See all 18 routes on Des Moines River
Minnesota | Southwest Minnesota
Des Moines RiverAshley Park to Petersburg
Shorter lower-Des-Moines day below Jackson, using a direct in-route DNR gauge and keeping the mapped wire hazard and Petersburg take-out in focus.
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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
Launch at Ashley Park and take out at Petersburg for the short lower-Des-Moines split around the direct Jackson gauge and the DNR-mapped wire hazard.
Access map
Put-in
Des Moines River, Ashley Park Public Water Access SiteAshley Park resolves as WAS02771 at Des Moines River mile 12.8, and Petersburg resolves as WAS01443 at river mile 3.1.
Take-out
Des Moines River, Petersburg Public Water Access SiteThe Jackson DNR gauge sits inside the route near river mile 12.3, just below Ashley Park and the former Jackson Dam / high Class I rapid context.
Road shuttle
Stage Petersburg first, then drive back to Ashley Park. This is the shorter lower-Des-Moines option below Jackson, so do not assume you are committed to the full Christianna-to-Petersburg day.
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Access planner
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Des Moines River, Ashley Park Public Water Access Site to Des Moines River, Petersburg Public Water Access Site is about 9.7 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Additional access notes
- DNR Map 1 marks a wire hazard near river mile 6.1 that may be impassable at high water. Confirm the hazard before launching if water is high, rising, or debris-laden.
More route and safety guidance
- DNR Map 1 marks a wire hazard near river mile 6.1 that may be impassable at high water. Treat that as a go/no-go condition, not a casual warning.
- Take out at Petersburg and use only named public accesses. Do not assume private banks or informal road crossings are legal exits.
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Detailed weather
Weather
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Next 8 hours
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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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 | West Fork Des Moines River at Jackson, River St |
| Discharge | Checking |
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| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
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| Rain last 24h | Checking |
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| Air temp | Checking |
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| Wind | Checking |
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| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 200 cfs to 900 cfs |
| Low threshold | 75 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,800 cfs |
| Evidence strength 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 West Fork Des Moines River at Jackson |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
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 shapeAshley Park RM 12.8 to Petersburg RM 3.1
MN DNR Des Moines River Map 1 shows Ashley Park, the Jackson gauge and former dam area, a wire hazard near river mile 6.1, and Petersburg trailer access along this lower section.
- Public access recordsWAS02771 to WAS01443
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Ashley Park and Petersburg with route river miles, coordinates, and public access records.
- Official DNR bands75 / 200-900 / 1,800 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Jackson gauge as Scrapable below 75 cfs, Low from 75 to 200, Medium from 200 to 900, High from 900 to 1,800, and Very High above 1,800.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-17225 cfs at 2026-07-17 05:00
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.
- Why split the long cardShorter direct-gauge lower option
The existing Christianna-to-Petersburg card remains the full 26-mile lower route; this card isolates the final 9.7 miles around the direct Jackson gauge and the mapped wire hazard for a more realistic day trip.
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 Des Moines River
All 18Nearby routes within 75 miles
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