Is it worth the trip?
92Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Thu 5: Wind 2 kn gusting 10, Air 20 °C
Tue 3 · 92 out of 100
- Wind
- 7 kn
- Gusts
- 14kn
- Air
- 25°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 69 out of 100
- Wind
- 13 kn
- Gusts
- 21kntoo gusty
- Air
- 20°C
- Rain
- 10.4 mm
Thu 5 · 99 out of 100
- Wind
- 2 kn
- Gusts
- 10kn
- Air
- 20°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Fri 6 · 97 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 12kn
- Air
- 20°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sat 7 · 90 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 9kn
- Air
- 13°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sun 8 · 89 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 17kn
- Air
- 16°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Mon 9 · 91 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 12kn
- Air
- 15°C
- Rain
- 2.7 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 294, good
- Tue 392, good
- Wed 469, good
- Thu 599, good
- Fri 697, good
- Sat 790, good
- Sun 889, good
- Mon 991, good
- Tue 1071, good
- Wed 1163, good
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know the river level, weirs or your skill.
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 94, good | 6 kn | 13kn | 22°C | 0.6 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 92, good | 7 kn | 14kn | 25°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 69, good | 13 kn | 21kntoo gusty | 20°C | 10.4 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 99, good | 2 kn | 10kn | 20°C | 0 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 97, good | 6 kn | 12kn | 20°C | 0 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 90, good | 3 kn | 9kn | 13°C | 0 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 89, good | 6 kn | 17kn | 16°C | 0 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 91, good | 5 kn | 12kn | 15°C | 2.7 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 71, good | 7 kn | 12kn | 9°C | 0.6 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 63, good | 11 kn | 26kn | 11°C | 4.5 mm |
Wind and gusts are in knots, rain in mm. River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Best time to go
No month stands out
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for grade III paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan6of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb7of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar7of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr7of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May7of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun7of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul7of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug7of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep7of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct7of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov7of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec7of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Dec
Tap a month to see this spot for a trip then.
Typical weather, not a forecast, and not the river's level: a month that is often good to be outside may still be low water.
Map
the spot and its town
Blue Water Trails Buck Creek on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
More kayaking near here
1 place
- Dahl-Rainey Road Access 3.8 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Blue Water Trails Buck Creek
A launch. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. The town to stay in is Science Hill. Within 5 km we also list 1 kayak spot.
- Grade No grade is stated.
- Who it suits No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,170–US$2,100 each
about US$1,170–US$2,100 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to LEX, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | about US$121–US$255 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$154–US$255 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$348–US$583 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$636 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$201–US$375 |
| Total | about US$1,170–US$2,100 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Science Hill
about 30 min by car · 1 place to stay
about US$134/nightcountry average
About Science Hill its beds, food and every spot near it
Nearest town: Science Hill, 16 km. We have not checked places to stay in Science Hill yet. The nearest beds we have counted are in Somerset, 18 km away (about 35 min by car). Search before you plan on staying there.
About US$134 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
Getting there: about 5h 10m
About 5h 10m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → LEX, direct, then 1h 55m by road
Flights ORD → LEX on your dates · Skyscanner
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Science Hill · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Science Hill · GetYourGuide
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
No paddling school, club or hire mapped within 25 km.
Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits