Goal achieved! Finally we paddled under the Tiffany Bridge on Turtle Creek. We launched at Highway 140 and went to Sweet Allyn Park.
The Launch
Highway 140 bridge landing is at 5371 Highway 140, Clinton, WI There is a parking for around 10 cars. Choose from a dirt path and a grassy path (less steep) to the landing. It flattens out to a grassy area and the launch is easy / sandy. Our 2020 reconnaissance post on the various launch areas has more info and pictures.
Both take out spots have facilities but none here. The woods can suffice though.
The Paddle
It was a warm-ish, cloudy, not-too-windy day, warm enough that one of us in a kayak hung her bare foot over the side. The banks are mostly tree covered, and it felt isolated. We first tested how it would be paddling against the current and it was surprisingly doable. That gave us a chance to take a photo of the sign marking the take out from the river.
It was quiet, with very little road noise even though E. Creek Road (the shuttle route) runs alongside the creek for most of the way; we had the creek to ourselves.
We were thrilled that the water was exceptionally clear, which afforded great views of fish and creek bottom and vegetation (some of it invasive). The most outstanding sight was of course the Tiffany Bridge, which has a fascinating history (link here).
Because we started having problems with grounding after the Tiffany bridge, we would probably take out at Tiffany if we did this segment again unless water levels were quite a bit higher. In any case, the prettiest part of the creek for us was from Highway 140 to Tiffany.
Wildlife: lots of fish of various sizes, heron, kingfisher, turtles, funny geese, dragonflies including a red one we hadn’t seen before. There were lots of wild turkeys on both sides of the creek at take out.
Water Level: 73 cfs at Carver’s Rock 05431486. This is low, but we didn’t scrape or get hung up until just after the Tiffany Bridge.
Photos
Timeline:
- 1:00 Depart from Madison / Gary St
Cottage Grove Rd (BB) to Deerfield > South on WI 73 > US 14 – becomes US 51 where it crosses I-90. E on US 14 > WI 140 South to the landing. - 2:30 unpack
- 2:50 Shuttle x 2 (about 20 min E. Creek Road) – put one car at the Tiffany landing and one at Sweet Allyn to give us take-out options
- 3:30 Launch. Paddle at more than usual leisurely pace
- 6:10 Take out Sweet Allyn Park + Shuttle (We passed up Tiffany landing because we were having so much fun)
- 6:30 pack up
- 7:00 drive
- 8:00 home