Kentucky · Stanton, KY

Red River float season

Gauge 03283500 on the Red River Gorge scenic stretch from Copperas Creek to Clay City. The scenic water trail through Red River Gorge country, drifting beneath sandstone cliffs and hemlock ravines in Kentucky's arch-studded backyard.

canoekayak Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
Red River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 200 750 2k 3k
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Red River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Stanton gauge, the Red River runs fullest Feb–Apr and leanest Aug–Oct. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past March days at this gauge ran above 641 CFS; the September median is 34 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 402
February 551
March 641
April 509
May 255
June 109
July 90
August 65
September 34
October 34
November 69
December 293

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1931 — 93 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 26,100 CFS, in December 1979. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.

Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.

More Kentucky float rivers

Common questions

When is the Red River usually at its fullest?

At the Stanton gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 641 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Red River?

The July median at this gauge is about 90 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Late summer is this river's lean season, so expect readings to drift down as the season goes on.

Is the Red River safe to float right now?

No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 86 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.

Which USGS gauge does this page use?

USGS gauge 03283500 (RED RIVER AT CLAY CITY, KY), chosen because it best represents the Red River Gorge scenic stretch from Copperas Creek to Clay City. Daily records here reach back to 1931.

Data: USGS gauge 03283500, approved daily records 1931–2024, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.