See all 7 routes on Big Fork River
Minnesota | Northern Minnesota
Big Fork River
Big Falls West to Kueffners Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this Big Fork River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
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.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Put-in
Big Falls West / Cody Landing Public Water Access SiteOpen mapBig 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 SiteOpen mapSturgeon, Ben Linn, and Gowdy are the clearest named bailout or overnight options before the Kueffners finish.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Big 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.
- Sturgeon, Ben Linn, and Gowdy are the clearest named bailout or overnight options before the Kueffners finish.
- Stay with the named public accesses and campsites rather than improvising on brushy or private banks.
Watch for
- The mapped Class I rapid stretch between river miles 41.3 and 39.8 on the lower half of the route.
- Outside-bend strainers, fresh storm wood, and quicker current after rain.
- Long-day fatigue plus scraping and slower travel when the Big Falls gauge falls toward the 1.5 ft floor.
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.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Big Fork River at Big Falls, MN |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 | 2.80 ft to 4.50 ft |
| Low threshold | 1.50 ft |
| High threshold | 6.00 ft |
| Data confidence 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 |
| 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.
- Direct live gaugeBig Falls gauge 2.87 ft
The official MN DNR river-level dataset reported 2.87 ft at 2026-07-01 09:00 PM for Big Fork River at Big Falls, confirming the current direct gauge path used for this route.
- 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.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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
Big Fork River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Big Fork River?
Paddle Today watches Big Fork River at Big Falls, MN and treats 2.80 ft to 4.50 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Big Fork River route start and end?
This route starts at Big Falls West / Cody Landing Public Water Access Site and ends at Kueffners Public Water Access Site, about 22.2 mi on the water.
Is this Big Fork River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.