Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the reporting a streamflow rate of cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Willow River, with a gauge stage of ft at this location. This river is monitored from 1 different streamgauging stations along the Willow River, the highest being situated at an altitude of ft, the .
Willow River State Park is a 2,891-acre (1,170 ha) Wisconsin state park located five miles (8 km) north of Hudson. The centerpiece of the park is Willow Falls, a powerful cascade in a 200-foot (61 m) deep gorge. Another popular feature is Little Falls Lake, a shallow reservoir on the Willow River. Because of its proximity to Minneapolis-St. Paul it is one of the most visited state parks in Wisconsin. Trilobite fossils found in the lower layers of the gorge indicate the rock is around 600 million years old.