See all 6 routes on Cottonwood River
Minnesota | Southern Minnesota
Cottonwood RiverFlandrau State Park to Highway 15 Access
Short New Ulm connector from Flandrau State Park to the Highway 15 / Cottonwood Street Bridge access, filling the official lower-Cottonwood access chain before the existing Highway-15-to-Courtland confluence route.
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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
Paddle from Flandrau State Park to Highway 15 on a short lower Cottonwood reach above the confluence. Check the live New Ulm gauge and local depth against DNR's scrapable guidance.
Access map
Put-in
Cottonwood River, Flandrau State Park Public Water Access SiteFlandrau State Park resolves as WAS02651 near the DNR-mapped watercraft campsite and park facilities.
Take-out
Highway 15 / Cottonwood Street Bridge public water accessHighway 15 / Cottonwood Street Bridge resolves as WAS01419 at Cottonwood river mile 1.6.
Road shuttle
Stage the Highway 15 / Cottonwood Street Bridge access first, then launch from Flandrau State Park. Confirm state-park entry rules and inspect the Highway 15 take-out before leaving the shuttle.
Additional access notes
- This route stops before the Cottonwood-Minnesota confluence. Continuing to Courtland requires the separate downstream route plan.
More route and safety guidance
- Use Flandrau State Park and Highway 15 as the selected public endpoints. Do not assume informal in-town banks, bridges, or private land are legal exits.
- The route stops at Highway 15. Continuing to the Minnesota River confluence and Courtland is a separate card with different wind and bigger-river exposure.
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Conditions
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Photos and recent reports
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Recent notes from paddlers
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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.
- Route milepointsFlandrau RM 5.7 to Highway 15 RM 1.6
MN DNR Map 4 maps Flandrau State Park camping/access context and the Highway 15 access sequence on the lower Cottonwood River.
- Public access recordsWAS02651 to WAS01419
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Flandrau State Park and Highway 15 / Cottonwood Street Bridge with official names, coordinates, and river-mile context.
- Official DNR bands150 / 250-870 / 2,190 cfs
MN DNR interprets the New Ulm gauge as Scrapable below 150 cfs, Low from 150 to 250, Medium from 250 to 870, High from 870 to 2,190, and Very High above 2,190.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-24113 cfs at 2026-07-24 06:00 CDT
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.
- Camping postureEndpoint state-park campground
DNR Map 4 shows Flandrau State Park camping, water, toilets, and a watercraft campsite near the route start; use designated sites and current park rules only.
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 Cottonwood River
All 6Nearby routes within 75 miles
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