See all 5 routes on Cannon River
Minnesota | Southern Minnesota
Cannon River
Cannon River Wilderness Area to Riverside City Park, Northfield
Check current paddling conditions for this Cannon River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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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
Paddle the DNR-recommended Wilderness Area to Northfield day trip with a direct interpreted gauge at the take-out. The trip must end at Riverside City Park before the 10-foot Northfield dam, which DNR maps as having no developed portage.
Put-in
Cannon River Wilderness Area carry-inOpen mapMinnesota public-water-access GIS resolves the Wilderness Area carry-in and Riverside City Park / Highway 3 access with river-mile records.
Take-out
Riverside City Park / Highway 3 accessOpen mapThe route ends just above the Northfield dam. Treat Riverside City Park as the mandatory take-out, not an optional stop.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves the Wilderness Area carry-in and Riverside City Park / Highway 3 access with river-mile records.
- The route ends just above the Northfield dam. Treat Riverside City Park as the mandatory take-out, not an optional stop.
- DNR warns that public route maps do not imply permission to use private banks; stay on public accesses and designated campsites.
Watch for
- Shallow rocky water in dry periods, especially below the official medium band.
- Flooding, fast current, and new trees or snags after heavy rain.
- The Northfield dam corridor immediately below the take-out.
Route gallery
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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 | Cannon River at Northfield, 2nd St West |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | 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 | 202 cfs to 2,730 cfs |
| Low threshold | 88 cfs |
| High threshold | 3,710 cfs |
| 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 Cannon River at Northfield |
| 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 recommended one-way8.5 mi, Wilderness Area to Riverside City Park
MN DNR lists Cannon River Wilderness Area Carry-in Access to Riverside City Park in Northfield as a recommended one-way paddle.
- Public access recordsWAS01381 to WAS01379
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves the Wilderness Area and Riverside City Park / Highway 3 public access sites with coordinates and river-mile records.
- Official DNR bands88 / 202-2,730 / 3,710 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Northfield gauge as Scrapable below 88 cfs, Low from 88 to 202, Medium from 202 to 2,730, High from 2,730 to 3,710, and Very High above 3,710.
- Current gauge check855 cfs at 2026-07-23 10:45 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed the direct Northfield gauge in the official medium band during this run.
- Camping and dam contextWilderness watercraft campsites; Northfield dam below take-out
DNR Cannon maps show Wilderness-area campsite amenities upstream and a 10-foot Northfield Dam just below Riverside City Park with no developed portage.
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.
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Quick answers
Cannon River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Cannon River?
Paddle Today watches Cannon River at Northfield, 2nd St West and treats 202 cfs to 2,730 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Cannon River route start and end?
This route starts at Cannon River Wilderness Area carry-in and ends at Riverside City Park / Highway 3 access, about About 8.5 mi on the water.
Is this Cannon River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.