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Float 5.4 miles of the Milwaukee River Greenway from Kletzsch Park to Hubbard Park in Shorewood—an easy urban paddle with riffles, a short portage at Estabrook, and a beer garden finish. Perfect for beginners and families looking for a nature-rich city escape.
Float 5.4 miles of the Milwaukee River Greenway from Kletzsch Park to Hubbard Park in Shorewood—an easy urban paddle with riffles, a short portage at Estabrook, and a beer garden finish. Perfect for beginners and families looking for a nature-rich city escape.
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Operated by Forward Outdoor · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Paddling the Milwaukee River Greenway from Kletzsch Park to Hubbard Park is an easy, scenic 5.4-mile urban float that makes for a perfect two-hour escape from city life. You launch just below the small waterfall at Kletzsch Park in Glendale, and the river steers you south past wooded banks, pedestrian bridges, and the wild edges of Lincoln and Estabrook Parks before a short portage around the Estabrook falls and a final glide into Hubbard Park in Shorewood. The route mixes calm eddies with riffles and short, playful rapids—nothing technical for beginners but enough current to keep the paddle engaging.
This stretch is special because it compresses a range of river experiences into a compact urban corridor. The Milwaukee River here is a glacial-age stream running over cobble and sand, producing riffle habitats that attract waterfowl and songbirds and offer close-up views of riverside ecology inside city limits. You will pass mature trees and remnant wetland pockets, and on warmer days turtles sun on logs while kingfishers flick along the banks. The required portage at Estabrook is short and straightforward; pull to the river’s west bank, shoulder your boat 20–30 feet around the falls, and relaunch. Do not attempt to run the falls unless you are an experienced paddler with appropriate gear.
Expect to cover the full 5.4 river miles in roughly 2–2.5 hours depending on stops and flow; plan to bring a fitted life jacket, closed-toe river shoes, a dry bag for essentials, and a first-aid kit. Put-in and take-out logistics are simple: put in at Kletzsch Park, take out at Hubbard Park; park in the upper lot at Hubbard, walk through the tunnel and down to the riverside launch. Check flow reports before you go.
Practical details matter: meeting is at Hubbard Park in Shorewood, bathrooms are available at both Kletzsch and Hubbard, and average paddle time is 2–2.5 hours depending on flow and stops. Water levels are forgiving but plan for at least 150–200 CFS for the smoothest passage; low flows expose scrape points. This trip suits families with older kids, beginners who want guided confidence, and local paddlers seeking a short excursion that ends at a beer garden for a post-paddle reward.
Why book this trip? It pairs easy river travel with neighborhood character—a rare urban outing where you can compare bridges, watch anglers on shaded bends, and finish within steps of beer, food, and park benches. The combination of accessible put-in at Kletzsch, the short Estabrook portage, and the social finish at Hubbard Park makes this a standout day paddle in the Milwaukee River Greenway. Come for the scenery; stay for the cold drink and the calm that follows a slow river day.
easy.
2–2.5 hours.
Suitable for beginners and families with a basic level of fitness; expect light carrying during the short portage.
Meeting is at Hubbard Park in Shorewood; park in the upper lot and walk through the tunnel down to the riverside launch.
The route is 5.4 river miles and typically takes 2–2.5 hours depending on flow and photo stops.
Yes—flush toilets are available at both Kletzsch Park and Hubbard Park.
No—the Estabrook portage is short (roughly 20–30 feet) but requires lifting or dragging your boat around the falls.
This trip is rated easy; basic paddling skills and the ability to re-enter a boat are sufficient.
No—only experienced paddlers with proper equipment should attempt falls; the trip requires a mandatory portage for most participants.
This paddle runs through the Milwaukee River Greenway, an urban corridor that links parks and neighborhoods along the river.
Practice pack-in, pack-out and avoid disturbing shore vegetation; check for and remove invasive plant fragments from boats between trips.
Forward Outdoor is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin outfitter specializing in paddling trips on the Milwaukee River. The company leads ten named river sections—West Bend, Newburg, Saukville, Grafton, Mequon, Thiensville, Brown Deer, Glendale, Shorewood, and Milwaukee—each designed for different skill levels and experiences. Trips range from short scenic floats and a 1.5‑hour Mequon mini Dells route to longer 3–6 hour runs through West Bend rapids and prairie. Routes include gentle rapids, tree‑lined bends, wildlife viewing, and urban waterfront paddling that passes Milwaukee’s skyline. Rentals and guided options focus on safety, clear route descriptions, and flexible trip lengths suitable for beginners and experienced paddlers alike. Forward Outdoor provides trip endpoints at local parks such as Waubedonia Park, Ehlers Park, Veteran’s Memorial Park, Lime Kiln Park, Garrison’s Glen, and other public launch sites named in route descriptions. The outfitter emphasizes low‑impact river use and local stewardship while offering family‑friendly float options and beginner‑friendly rapids on select sections. Equipment, timing, and route choices are tailored per trip to match conditions and guest goals. Forward Outdoor’s presence in Milwaukee connects paddlers to quieter suburban stretches and more urban waterfront sections within a single river corridor. Prospective paddlers can select trips for wildlife viewing, gentle rapids, short urban escapes, or extended scenic journeys along the Milwaukee River. Trips often provide wildlife viewing opportunities—herons, turtles, and deer have been noted along several sections—and several routes finish near festivals, beer gardens, neighborhood parks, or parking areas for convenient access and easy post‑paddle plans for paddlers of all ages.
Book with Forward Outdoor