See all 5 routes on Cannon River
Minnesota | Southern Minnesota
Cannon RiverFaribault to Dundas
Classic southern-Minnesota day trip with mostly easy current, good scenery, and one clear question first: is there enough water to avoid a scrape-heavy slog without storm damage pushing the day out of bounds?
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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 Two Rivers Park in Faribault and finish at the Highway 1 Canoe Landing in Dundas. The reach is friendly at workable flow, but it is long enough that low-water riffles and post-rain debris still change the decision.
Access map
Put-in
Two Rivers Park canoe landingThe Two Rivers landing is more hidden and less polished than the park lot suggests, so walk it before unloading boats.
Take-out
Highway 1 Canoe Landing (Dundas)The Highway 1 take-out below the bridge is marked but easy to miss from upstream if you have not looked at it first.
Road shuttle
Car shuttle is simplest. A bike shuttle is possible when trail conditions line up, but confirm routing before you commit to highway shoulders.
Additional access notes
- Parking at the Dundas take-out is limited, so settle the shuttle plan before launching.
More route and safety guidance
- The 202 cfs value is only a low-water floor. The app has no source-backed high-water cutoff for this reach, so a reading above the floor is not by itself a launch recommendation; check the current trend and turn back before launching if stronger current or fresh wood makes the line uncertain.
- Use the named public carry-in accesses at Two Rivers and Dundas, plus the documented Cannon River Wilderness Area access if shortening the trip. MN DNR says much of the shoreland is private and directs paddlers to stop only at designated sites.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
Hourly forecast
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Cannon River at Northfield, MN. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
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.
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 | Cannon River at Northfield, MN |
| Discharge | Checking |
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| 24h trend | Checking |
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| Rain last 24h | Checking |
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| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 202 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | MilesPaddled Cannon River I + MN DNR medium-flow context |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Published low-water floor202 cfs
MilesPaddled points to MN DNR flow context showing 202 to 2,730 cfs as Medium at Northfield, which is a defensible floor for avoiding an obviously too-thin day.
- Strong trip-report day1,050 cfs
MilesPaddled calls 1,050 cfs at Northfield a very recommendable level for this Faribault to Dundas run.
- Route shape13.75 river miles
MN DNR Map 1 explicitly names Two Rivers Park carry-in access and Dundas City Park as the recommended day-trip endpoints for this run.
- Supplemental high-water context10.5 to 12 ft sweet spot; 14+ ft gets edgy
A Cannon outfitter using the Northfield gauge treats roughly 10.5 to 12 feet as the preferred range, with 13 to 14 feet getting harder and 14+ feet trending toward shutdown decisions. This is useful upper-flow context, but it is still stage-based and not route-specific enough to replace the app threshold model.
- Primary cautionWood and post-rain debris
The river is usually friendly, but the route report calls out snag and log-pile evidence after higher water.
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 Cannon River
All 5Nearby routes within 75 miles
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