See all 9 routes on Big Fork River
Minnesota | Northern Minnesota
Big Fork RiverHighway 6 North to Big Falls East Landing
Full Big Fork continuation from Highway 6 North through Johnson Landing to Big Falls, ending beside the current Big Falls gauge.
Checking current river conditions…
Route location
Loading the route map.
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at Highway 6 North, pass Johnson Landing, and finish at Big Falls East beside the direct Big Falls gauge corridor.
Access map
Put-in
Big Fork River, State Hwy 6 (S) / Highway 6 North Public Water Access SiteMinnesota public-water-access GIS labels the put-in as State Hwy 6 (S), while DNR route/map copy calls it Highway 6 North; use the river-mile 75.8 record and coordinates to avoid confusing it with the upstream Highway 6 South access.
Take-out
Big Falls East Landing trailer accessThe Craigsville gauge is upstream of the route, so check actual depth and wood at Highway 6 North before committing.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out before launching. This combined route joins the researched big-fork-river-highway-6-north-johnson and big-fork-river-johnson-big-falls-east access corridors and requires a longer rural shuttle.
Additional access notes
- Do not casually continue below Johnson toward Big Falls unless the group planned the separate full-day Johnson-to-Big-Falls route and mandatory take-out above the falls.
- Big Falls East is the intended river-left finish before the falls. Do not drift downstream into the Big Falls portage/falls zone by accident.
- DNR explicitly identifies Grunwald as the shortening point for this corridor, which also serves as the cleanest mid-route bailout if the day is moving slower than expected.
- Johnson has a campsite and rest area, but this is still a remote forest route between named public accesses rather than a corridor with easy roadside exits.
More route and safety guidance
- This long day stays mostly Class I-II upstream, but high or rising water makes the final approach and missed-take-out consequence much more serious.
- Use only the named public accesses, designated campsites, and DNR portage path. Private banks and improvised landings are not part of the route plan.
- This longer combined itinerary requires an early start, a staged shuttle, and a conservative turnaround decision even when the direct gauge is in range.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.
Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.
Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.
Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.
Conditions
Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampundefined provides a current paddling-level interpretation; Paddle Today does not turn the source hydrograph image into trend samples.
Detailed weather
Weather
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Share a recent access update, hazard observation or photo.
Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Qualifying gauge relationshipBig Fork River at Big Falls, MN
DNR site 5 is at Big Falls at the downstream end of this route, providing direct interpreted conditions for the complete corridor.
- Public-access continuityHighway 6 North to Big Falls East Landing
The route joins adjacent researched segments whose shared endpoint coordinates and official public-access records match.
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
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.