Paddle Rules Finder

Des Moines River access points and trip distances, Iowa

65 access points (65 public) along 418.3 river miles of the Des Moines River in Iowa. Distances are measured along the river on the NHDPlus V2 main-stem flowline, not straight-line. River mile 0 is the farthest-upstream access listed here.

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Time estimates use the speed above; 2 mph is a typical relaxed recreational pace with light current. Set your own.

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Dark dots are public access points; brown dots are private, members-only or agency-land access. Tap a dot for its river mile and coordinates.

River conditions: Des Moines River blw Raccoon Riv at Des Moines, IA
USGS flow and NWS forecast

Access points in river order

River mileAccessLatitude, longitudeTo next (river mi)
0.0Des Moines River, Petersburg Public Water Access Site
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
43.52639, -94.91897 8.0
8.0Boat ramp (north ramp)
Mapped in OpenStreetMap, check access locally.
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43.45919, -94.86674 5.7
13.7Boat ramp (north ramp)
Mapped in OpenStreetMap, check access locally.
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43.41235, -94.83992 0.2
13.84th Street Bridge
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43.41062, -94.84201 0.8
14.6Mike Mickelson Park
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43.40047, -94.84562 8.7
23.3Peterson Access
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43.31836, -94.77891 8.1
31.4Graettinger Access
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43.24179, -94.73930 10.4
41.8Basswood Recreation Area
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43.12689, -94.70604 13.2
55.0Mulroney Recreation Area
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
43.01742, -94.57531 7.4
62.5River Runner Access
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
42.93596, -94.52082 12.5
75.0Willows Access
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42.80159, -94.42781 9.7
84.7Rutland Utility Dam
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42.75546, -94.29531 3.9
88.5Oxbow Access
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42.73221, -94.25703 0.6
89.1Joe Sheldon Park
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
42.72861, -94.25019 1.3
90.4Lake Nokomis Boat Ramp
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
42.72762, -94.22905 5.0
95.4Frank A Gotch Park
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42.67659, -94.19845 14.8
110.1Upper Dam
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42.51959, -94.19939 2.0
112.1Boat ramp near Deer Creek
Mapped in OpenStreetMap, check access locally.
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
42.49616, -94.19033 0.5
112.6Lower Dam
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42.49081, -94.18397 15.0
127.6Dolliver State Park
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42.39002, -94.07867 2.8
130.5Boat ramp near Crooked Creek (west ramp)
Mapped in OpenStreetMap, check access locally.
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
42.36165, -94.05174 3.5
133.9Deception Hollow
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42.32728, -94.02058 15.2
149.1Boone Forks Wildlife Area Skillet Access
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42.25643, -93.99689 11.8
160.9North Fraser Ramp
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
42.12884, -93.98180 0.8
161.6South Fraser Ramp
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
42.12183, -93.97024 6.0
167.6Waterworks Ramp (upstream)
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
42.08162, -93.93815 0.3
167.9Waterworks (downstream
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
42.07682, -93.93531 6.1
174.1Hwy 30 Access
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
42.03700, -93.92783 7.9
181.9Dogwood Ramp
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
41.96663, -93.89617 3.9
185.8Sportsman Ramp
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41.93337, -93.88638 5.5
191.3Hwy 210 Access
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41.87403, -93.86428 2.6
194.0Sub-1 Ramp
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41.84950, -93.85078 15.7
209.7Boat ramp near Rock Creek
Mapped in OpenStreetMap, check access locally.
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
41.69941, -93.67571 2.1
211.8Sycamore Access
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41.68075, -93.66807 5.8
217.6Boat ramp (south ramp)
Mapped in OpenStreetMap, check access locally.
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
41.61825, -93.63675 1.6
219.2Birdland Park
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41.61057, -93.61214 9.6
228.8Pleasant Hill Boat Ramp
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41.56564, -93.51025 3.8
232.6Yellow Banks Access
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41.54531, -93.47527 11.0
243.6Middle River Access
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41.48575, -93.39677 0.9
244.5Ford Access
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41.49400, -93.38392 1.7
246.2Runnells Access
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41.48595, -93.35922 1.5
247.7Boat ramp near Camp Creek
Mapped in OpenStreetMap, check access locally.
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
41.48877, -93.33074 4.4
252.1Bennington Bridge
About 0.11 mi from the mapped river line.
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41.48690, -93.27384 6.0
258.0Boxcar Bend
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41.46631, -93.21081 19.5
277.5Boat ramp (south ramp)
Mapped in OpenStreetMap, check access locally.
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
41.36307, -92.97244 0.2
277.7Red Rock Tailwater Area
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41.36031, -92.97178 19.0
296.7Eveland Access
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41.23598, -92.73634 9.0
305.7Hardfish Access
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41.15678, -92.65268 17.0
322.7Black Hawk River Access
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
41.02371, -92.43581 1.2
323.9Coliseum Ramp
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
41.01669, -92.41463 0.3
324.2Boat ramp (south ramp)
Mapped in OpenStreetMap, check access locally.
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
41.01198, -92.41268 7.4
331.6Cliffland Access
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.95864, -92.34373 10.1
341.7Eldon Ramp
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.90989, -92.21758 4.7
346.4Shidepoke Access
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.87074, -92.15853 4.6
351.0Douds Access
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.83643, -92.08664 10.1
361.1Austin Park
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.76749, -91.96832 5.9
367.0Keosauqua Ramp
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.73063, -91.95995 8.8
375.7Bentonsport Park
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.72552, -91.85601 3.6
379.3Bonaparte Ramp
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.69781, -91.80615 3.5
382.8Des Moines River Access
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.67031, -91.75788 2.4
385.2Farmington Access
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.63890, -91.74366 8.9
394.1Turkey Run Access
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.55015, -91.65415 8.8
402.9Fort Pike Access
Mapped in OpenStreetMap, check access locally.
Launch page View in Google Earth (opens in a new tab) Directions (opens in a new tab)
40.46114, -91.56674 14.0
416.9Red Wing Access
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40.38720, -91.44878 1.4
418.3Keokuk Municipal Ramp
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40.38270, -91.42254 end
Data notes: 1 access point is more than 0.1 mi from the mapped line; its river mile is where it meets the line.

Sources: river line and lengths from NHDPlus V2 via EPA WATERS (lengths scaled to each reach's published length); access points from Iowa DNR Boat Ramps, Minnesota DNR Water Access, OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Only access points in our launch data are shown, so there may be others. Check access, dams and conditions before you go.

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