See all 9 routes on Big Fork River
Minnesota | Northern Minnesota
Big Fork RiverBig Falls West to Kueffners Landing
Longest currently supported post-portage Big Fork continuation from Cody Landing / Big Falls West to Kueffners Landing. It carries the full lower rapid corridor plus three named campsite bailouts before the lower-river campsite finish.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch below Big Falls at Cody Landing / Big Falls West and finish at Kueffners for the longest current lower-Big-Fork continuation in the app. It adds the full rapid-stretch corridor plus a lower campsite finish with toilets.
Access map
Put-in
Big Falls West / Cody Landing Public Water Access SiteBig Falls West is the downstream put-in reached after the documented Big Falls portage. Do not start above the falls unless you have separately planned that upstream route and portage.
Take-out
Kueffners Public Water Access SiteSturgeon, Ben Linn, and Gowdy are the clearest named bailout or overnight options before the Kueffners finish.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out at Kueffners before driving to Big Falls West / Cody Landing. This route begins below the Big Falls portage and commits you to a long remote forest run, so build in daylight and backup-driver margin.
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Big Falls West / Cody Landing Public Water Access Site to Kueffners Public Water Access Site is about 22.2 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Additional access notes
- Stay with the named public accesses and campsites rather than improvising on brushy or private banks.
More route and safety guidance
- The lower half includes the Class I rapid stretch between river miles 41.3 and 39.8, where rising water, wood, and fatigue can stack up late in the day.
- Use only the named public accesses and campsites because most shoreline outside those sites remains undeveloped or private frontage.
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Conditions
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Gauge source
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Photos and recent reports
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Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Big Fork River at Big Falls, MN |
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| Preferred range | 2.80 ft to 4.50 ft |
| Low threshold | 1.50 ft |
| High threshold | 6.00 ft |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | MN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Big Fork River at Big Falls |
| Gauge source | Checking |
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NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-01Big Falls gauge 2.87 ft
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- DNR bands1.5 / 2.8-4.5 / 6.0 ft
MN DNR interprets the Big Falls gauge as Scrapable below 1.5 ft, Low from 1.5 to 2.8, Medium from 2.8 to 4.5, High from 4.5 to 6.0, and Very High above 6.0.
- Map supportBig Falls West RM 52.6 to Kueffners RM 30.4
DNR Map 2 places Cody Landing / Big Falls West at river mile 52.6, Sturgeon at 47.5, Ben Linn at 43.0, Gowdy at 34.2, and Kueffners at 30.4, supporting a 22.2-mile post-portage continuation.
- Rapid supportClass I rapids at RM 41.3-39.8
The DNR map marks a Class I rapid stretch between river miles 41.3 and 39.8 on the lower half of this route.
- Public access recordsBig Falls West WAS01791 and Kueffners WAS01788
Minnesota public-water-access data resolves Big Falls West on river right and Kueffners on river right with matching water-trail river miles in the official access layer.
- Camping supportSturgeon, Ben Linn, Gowdy, and Kueffners campsites
The DNR map says Sturgeon, Ben Linn, and Gowdy have watercraft campsites and that Kueffners has toilets plus a watercraft campsite, giving this full downstream continuation multiple legal bailout or overnight options.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
More on Big Fork River
All 9Nearby routes within 75 miles
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