See all 5 routes on Cannon River
Minnesota | Southeast Minnesota
Cannon RiverCannon Falls to Welch
Easy-moving day paddle from Cannon Falls to Welch. Welch Mill is a private outfitter landing rather than formal public access; use this take-out only with a confirmed arrangement.
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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
Put in at Riverside Park in Cannon Falls and finish at the conditional Welch Mill outfitter landing. This itinerary depends on a confirmed operator arrangement; it is not a public-access-to-public-access route.
Access map
Put-in
Riverside Park canoe launch (Cannon Falls)Riverside Park has an official canoe launch, but local parking or day-use rules can still change.
Take-out
Welch Mill private outfitter landing (conditional)MN DNR says Welch has no developed public water access. Welch Mill's current service returns its customers to the mill after an upstream shuttle; do not use the landing or park there without a current reservation or explicit permission.
Road shuttle
MilesPaddled describes a bike shuttle using the Cannon Valley Trail. Car shuttle is simplest.
Additional access notes
- The stored Welch Mill coordinate is an access-area/business anchor, not a surveyed water-entry point. Confirm the actual landing and carry with the operator on the day of travel.
More route and safety guidance
- Check the Welch gauge and trend before launching. Higher flow can make the otherwise easy Cannon more challenging, while heavy rain can flood the corridor and collect woody debris.
- Use Riverside Park's documented canoe launch at Cannon Falls and plan the full shuttle, landing, and cold-water contingency before committing to this 11.75-mile reach.
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
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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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 Welch, 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.
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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 | Cannon River at Welch, MN |
| Discharge | Checking |
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| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
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| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
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| Wind | Checking |
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| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 300 cfs to 700 cfs |
| Low threshold | 220 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,540 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | MilesPaddled Cannon River II numeric range notes |
| 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.
- Ideal gauge300 to 700 cfs
Primary sweet spot from MilesPaddled. The same source treats 300 to 1,540 cfs as medium rather than extreme.
- DNR level context310 cfs = Normal; 1,840 cfs = High
MN DNR weekly stream-flow reports classified Welch as Normal at 310 cfs on October 18, 2021 and High at 1,840 cfs on May 2, 2011.
- DifficultyEasy
Good first-pass river, but not a blind yes when levels spike.
- Primary cautionWelch take-out logistics
Private landing context reduces confidence outside well-known conditions.
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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