See all 18 routes on Des Moines River
Minnesota | Southwest Minnesota
Des Moines River
Christiania Bridge to Ashley Park
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
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
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at Christiania Bridge and take out at Ashley Park for a 16.3-mile Des Moines River connector through Kilen Woods and Belmont. The Jackson gauge is just downstream of the finish, so use it with same-day visual checks at both endpoints.
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.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Des Moines River, Christiania Bridge / Chris Public Water Access SiteChristiania / Chris resolves as WAS01445 at river mile 29.1, and Ashley Park resolves as WAS02771 at river mile 12.8.
Take-out
Des Moines River, Ashley Park Public Water Access SiteThe Jackson DNR gauge sits just downstream of Ashley near the former Jackson Dam / high Class I rapid. Do not miss Ashley or casually continue downstream without a scouted plan.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Christiania / Chris resolves as WAS01445 at river mile 29.1, and Ashley Park resolves as WAS02771 at river mile 12.8.
- The Jackson DNR gauge sits just downstream of Ashley near the former Jackson Dam / high Class I rapid. Do not miss Ashley or casually continue downstream without a scouted plan.
- Kilen Woods State Park and Belmont County Park camping access depends on current posted rules, fees, reservations, and campsite availability.
Watch for
- Small Class I rapids near Kilen Woods, Belmont, and Jackson; lines can change with low water or debris.
- Snags, fallen trees, fast rises after rain, cold water, and muddy banks.
- Private shoreline and designated-campsite-only overnight rules.
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.
Score & sources
Data and sources
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | West Fork Des Moines River at Jackson, River St |
| 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 | 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 |
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.
- Route shapeChristiania RM 29.1 to Ashley Park RM 12.8
MN DNR Des Moines Map 1 places Christiania Bridge, Kilen Woods, Belmont County Park, Ashley Park, and the Jackson gauge/former dam area in sequence.
- Public access recordsWAS01445 to WAS02771
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves the Christiania / Chris access and Ashley Park with coordinates, route river miles, 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.
- Current gauge check113 cfs at 2026-07-22 18:00 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Jackson in the official low band during this run, below the preferred medium band.
- Camping and hazard contextKilen Woods and Belmont campsites; Class I rapids
DNR Map 1 identifies Kilen Woods State Park camping, Kilen Woods and Belmont watercraft campsites, several small Class I rapids, and private-bank camping limits.
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
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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
Des Moines River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Des Moines River?
Paddle Today watches West Fork Des Moines River at Jackson, River St and treats 200 cfs to 900 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Des Moines River route start and end?
This route starts at Des Moines River, Christiania Bridge / Chris Public Water Access Site and ends at Des Moines River, Ashley Park Public Water Access Site, about About 16.3 mi on the water.
Is this Des Moines 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
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.