See all 7 routes on Big Fork River
Minnesota | Northern Minnesota
Big Fork River
Highway 1 to Highway 6 South
Check current paddling conditions for this Big Fork River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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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 at Highway 1 and finish at Highway 6 South for the upstream Big Fork section above the existing Highway 6 South-to-North card. The route includes remote campsites, Muldoon Rapids, and the mandatory Little American Falls portage.
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
State Highway 1 carry-in accessOpen mapHighway 1 and Highway 6 South are official public accesses, but both are remote carry-in landings; inspect parking, mud, and launch condition before leaving a vehicle.
Take-out
Highway 6 South / State Hwy 6 Bridge carry-in accessOpen mapLittle American Falls is not an optional casual feature. General paddlers should portage left and budget time for a steep or brushy carry. A county campground and picnic area are nearby but require a climb from river level.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Highway 1 and Highway 6 South are official public accesses, but both are remote carry-in landings; inspect parking, mud, and launch condition before leaving a vehicle.
- Little American Falls is not an optional casual feature. General paddlers should portage left and budget time for a steep or brushy carry. A county campground and picnic area are nearby but require a climb from river level.
- This route is too long to improvise late in the day. If campsites are occupied, weather changes, or water is lower than expected, shorten the plan rather than forcing the full distance.
Watch for
- Muldoon Rapids, a bouldery Class II reach with a mapped river-right half-mile portage and larger waves in high water.
- Little American Falls, a Class IV-V six-foot ledge that DNR says should be portaged by all but the most experienced paddlers.
- Rocky low-water rapids, brushy portages, cold water, fresh strainers, limited cell service, and long rescue exposure.
- High or rising water that makes rapids, portage landings, and loaded-boat handling much more consequential.
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.
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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 nr Craigsville, MN6 |
| 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 | 4.50 ft to 8.50 ft |
| Low threshold | 4.00 ft |
| High threshold | 9.50 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 near Craigsville |
| 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.
- DNR bands4.0 / 4.5-8.5 / 9.5 ft
MN DNR interprets the Craigsville / Highway 6 South gauge as Scrapable below 4.0 ft, Low from 4.0 to 4.5, Medium from 4.5 to 8.5, High from 8.5 to 9.5, and Very High above 9.5.
- Current gauge check4.81 ft at 2026-07-17 07:00
The live MN DNR feed placed the Craigsville / Highway 6 South gauge inside the official medium band during this run.
- Map supportHighway 1 RM 123.8 to Highway 6 South RM 91.5
MN DNR Map 1 places Highway 1, Busticogan campsite, Muldoon Rapids, Little American Falls, Old Hudson Bay Farm campsite, and Highway 6 South in sequence over 32.3 river miles.
- Mandatory hazardLittle American Falls Class IV-V
MN DNR identifies Little American Falls as Class IV-V and says the falls must be portaged by all but the most experienced paddlers.
- Public access recordsWAS01804 to WAS01794
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves the Highway 1 carry-in and Highway 6 South / State Hwy 6 Bridge access with coordinates and river-mile context.
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.
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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 nr Craigsville, MN6 and treats 4.50 ft to 8.50 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 State Highway 1 carry-in access and ends at Highway 6 South / State Hwy 6 Bridge carry-in access, about 32.3 mi on the water.
Is this Big Fork 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
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.