Minnesota | Northern Minnesota

Little Fork River

Fiedler to Devereaux

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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
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RainLoadingRecent rain: Checking

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DifficultymoderateThis is the easier of the new lower-Little-Fork adds, but it still belongs to paddlers who are comfortable with current, route-finding around wood, and remote northern logistics.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Follow posted public-water-access rules and any state-forest or county restrictions in the corridor.
CampingDay tripTreat this as a remote day trip. The DNR map says state forests on this sheet can allow camping in the broader corridor, but it does not name a designated campsite between Fiedler and Devereaux, so this route should not be treated as a camping-filter yes.
SeasonApr-OctThe lower Little Fork usually peaks in late spring and can drop into scrapy summer levels without fresh rain. Heavy rain raises current quickly on this wooded corridor.

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 Fiedler and take out at Devereaux for a shorter lower-Little-Fork split above Flat Rock Rapids. This is a quieter wooded day than the full run into Littlefork, but it still needs normal northern-river judgment.

Start

Put-in

Fiedler 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

This split stays above Flat Rock Rapids, which makes it cleaner than the lower route, but it is still remote enough that a missed shuttle or bad weather will feel expensive.

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.
  • This split stays above Flat Rock Rapids, which makes it cleaner than the lower route, but it is still remote enough that a missed shuttle or bad weather will feel expensive.
  • Much of the shoreland on this map sheet is private property; stop only at designated sites or legal public-land camping areas.

Watch for

  • Storm wood, sweepers, and brushy banks on a narrow wooded river with limited quick exits.
  • Scraping and slow travel when the Littlefork gauge falls toward the 400 cfs scrapable floor.
  • Cold water and changing current after rain even though this shortened split avoids the named downstream rapids.

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
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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.

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Tomorrow and weekend

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

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Gauge, thresholds, and timing

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

Gauge siteLittle Fork River at Little Fork, MN
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Target band600 cfs to 1,500 cfs
Low threshold400 cfs
High threshold2,100 cfs
Data confidence behind the rangeOfficial data source
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Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreMN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Little Fork River at Littlefork
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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.

  • Direct live gaugeLittlefork gauge 215 cfs

    The official MN DNR river-level dataset reported 215 cfs at 2026-06-25 02:30 PM for Little Fork River at Littlefork, confirming the current direct gauge path used for this route.

    Source

  • DNR bands400 / 600-1,500 / 2,100 cfs

    MN DNR interprets the Littlefork gauge as Scrapable below 400 cfs, Low from 400 to 600, Medium from 600 to 1,500, High from 1,500 to 2,100, and Very High above 2,100.

    Source

  • Map supportFiedler RM 44.8 to Devereaux RM 37.1

    DNR Map 2 places Fiedler at river mile 44.8 and Devereaux at river mile 37.1, making this a 7.7-mile shortened lower-Little-Fork split.

    Source

  • Public access recordsFiedler WAS00943 and Devereaux WAS02588

    Minnesota public-water-access data resolves Fiedler on river right and Devereaux on river left as official public Little Fork accesses with mapped coordinates and river-mile values.

    Source

  • Route characterWooded WMA corridor above Flat Rock Rapids

    The map sheet places this short split between the Ester Brook confluence and the Little Fork Wildlife Management Area, and it stays above Flat Rock Rapids farther downstream.

    Source

  • Camping postureNo named campsite between endpoints

    The DNR map says state forests offer camping opportunities on this map sheet, but it does not name a designated campsite between Fiedler and Devereaux, so the route stays conservative for camping filters.

    Source

Check the source links

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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 at Little Fork, MN and treats 600 cfs to 1,500 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 Fiedler Public Water Access Site and ends at Devereaux Public Water Access Site, about 7.7 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.