See all 12 routes on Crow Wing River
Minnesota | Central Minnesota
Crow Wing RiverStigman's Mound to Cottingham County Park
Longest Nimrod-downstream Crow Wing continuation in the county-park chain. It starts just below the upper rapids cluster and links Stigman's, Little White Dog, Knob Hill, and Cottingham into one source-backed full day.
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at Stigman's Mound and finish at Cottingham for the full Nimrod-downstream county-park chain. The river is straightforward in character, but the mileage, low-water pace, and busier final miles make it a deliberate day.
Access map
Put-in
Stigman's Mound #7 carry-in accessWadena County says Stigman's Mound amenities are reached after landing across the river and walking over the bridge, so have the launch and parking plan clear before leaving a vehicle.
Take-out
Cottingham County Park #11 carry-in accessLittle White Dog and Knob Hill are the clearest midpoint bailout or overnight options if the group does not want to commit to the full Cottingham finish.
Road shuttle
Longer Wadena County shuttle from Nimrod to Cottingham. Stage the Cottingham take-out first because it is the busiest landing in this chain and the full route takes enough time that finish logistics matter.
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Stigman's Mound #7 carry-in access to Cottingham County Park #11 carry-in access is about 16.2 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Additional access notes
- Cottingham is a county park with heavier summer use for swimming and tubing, so expect a busier and less secluded take-out than the upstream landings.
More route and safety guidance
- Little White Dog and Knob Hill are the clearest midpoint bailout or overnight options before the busy Cottingham finish.
- Knob Hill and Cottingham both attract summer tubing and swimming traffic, and private shoreland dominates outside the named county accesses and campsites.
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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.
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 | Crow Wing River at Nimrod, MN |
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| Preferred range | 400 cfs to 800 cfs |
| Low threshold | 300 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,100 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
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| Main source behind this score | MN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Crow Wing River at Nimrod |
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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.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-06-26Nimrod gauge 217 cfs
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.
- DNR bands300 / 400-800 / 1,100 cfs
MN DNR interprets Nimrod 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.
- Map supportStigman's 65.7 to Cottingham 49.5
Crow Wing Map 2 places Stigman's Mound at river mile 65.7 and Cottingham at 49.5, making this a 16.2-mile lower-corridor continuation.
- Public access recordsStigman's WAS02557 and Cottingham WAS01325
Minnesota public-water-access records resolve Stigman's Mound and Cottingham as official Crow Wing county-park accesses, with Little White Dog and Knob Hill between them on the same state map.
- On-route camping supportLittle White Dog and Knob Hill midpoint campgrounds
Crow Wing Map 2 lists primitive campsites, water, and camping fees at Little White Dog, Knob Hill, and Cottingham, giving this longer route documented overnight or bailout support in the middle and at the finish.
- Downstream recreation supportTubing and swimming near the final miles
Wadena County describes Knob Hill as a popular tubing put-in and Cottingham as a popular park for picnicking and swimming, which matches the busier downstream recreation zone on this route.
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