Haskins Park to Highway 113:
This very short trip down the muddy waters of the Baraboo offers a little excitement with its countless riffles and brisk current as it passes through its historic downtown and legendary museum grounds.
Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Trip Report Date: May 23, 2013
Previous Trip Report:
August 1, 2009
Skill Level: Intermediate
Class Difficulty: Riffles + Class I
Gauge Recorded on this Trip:
Baraboo: ht/ft: 8.76 | cfs: 473
Current Levels:
Baraboo: ht/ft: 9.87 | cfs: 705
Recommended Levels:
We definitely recommend this level but for an ideal run, we recommend a minimum of 350 cfs for this section of the Baraboo (more riffles, waves and fun).
Put-In:
Haskins Park, Baraboo, Wisconsin
GPS: 43.46997, -89.76158
Take-Out:
Boat Landing, Highway 113
GPS: 43.45853, -89.71399
Time: Put in at 11:50a. Out at 12:55p.
Total Time: 1h 5m
Miles Paddled: 4.5
Wildlife:
Three deer, ducks and geese.
Shuttle Information:
The bike shuttle is a simple little jaunt. There is a short time spent on Highway 113 without much bike path access but once in the city, you can ride the sidewalk alongside Circus World to a trail that cuts through the city alongside the beautiful river. It ends on Second Avenue and then it’s a matter of Shel Silverstein-ing it back and forth as the sidewalks end and switch back-and-forth all the way to Haskins.
What we liked:
Forgoing the North Freedom to Haskins section due to it’s generally flatwater and muddy existence, we’ve learned to appreciate the fun part of the Baraboo by paddling this section every so often. This is a great (and quite literally) little paddle, being a short 4.25 miles. With bike shuttle, it can be conquered in an hour-and-a-half.
It’s been over three years since we last did this trip but it was very similar paddle to that last one. The water was high and flowing at a swift rate so the dramatic Class I drop just before the Walnut Street bridge was kicked down a bit. Very manageable for even slightly-experienced paddlers.
The put-in at Haskins Park offers many options, although watch out for geese droppings, they’re everywhere. And the banks are muddy.
I don’t remember the water being so riffly last time but from the put-in to just past the Circus World Museum, there are yards and yards of riffly sections to greet you. After the museum, the riffles are less but it’s still quite pretty.
As mentioned, the Class I drop wasn’t anything too dramatic. It’s always affected by the high water. In lower water, it’s a little more fun but all-in-all, this was a great riffly trip.
For being so short and flowing through the city, I didn’t expect to see much wildlife but I spotted two deer on a bank and one in the crevice of the really pretty island just after Circus World Museum as well as ducks and geese. Also, I’m not sure if a black squirrel exists because I either spotted one or the little guy just went swimming.
The take-out is excellent offering lots of parking but again, muddy.
I really love this trip and the historic city of Baraboo. Paddling through the Circus World Museum is always a highlight where you’re just as much of an attraction being a canoer or kayaker as is the museum itself. Of course, a stop at Monk’s for a post-ride beer is always in order after the trip and is a perfect finish to a great day.
What we didn’t like:
There really wasn’t much, except maybe the excessive geese droppings? Also, as mentioned, one of my favorite parts is paddling between Circus World. There wasn’t any circus music playing from the grounds like past paddles. It always adds to the experience even if it’s not for our benefit.
If we did this trip again:
This is a great little paddle. In fact, it’s the best section of the entire Baraboo. If you have a few hours, it’s a wonderful way to spend a couple hours and a great excuse to visit the beautiful Baraboo area. I’ll be back.
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Related Information:
Baraboo River Overview: Baraboo River Paddle Guide
Baraboo River I: Village Park to Highway 113
Baraboo River IV: Haskins Park to Highway 33
General: American Whitewater
Guide: Paddling Southern Wisconsin
Video: Wisconsin Paddles: The Baraboo
Wikipedia: Baraboo River
Miles Paddled/Driftless Kayaker Video (Giese Park to Highway 113):
Miles Paddled Video:
Photo Gallery:
Previous Trip Report:
August 1, 2009
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
This very short trip down the muddy waters of the Baraboo holds a bit of excitement with its countless riffles and brisk current as it passes through its historic downtown and legendary museum grounds.
Gauge Recorded on this Trip: Baraboo: ht/ft: n/a | cfs: 280
Time: Put in at 12:00p. Out at 2:00p.
Total Time: 2h
What we liked:
Our second trip down the Baraboo was very different than the first and not because we chose to skip the North Freedom to Haskins Park section.
The water level was up which seemed to kick the excitement level down a bit. Sometimes higher water can add another layer layer of challenge to a river but that wasn’t the case with this section of river. The class I rapids were mere rifles on this journey but it was fun nonetheless. There were a couple of exhilarating sections despite the water being up and we considered paddling this short section twice but after weighing our options, beer and burgers at Monk’s in downtown Baraboo seemed more appealing at that moment in time.
Paddling through downtown Baraboo and between the Circus World Museum is one of the more unique aspects to this paddle, especially since canoers and kayaker become part of the spectacle for the kids looking down at the river from the circus grounds.
What we didn’t like:
After talking up this section to our friend Jason, he came along to experience the excitement himself. Of course, as it happens, the water was higher than our last trip which diminished the rapids, making for a less exciting paddle.
If we did this trip again:
We’ll most definitely kayak this section of the Baraboo again and possibly continue downstream if we find a take-out within reasonable distance for a solid day-paddle.
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