See all 11 routes on Crow Wing River
Minnesota | Wadena Area
Crow Wing River
Huntersville North to Mary Brown
Check current paddling conditions for this Crow Wing River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
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
Launch at Huntersville North and finish at Mary Brown for the current DNR-recommended Crow Wing Map 1 day trip through Huntersville State Forest. The Nimrod gauge is a downstream proxy, so visible depth, vegetation, and wood decide the launch call.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Put-in
Crow Wing River, Huntersville (N) Public Water Access SiteOpen mapHuntersville North and Mary Brown both resolve as Minnesota public-water-access GIS records with river miles and coordinates.
Take-out
Crow Wing River, Mary Brown #5 Public Water Access SiteOpen mapThe route uses the official Nimrod interpreted gauge downstream of the take-out. Confirm depth and channel conditions at Huntersville before launching.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Huntersville North and Mary Brown both resolve as Minnesota public-water-access GIS records with river miles and coordinates.
- The route uses the official Nimrod interpreted gauge downstream of the take-out. Confirm depth and channel conditions at Huntersville before launching.
- Private banks and informal forest edges are not backup landings; stay with public accesses and designated sites.
Watch for
- Vegetation-choked channels, shallow bars, storm wood, sweepers, and low-water dragging.
- Remote forest access, cold shoulder-season water, and limited fast rescue exposure.
- Rising water or localized debris that makes the downstream Nimrod gauge less representative.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
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 | Crow Wing River at Nimrod, MN |
| 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 | 400 cfs to 800 cfs |
| Low threshold | 300 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,100 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 Crow Wing River at Nimrod |
| 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.
- Official recommended tripHuntersville North RM 82.6 to Mary Brown RM 75.3, 7.3 miles
MN DNR lists Huntersville North to Mary Brown as the recommended Map 1 Crow Wing day trip through Huntersville State Forest with campsite and outfitter context.
- Public access recordsWAS01525 to WAS02558
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Huntersville North and Mary Brown as official Crow Wing River public access sites with coordinates and river-mile values.
- Official DNR bands300 / 400-800 / 1,100 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Nimrod gauge as Scrapable below 300 cfs, Low from 300 to 400, Medium from 400 to 800, High from 800 to 1,100, and Very High above 1,100.
- Current gauge check148 cfs at 2026-07-23 21:00 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Nimrod below the official scrapable floor during this run.
- Safety postureVegetation, wood, and remote forest access
DNR Map 1 warns that northern Crow Wing channels can become thick with vegetation and may be impassable at times, while the route page frames Huntersville State Forest as a remote public-land corridor.
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.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Crow Wing River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Crow Wing River?
Paddle Today watches Crow Wing River at Nimrod, MN and treats 400 cfs to 800 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Crow Wing River route start and end?
This route starts at Crow Wing River, Huntersville (N) Public Water Access Site and ends at Crow Wing River, Mary Brown #5 Public Water Access Site, about 7.3 mi on the water.
Is this Crow Wing River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.