Trip Date: July 18th
Run Time: 1 hr 30 min (should be about normal)
Weather: 79 with low winds
Water Level: 6.4 at USGS near Cedarburg

Overview:

There’s nothing like putting in the river right below a dam, and floating away as the sound of rushing water fades in the distance. This is how the experience starts at Thiensville Village Park when running from there down to Badger Meter River Park in Brown Deer. The put-in is just below the dam, down a few steps from the parking lot. It’s another section of the river that is mostly wooded, quiet and serene, with some backyards here and there, and occasionally some traffic from a nearby road, but other than that it’s a nice paddle for being so close to the city. 

Don’t expect any rapids on this one, it’s a complete floater. With the river level measuring at 6.4 I never really ran into anything, but there were plenty of sections where there was only about 18” of water. So this section should be pretty decent in low water times, I’ll have to return later in the season to get a feel for the lowest levels to run it, though. 

A little over halfway through you’ll see Mequon’s River Barn Park on the right hand side with a nice launch. If you need to get out and stretch your legs or go to the bathroom, this is a great stop. The building is about 500 ft from the launch. After getting back in it’s about another 30-45 minutes til the takeout on the right, just after the bridge for Brown Deer Rd. Overall it’s a great paddle with plenty of wildlife conveniently located to the city. And I wouldn’t me if I didn’t point out that in all my trips on this river I did see a family of brown deer crossing the river right in front of me just before the takeout in…wait for it…Brown Deer.