Wisconsin whitewater - Root River, Racine County

Racine county, Horlick Dam to Quarry Park section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS II-III     0.4 miles
 
Very fun stretch of river, if there is water.  The root is best paddled the day after a rainfall.  Check the reports, it is not worth your time if the water is below 250cfs.  That is the absolute minimum.  There are 2 fun waves to surf, 3 in very high water.  Bring playboats, this stretch of whitewater is only about 500 yards.  Both waves have pretty good washout, there is a small hole on the lower wave, but not bad. Says Andy

The rivers for whitewater rafting and kayaking here in Wisconsin are often easier than in other states, so don't forget
    that many of the rivers here are not very demanding. The beautiful scenery of Wisconsin and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water have people coming here. The starting point is not too far from Racine, as you can see on the road map further down. Root River doesn't have a
lot of paddling sections, the Horlick Dam to Quarry Park section is the only one. There's camping available near Root River. This is an extremely short stretch so better bring some good walking shoes. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way this area has a large number of paddling places. The Horlick Dam to Quarry Park stretch of Root River is 0.4 miles long and is according to American Whitewater a class II-III section of whitewater. If you'll be staying in a hotel you're in luck, lodging is available very near the river,  
but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. Getting your paddling muscles activated and a chance to spend some time outdoors are great attractions for lots of people.

Briefly about the general area:
The warmest time of the year at Root River comes with high temperatures in the 80's. Summer nighttime lows dip down to the 60's. Throughout the winter highs are usually in the 20's, and after the sun is down through the winter temperatures at Root River descend into the 10's. The amount of rain that falls at Root River is close to the national average; the wettest month of the year is generally August, that's the one that rains the most, and the driest month of the year is February.

Root River, Horlick Dam to Quarry Park road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: II-III
Length: 0.4 miles
Average Gradient: 20 fpm
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 42.75207
Longitude: -87.82403

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 42.74656
Longitude: -87.82306

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Current weather conditions at Root River, Wisconsin
WXPort

Local climate location: MILWAUKEE MT MARY COL 20 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Fairfield Inn Racine, Racine
3 miles away

Our Fairfield Inn is conveniently located off I-94 on Highway 20 close to all Racine has to offer. We are 20 minutes south of Milwaukee and 1 hour north of Chicago. Renovated in 2003, our hotel f...


Microtel Inn & Suites Racine, Racine
3 miles away
Welcome to the Microtel Inn & Suites, located just three miles from Lake Michigan. This Racine hotel is close to area attractions like the Dairyland Dog Track, Kenosha Outlet Mall, Potawatomi Casino, ...

Radisson Hotel Racine Harbourwalk, Racine
3 miles away
The Radisson Hotel Racine Harbourwalk offers one hundred twenty one tastefully appointed guestrooms and suites. Situated conveniently between Milwaukee and Chicago, on beautiful Lake Michigan, the Rad...



OTHER_INFO
  All Wisconsin Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Wisconsin.
Books about whitewater paddling on Root River, Wisconsin
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Root River, Wisconsin.
Find a whitewater outfitter in Wisconsin

Whitewater Basics
If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.
Outdoors Recreation Near Racine, Wisconsin
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Racine, Wisconsin, the metro area neareast to Root River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Root River.
 Whitewater Near Root River:
Pike River, Kenosha County , 5 miles away, Class I(II) - 4.8 miles long (Petrifying Springs to Lathrop)
Milwaukee River, Milwaukee County , 18 miles away, Class I-II - 3.4 miles long (Hampton Ave.Dam to North Ave.Dam)
Honey Creek, Milwaukee County , 19 miles away, Class II-III+ - 1.6 miles long (Honey Creek Parkway to Menomonee River)
Menomonee River, Milwaukee County , 20 miles away, Class II-III - 4.8 miles long (Underwood Creek to 43rd and Monarch)
Milwaukee River, Ozaukee County , 29 miles away, Class I-II - 2.7 miles long (Bridge Street to Falls Road Ledge)
Menomonee River, Waukesha County , 29 miles away, Class II-III - 0.4 miles long (Main Street bridge to next bridge)
Cedar Creek, Ozaukee County , 30 miles away, Class II-III - 2.3 miles long (Cedarburg City Park)
 Ski Areas Near Root River:
Wilmot mountain, Wisconsin , 28 miles away, 260 vertical feet
Grand Geneva, Wisconsin , 40 miles away, 211 vertical feet
Alpine Valley, Wisconsin , 42 miles away, 388 vertical feet
Little Switzerland, Wisconsin , 43 miles away, 200 vertical feet
Raging Buffalo Snowboard Park, Illinois , 45 miles away, 180 vertical feet
Villa Olivia, Illinois , 46 miles away, 180 vertical feet
Sunburst, Wisconsin , 47 miles away, 225 vertical feet
Highlands of Olympia, Wisconsin , 49 miles away, 205 vertical feet
Four Lakes, Illinois , 52 miles away, 100 vertical feet
Hidden Valley, Wisconsin , 77 miles away, 200 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Root River:
Fairfield Inn Racine, Racine , 3 miles away
Microtel Inn & Suites Racine, Racine , 3 miles away
Radisson Hotel Racine Harbourwalk, Racine , 3 miles away
Comfort Inn Racine, Racine , 3 miles away
Racine Marriott, Racine , 3 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Root River:
Jellystone Park Camp Resort, Caledonia, 8 miles away
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, Caledonia, 8 miles away
Cliffside Park, Sturtevant, 10 miles away
 National Parks Near Root River:
Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, Lockport - IL , 59 miles away
 Golf Courses Near Root River:
Shoop Park Golf Course, Racine , 4 miles away

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions
Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater