⛺Cedar View Park Campground
  • ⛺Deerwood Park Campground
  • ⛺East Pioneer
  • ⛺George Wyth State Park Campground
  • ⛺Halvorson County Park Campground
  • ⛺Ingawanis Adventure Base
  • ⛺Ingawanis Adventure Base
  • ⛺Interstate County Park Campground
  • ⛺McFarlane County Park Campground
  • ⛺Otranto County Park Campground
  • ⛺Palisades-Kepler State Park Campground
  • ⛺Robin Hood
  • ⛺Saulsbury Bridge RA - Primitive
  • ⛺Saulsbury Bridge RA - River CG
  • ⛺Spring Park Campground
  • ⛺Valley Forge
  • ⛺West Idlewild County Park
  • ⛺West Pioneer

Live Cedar River conditions

runnable

Cedar River: 8,740 cfs, 6.0 ft — runnable.

Yes — right now the Cedar River is runnable at 8,740 cfs (as of Jul 25, 2026, 7:00 AM CT), within its normal paddling range. Iowa rivers rise fast after heavy rain, so always check the live USGS gauge and skip the river when it reads high or is flagged for flooding.

Typically runnable between about 400 and 13,000 cfs. Treat readings above 13,000 cfs as dangerous high water and below 400 cfs as too low to float. Provisional paddling band — always scout on site.

Source: USGS Cedar River at Cedar Rapids, IA, updated Jul 25, 2026, 7:00 AM CT. Live readings are provisional — always confirm on the map before launching.

River levels change fast. Check the live USGS gauges, weather radar and flood-safety status for the Cedar River on the interactive Iowa Paddle map. It flags dangerous high water and dams so you can paddle safely.

Cedar River paddling FAQ

Is the Cedar River safe to paddle right now?
Yes — right now the Cedar River is runnable at 8,740 cfs (as of Jul 25, 2026, 7:00 AM CT), within its normal paddling range. Iowa rivers rise fast after heavy rain, so always check the live USGS gauge and skip the river when it reads high or is flagged for flooding.
Where can I put in and take out on the Cedar River?
A popular run is from Otranto Impoundment to River Forks. In all, the Cedar River has 129 mapped public boat launches — leave a shuttle vehicle at your take-out and confirm access before you go.
How long is the Cedar River?
About 275 mi of the Cedar River is mapped for paddling across 11 Iowa counties, with 129 access points to build shorter day trips.
Do I need a permit to kayak or canoe the Cedar River?
No permit is required to paddle Iowa's rivers. Non-motorized kayaks and canoes don't need registration; just wear a life vest, check the live USGS gauge, and avoid the river during or after heavy rain.

Rivers to paddle near the Cedar River

Close by if you're planning a kayaking or canoeing trip in this part of Iowa:

Paddle more of Iowa

The Cedar River is just one of dozens of paddleable rivers in the state. Browse the full guide to kayaking & canoeing every river in Iowa.