North Fork of the Maquoketa

• Worthington to Highway 136 Bridge

The North Fork of the Maquoketa for a long time was the little-known cousin of the Maquoketa River, but it's recently been discovered by paddlers. It watershed has its roots in northern Dubuque County just a few miles from the Mississippi, but the hard charcter of the limestones in this region divert the waters south and then east, until the river joins the Maquoketa just downstream of the city of Maquoketa -- a circuitous route to the Father of Waters. Mostly a gentle gradient stream, the North Fork has great paddling waters, and is often mentioned in the same breath as the Upper Iowa or the Volga. The best paddling is below Cascade, and it's excellent well downstream to Caven Bridge Road. Beyond there, the river's valley gradually widens. The North Fork is not known for great fishing, but some smallmouth bass are likely present in deeper holes. The only river guage on the river is below the prime paddling stretches at Fulton.

Recent River Level Readings - taken from Army Corps

Location: Fulton