Kayaking & Canoeing the Mississippi River
Iowa paddling guide
- 311 mi
- River mapped
- 125
- Boat launches
- 25
- Campgrounds
- 11
- Counties
The Mississippi River is one of Iowa's paddling rivers, tracing roughly 311 mi through Allamakee, Clayton, Clinton and Des Moines and other Counties. Whether you're kayaking, canoeing or tubing, this guide maps every public boat launch and access point on the Mississippi River, the campgrounds nearby, and the live gauge readings you need to plan a safe day paddling in Iowa.
Boat launches & access points on the Mississippi River
125 public access points for putting in and taking out.
- ▸25th Avenue RampClinton Co.
- ▸30th Avenue RampClinton Co.
- ▸5th Avenue RampClinton Co.
- ▸6th Avenue RampClinton Co.
- ▸8th Avenue RampClinton Co.
- ▸9th Avenue RampClinton Co.
- ▸A.Y. McDonald Park Ramp
- ▸Bellevue Boat RampJackson Co.
- ▸Bellevue State ParkJackson Co.
- ▸Ben Butterworth Boat RampRock Island Co.
- ▸BettendorfScott Co.
- ▸Black Hawk Memorial Park
- ▸Bluff Harbor Marina Ramp
- ▸Buffalo Shores AccessScott Co.
- ▸Bussey Lake Boat RampClayton Co.
- ▸Camanche Marina Ramp
- ▸Casey Brown AreaDes Moines Co.
- ▸Chaplin Schmitt Boat RampDubuque Co.
- ▸Clark's Ferry Recreation AreaMuscatine Co.
- ▸Clayton Co. Roadside AreaClayton Co.
- ▸Clayton Municipal RampClayton Co.
- ▸Cordova Public AccessRock Island Co.
- ▸Credit Island ParkScott Co.
- ▸Desoto Bay
- ▸Duck Creek Public Use AreaJackson Co.
- ▸E. side of upper Mississippi River Wildlife And Fi
- ▸Eagles Landing (62nd st court Bettendorf)Scott Co.
- ▸Empire ParkRock Island Co.
- ▸Entrance to Desoto Bay
- ▸Fairport Landing Marina Boat Ramp
- ▸Fairport Rec Area Lower Boat RampMuscatine Co.
- ▸Fairport Rec. Area Upper Boat Ramp
- ▸Fisher's Landing (Camp Hideaway) AccessClayton Co.
- ▸Fisherman's CornerRock Island Co.
- ▸Flaming Prairie ParkLouisa Co.
- ▸French Town LandingClayton Co.
- ▸Green Gables Marina Ramp
- ▸Guttenberg City AccessClayton Co.
- ▸Hawthorne Street Boat RampDubuque Co.
- ▸Heytmans LandingAllamakee Co.
- ▸Iowa DNR Ramp
- ▸Izaak Walton League Ramp
- ▸Keokuk Municipal RampLee Co.
- ▸Keokuk River Road Ramp
- ▸Kilpeck Landing Pub. AreaLouisa Co.
- ▸Lansing Bridge Entrance - Wisconson
- ▸LeClaire Base RampScott Co.
- ▸Lowell's Landing (Pirate's Pitstop) AccessClayton Co.
- ▸Marquette Boat RampClayton Co.
- ▸Marquette StScott Co.
- ▸McDonald Dam
- ▸McGregor Boat RampClayton Co.
- ▸Miller Riverview ParkDubuque Co.
- ▸Mud Lake Marina (Hawkeye) AccessDubuque Co.
- ▸Mud Lake ParkDubuque Co.
- ▸Municipal Boat RampMuscatine Co.
- ▸Municipal Public Ramp NorthDes Moines Co.
- ▸Municiple Ramp South
- ▸Muscatine Small Boat Harbor Ramp
- ▸New Albin AccessAllamakee Co.
- ▸New Albin Area/Army RdAllamakee Co.
- ▸New Albin Area/Army RdAllamakee Co.
- ▸North Sabula AccessJackson Co.
- ▸Pleasant CreekJackson Co.
- ▸Port Byron Boat RampRock Island Co.
- ▸Power Plant AccessAllamakee Co.
- ▸Princeton Beach Marina Ramp
- ▸Princeton Public Boat RampScott Co.
- ▸Public Boat AccessJackson Co.
- ▸Riverview ParkLee Co.
