Minnesota | Northern Minnesota

Little Fork River

Dentaybow to Devereaux

Check current paddling conditions for this Little Fork River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.

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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.

LevelCheckingChecking
TrendCheckingChecking 24h change
WeatherLoadingAir: No reading
RainLoadingRecent rain: Checking

Recent trend

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DifficultymoderateThis is a longer northern river day with multiple riffles and light rapids, not a beginner float. Strong intermediates with route-reading skill and remote-trip judgment are the right audience.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Follow posted public-water-access rules and any county or state-forest restrictions in the corridor.
CampingDay tripTreat this as a committed day trip. The DNR map notes state-forest camping opportunities on the broader map sheet, but it does not name a designated campsite between Dentaybow and Devereaux, so this route should not be sold as a camping-filter yes.
SeasonApr-OctMN DNR says Little Fork levels usually peak in late April, then decline through summer. This longer Dentaybow continuation is still runnable into summer, but low water makes the rapids rocky and wet stretches can raise the consequence of wood and current quickly.

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, shuttle, and map

Launch at Dentaybow and take out at Devereaux for a longer continuation on Little Fork Map 2. This combines the upper wooded rapids with a much longer remote commitment before the lower Flat Rock corridor.

Start

Put-in

Dentaybow Public Water Access SiteOpen map

Both endpoints are official public-water-access sites, but neither is a staffed park or campground finish.

Finish

Take-out

Devereaux Public Water Access SiteOpen map

The direct gauge is at the MN 65 bridge just upstream of the put-in, so check the reading before driving farther into the corridor.

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Both endpoints are official public-water-access sites, but neither is a staffed park or campground finish.
  • The direct gauge is at the MN 65 bridge just upstream of the put-in, so check the reading before driving farther into the corridor.
  • Most of the shoreland remains private or undeveloped. Use named accesses and legal public-land camping only.

Watch for

  • Class I to II rapids, rocky riffles, and scout-first drops that get more consequential when the river pushes into the high band.
  • Cold water, sweepers, and fatigue compounding across more than 20 river miles with limited easy exits.
  • Scraping and more boat damage risk when flows fall toward the 350 cfs scrapable floor.

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.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

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Today'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.
Tomorrow and weekend

This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.

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WeekendChecking

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Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteLittle Fork River nr Little Fork, MN65
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Target band700 cfs to 2,733 cfs
Low threshold350 cfs
High threshold3,777 cfs
Data confidence behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreMN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Little Fork River near Littlefork / MN 65
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What to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • DNR bands350 / 700-2,732.9 / 3,777.3 cfs

    MN DNR interprets site 294 as Scrapable below 350 cfs, Low from 350 to 700, Medium from 700 to 2,732.9, High from 2,732.9 to 3,777.3, and Very High above 3,777.3.

    Source

  • Map supportDentaybow RM 57.9 to Devereaux RM 37.1

    DNR Map 2 places Dentaybow at river mile 57.9 and the Devereaux access at river mile 37.1, supporting a 20.8-mile continuation on the same official Little Fork corridor.

    Source

  • Access evidenceDentaybow WAS00503 and Devereaux WAS02588

    Minnesota public-water-access data resolves Dentaybow on river left and Devereaux on river left as official Little Fork access sites with coordinates and river-mile values.

    Source

  • Camping postureConservative day-trip framing

    The DNR map notes state forest camping opportunities on the map sheet, but it does not name a designated campsite between Dentaybow and Devereaux, so the route stays conservative for camping filters.

    Source

Check the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

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Little Fork River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Little Fork River?

Paddle Today watches Little Fork River nr Little Fork, MN65 and treats 700 cfs to 2,733 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Little Fork River route start and end?

This route starts at Dentaybow Public Water Access Site and ends at Devereaux Public Water Access Site, about 20.8 mi on the water.

Is this Little Fork 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.

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.