Minnesota | North Shore
Knife RiverCounty Road 102 to Knife River Beach
North Shore intermediate run that builds from swift Class I water into ledges and sustained Class II-III, then continues through the Highway 61 drop sequence to the public beach at Lake Superior.
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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 the County Road 102 bridge, paddle the full American Whitewater Knife River reach, and finish on river right at Minnesota DNR's public Knife River Beach carry-in access.
Access map
Put-in
County Road 102 Knife River bridgeCounty Road 102 is a bridge put-in rather than a developed launch. Inspect the bank, parking, and any posted restrictions before unloading.
Take-out
Knife River Beach carry-in accessAt the mouth, land on river right at Knife River Beach. Do not use private river-left property or substitute the marina basin unless current local rules explicitly allow it.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out at the public Knife River Beach carry-in access on river right, then inspect the County Road 102 bridge put-in. Keep vehicles at lawful public parking and do not use private river-left property near the mouth.
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Access planner
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This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
County Road 102 Knife River bridge to Knife River Beach carry-in access is about 6.2 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Additional access notes
- The USGS gauge is direct and near the route finish, but flow bands remain community guidance; verify the hydrograph trend and visible bridge conditions.
More route and safety guidance
- Use the river-right public beach at the mouth. American Whitewater reports private-property friction on river left, so do not land or stage a shuttle there.
- The finish enters Lake Superior. Cancel when lake surf, wind, fog, cold-water exposure, or the beach landing is unsafe, even if the river gauge is runnable.
Plan this paddle
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Knife River near Two Harbors, MN. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
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 | Knife River near Two Harbors, 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 |
| Preferred range | 400 cfs to 700 cfs |
| Low threshold | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Knife River flow bands |
| 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.
- Reach and difficulty6.2 miles; Class II-III(IV)
American Whitewater documents the County Road 102 start, progressive whitewater, ledges, Highway 61 sequence, and Lake Superior finish.
- Direct flow model200 / 400 / 700 / 1,000 cfs
American Whitewater ties low, medium, high, and above-recommended bands to USGS 04015330, located near the end of the run.
- Public finishKnife River Beach carry-in access
Minnesota DNR Lake Superior Water Trail Map 1 identifies public carry-in access, parking, a toilet, and a sand-and-pebble beach at the Knife River mouth.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-08-014 cfs at 2026-08-01 10:00 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.
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
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