- ▸RM 364.0: Montebello State Park Access
- ▸RM 364.8: Chaney Creek
- ▸RM 390.2: Dallas City Public Access
- ▸RM 410.1: Henderson Creek Access
- ▸RM 415.8: Oquawka Public
- ▸RM 417.4: Delabar State Park
- ▸RM 422.8: Putney's Landing Boat Ramp
- ▸RM 424.1: Riverview Access
- ▸RM 427.2: South Keithsburg Ramp
- ▸RM 427.3: North Keithsburg Ramp
- ▸RM 432.9: New Boston Ramp
- ▸RM 433.0: Bayview Fishmarket
- ▸RM 433.0: Sturgeon Bay Park Access/New Boston Waterfront Park Access
- ▸RM 446.8: Crosses Corner
- ▸RM 471.5: Ducky's Lagoon
- ▸RM 479.8: Sunset Park Ramp (Directly onto Mississippi)
- ▸RM 479.8: Sunset Park Ramp North into Lake Potter
- ▸RM 479.8: Sunset Park Ramp South into Lake Potter
- ▸RM 488.3: Ben Butterworth Parkway Boat Launch
- ▸RM 490.7: East Moline Boat Launch
- ▸RM 493.0: Illiniwek Forest Preserve Boat Ramp
- ▸RM 496.4: Shuler's Shady Grove
- ▸RM 497.7: Port Byron Municipal Ramp
- ▸RM 500.4: Camp Hauberg Boat Ramp
- ▸RM 503.1: 5th St Boat Launch
- ▸RM 503.3: 10th St Boat Launch
- ▸RM 513.6 Albany Boat Access
- ▸RM 517.6: Cattail Slough Recreation Area
- ▸RM 519.6: Fulton Marina
- ▸RM 522.7: Lock & Dam 13 Public Use Area
- ▸RM 536.8: Savanna Marina
- ▸RM 537.5: North Marquette Park Municipal Landing
- ▸RM 537.5: South Marquette Park Municipal Landing
- ▸RM 578.0: Millennium Bar & Marina Ramp
- ▸RM 579.0: Mid-Town Marina Boat Ramp
- ▸RM 579.5: East Dubuque Public Boat Ramp
- ▸Sabula Boat LandingJackson Co.
- ▸Schmitt AccessDubuque Co.
- ▸Schuler's Shady GroveRock Island Co.
- ▸Schweibert Park DocksRock Island Co.
- ▸Shady Creek Public AccessMuscatine Co.
- ▸Smith's Island Public AreaScott Co.
- ▸South Sabula AccessJackson Co.
- ▸Spruce Creek ParkJackson Co.
- ▸Stevens Slough
- ▸Sullivan Slough River Access
- ▸Sunset Park Boat RampRock Island Co.
- ▸Sycamore St. Boat Ramp
- ▸Tama Beach Boat AccessDes Moines Co.
- ▸The Landing Ramp
- ▸Village Creek AccessAllamakee Co.
- ▸Walter Beuse Memorial RampScott Co.
- ▸Waupeton Landing (Michael Lane) AccessDubuque Co.
- ▸Willies LandingClayton Co.
- ▸Wykert's Landing Boat Ramp
Camping near the Mississippi River
- ⛺Bellevue State ParkJackson Co.
- ⛺Blackhawk County Park
- ⛺Blackhawk Park Campground
- ⛺Camp Hauberg
- ⛺CampgroundClayton Co.
- ⛺Campground
- ⛺Campground
- ⛺Campground
- ⛺Campground
- ⛺Campground
- ⛺Campground
- ⛺Fairport Recreation Area Campground
- ⛺Fairport State Recreation Area Campground
- ⛺Fisherman's Corner North
- ⛺Frenchman's Landing Campground
- ⛺Hubinger Landing
- ⛺Hubinger Landing
- ⛺Keithsburg Riverside Campground
- ⛺Miller Riverview Park & Campground
- ⛺Mud Lake Park Campground
- ⛺Off Shore Campground
- ⛺Pleasant Creek Campground
- ⛺Riverview RV Park
- ⛺South Sabula Lake Park
- ⛺Spruce Creek Park Campground
Live Mississippi River conditions
River levels change fast. Before you launch, check the live USGS gauges, weather radar and flood-safety status for the Mississippi River on the interactive Iowa Paddle map. It flags dangerous high water and dams so you can paddle safely.
Paddle more of Iowa
The Mississippi River is just one of dozens of paddleable rivers in the state. Browse the full guide to kayaking & canoeing every river in Iowa.