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See all 6 routes on Cottonwood River

Minnesota | Southern Minnesota

Cottonwood RiverCounty Road 10 to County Road 11

Short maintained-corridor Cottonwood connector from the County Road 10 / Marti Landing access to County Road 11, filling the clean Brown County canoe-landing gap below Sleepy Eye.

Route location

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DistanceAbout 6.7 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 2 hr to 3.5 hr
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Cottonwood River bends through Flandrau State Park in southern Minnesota.
River contextCottonwood River at Flandrau State Park river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Tony Webster via Wikimedia Commons
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.

Permits, camping and season
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Use the named public accesses, follow Minnesota boating/PFD rules, and respect Brown County, DNR, and private-property postings.
CampingOptions nearbyTreat this as a day route. DNR trip-planning guidance says to camp only in designated campsites, and no designated campsite is selected between County Road 10 and County Road 11.
SeasonApr-OctSpring and rain-fed windows are most reliable. The short mileage makes this a practical local day, but summer lows can scrape and storm rises can quickly change wood and muddy-bank conditions.

Access and shuttle

Launch at County Road 10 / Marti Landing and take out at County Road 11 for a short maintained-corridor Cottonwood River connector. The route is straightforward at official medium levels, but low water, fresh wood, and private banks are the main constraints.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Cottonwood River, Co Rd 10 Public Water Access Site
DirectionsOpen map

MN DNR Map 4 places County Road 10 at river mile 23.5 and County Road 11 at river mile 16.8.

Finish

Take-out

Cottonwood River, Co Rd 11 Public Water Access Site
DirectionsOpen map

Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves County Road 10 as WAS01423 and County Road 11 as WAS01424, both carry-in natural launches with parking and no restroom.

Road shuttle

Stage the County Road 11 take-out first, then launch from County Road 10 / Marti Landing. This is a short rural shuttle but still needs a take-out scout because muddy banks and wood can change after high water.

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Additional access notes
  • Brown County lists both County Road 10 / Marti Landing and County Road 11 as public canoe landings with put-in areas and parking.
More route and safety guidance
  • The Leavenworth gauge is upstream of the selected reach. Confirm local depth at County Road 10 and do not assume low readings will carry a loaded boat cleanly.
  • The County Road 11 take-out is the selected public exit; private banks and road shoulders away from access sites are not backup landings.
Terms and safety
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Conditions

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Sources and methodology

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NotesPublished evidence and verification notes

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Route milepointsCounty Road 10 RM 23.5 to County Road 11 RM 16.8

    MN DNR Map 4 maps the exact Cottonwood reach between the two selected public accesses.

    Source

  • Public access recordsWAS01423 to WAS01424

    Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves County Road 10 and County Road 11 with coordinates, launch type, parking, managing authority, and river-mile records.

    Source

  • Official DNR bands963 / 967-971 / 974 ft

    MN DNR interprets the Leavenworth gauge as Scrapable below 963 ft, Low from 963 to 967, Medium from 967 to 971, High from 971 to 974, and Very High above 974.

    Source

  • Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-23967.04 ft at 2026-07-23 08:15

    This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.

    Source

  • Camping postureDay route, no selected campsite

    DNR trip-planning guidance says to camp only in designated campsites; the selected County Road 10-to-County Road 11 reach has public accesses but no selected designated river campsite.

    Source

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Other routes nearby

More on Cottonwood River

All 6
County Road 11 to Flandrau State ParkSouthern MinnesotaModerate · About 11.1 mi

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Minnesota RiverHarkin Store to Buessman Bridge · about 8 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 9.0 mi

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