See all 9 routes on Big Fork River
Minnesota | Northern Minnesota
Big Fork RiverGowdy Landing to Reedy Flats
Full lower Big Fork continuation from Gowdy Landing to Reedy Flats. It links the lower-river campsite chain and finishes at the last official take-out above the Rainy River confluence, so mileage and take-out discipline matter more than technical water.
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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 at Gowdy and finish at Reedy Flats for the full lower Big Fork continuation above the Rainy River. The current is usually gentler than the upper routes, but the mileage and finish demand real planning discipline.
Access map
Put-in
Gowdy Public Water Access SiteKueffners and Ivan Crawford are the only major named checkpoints before the final Reedy Flats finish.
Take-out
Reedy Flats Public Water Access SiteReedy Flats is the intended final public take-out above the Rainy River confluence. Do not assume a safe or public continuation beyond it.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out at Reedy Flats before driving to Gowdy. This is a full lower-river shuttle with only Kueffners and Ivan Crawford as named checkpoints before the Rainy River approach.
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Gowdy Public Water Access Site to Reedy Flats Public Water Access Site is about 33.7 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Additional access notes
- Use only the named public accesses and campsites because surrounding shoreline remains private or undeveloped.
More route and safety guidance
- Take out at Reedy Flats rather than drifting into the larger Rainy River corridor by accident after a long lower-river day or overnight.
- Use only the named public accesses and campsites because much of the lower corridor remains undeveloped or private frontage.
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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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 · 2026-07-03Big Falls gauge 2.82 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 supportGowdy RM 34.2 to Reedy Flats RM 0.5
DNR Map 2 places Gowdy at river mile 34.2, Kueffners at 30.4, Ivan Crawford at 9.0, and Reedy Flats at 0.5 just above the Rainy River confluence, supporting a 33.7-mile lower continuation.
- Public access recordsGowdy WAS02706 and Reedy Flats WAS02709
Minnesota public-water-access data resolves Gowdy on river right and Reedy Flats on river left with exact coordinates and matching water-trail river miles in the official access layer.
- Camping supportGowdy, Kueffners, and Reedy Flats campsites
The DNR map says Gowdy has a watercraft campsite, Kueffners adds toilets plus a campsite, and Reedy Flats has a toilet and watercraft campsite just above Highway 11, giving this route real overnight structure on the full lower continuation.
- Route characterCommitted lower corridor above Rainy River
DNR Map 2 shows only Kueffners and Ivan Crawford between Gowdy and the Reedy Flats finish, which makes this route a full lower-corridor commitment rather than a sequence of short public hops.
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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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