Minnesota | Tettegouche
Baptism River
Eckbeck Campground to Tettegouche river-mouth take-out
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
Loading the route coverage map.
Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A short-mileage but full-commitment waterfall run with multiple scouts and carries.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Eckbeck Campground river accessConfirm campground access, parking, and seasonal road conditions before driving.
Take-out
Tettegouche river-mouth take-outExit from the river at the mapped mouth access; Lake Superior is not part of this route.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Confirm campground access, parking, and seasonal road conditions before driving.
- Exit from the river at the mapped mouth access; Lake Superior is not part of this route.
Watch for
- Illgen Falls
- mandatory High Falls portage
- Two Step
- Narrows/Cascades
- cold-water exposure
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Data and sources
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Baptism River near Beaver Bay, MN 61 |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 300 cfs to 450 cfs |
| Low threshold | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | 500 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater lower Baptism flow guidance |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Reach and difficulty3.8 miles; Class II-V
American Whitewater documents the Eckbeck start, Illgen Falls, mandatory High Falls portage, Two Step, Narrows/Cascades, and mapped take-out.
- Direct flow model200 / 300-450 / 500 cfs
American Whitewater identifies 200 cfs as a low runnable Illgen reference, 300-450 cfs as optimal, and above 500 cfs as having serious consequences.
- Direct telemetryDNR 01092001 near the finish
The active station at Highway 61 reports current stage and discharge on the Baptism River.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Baptism River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Baptism River?
Paddle Today watches Baptism River near Beaver Bay, MN 61 and treats 300 cfs to 450 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Baptism River route start and end?
This route starts at Eckbeck Campground river access and ends at Tettegouche river-mouth take-out, about About 3.8 mi on the water.
Is this Baptism River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.