River Sections

A Bit about the Boo

Kayaking on the Baraboo River can be a fun and memorable experience for paddlers of all skill levels. The river offers a mix of calm stretches, mild rapids, and beautiful scenery, making it a popular spot for recreational paddling.

One of the most popular sections of the Baraboo River for kayaking is the stretch between North Freedom and West Baraboo. This section is about 8 miles long and features mostly calm water with a few small rapids and riffles. The scenery along this stretch is beautiful, with lush forests, rocky bluffs, and scenic sandbars.

For more experienced paddlers, the section of the Baraboo River between West Baraboo and the City of Baraboo offers some more challenging rapids, including a Class III rapid known as "Devil's Elbow." This section is about 6 miles long and features a mix of calm stretches and rapids, as well as some scenic sandstone cliffs.

Overall, kayaking on the Baraboo River can be a great way to enjoy the natural beauty of central Wisconsin and experience some fun and exciting paddling. However, it's important to be prepared with proper gear, including a life jacket, and to be aware of the river's current conditions before setting out on your trip. You can monitor those conditions by downloading the Friends of the Baraboo River mobile app.

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More and more kayakers and canoeists have been paddling the Baraboo River in the past two years. In an effort to make using the river safer and more user friendly in Sauk County, bridge identification signs were placed along the river in Sauk County late last fall.

The new signs are a joint effort of Sauk County Emergency Management, Sauk County Highway Department the the Friends of the Baraboo River. The sign project was coordinated and planned by Emergency Management, led by director Jeff Jelinek. Noting the increased popularity of the Baraboo River, Jelinek sees the bridge signs as a way to make the river safer for paddlers and easier for emergency responders to locate any people in distress on the river.

Placing signs by the 28 highway and railroad bridges in Sauk County will give paddlers location markers they can refer to in case they should run into trouble. That in turn makes locating paddlers lost or otherwise in distress easier for the Sheriff’s Department, fire departments and medical emergency responders. The Kickapoo River, one of southern Wisconsin’s most popular paddling rivers, has had bridge signs for years.

The bridge sign project was sponsored by the Friends of the Baraboo River and planned and coordinated by Sauk County Emergency Management. The Sauk County Highway Department installed the signs last fall.

The Friends of the Baraboo River is an all volunteer organization. Memberships and donations support initiatives that assist the Baraboo River paddling community.