See all 10 routes on Little Fork River
Minnesota | Northern Minnesota
Little Fork River
Highway 73 Bridge to Samuelson Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Little Fork River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
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 plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at the Highway 73 bridge and finish at Samuelson Park for a long Little Fork continuation below the Linden Grove gauge. Expect repeated rapids, remote wooded miles, and a county-park finish with real services.
Put-in
Highway 73 bridge carry-in accessOpen mapThe Highway 73 bridge access is a bridge/gauge-area carry-in rather than a developed park.
Take-out
Samuelson Park Public Water Access SiteOpen mapSamuelson Park is the intended finish. Do not casually continue toward Silverdale unless you have planned the extra mileage and checked the lower access story.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Highway 73 bridge access is a bridge/gauge-area carry-in rather than a developed park.
- Samuelson Park is the intended finish. Do not casually continue toward Silverdale unless you have planned the extra mileage and checked the lower access story.
- Most of the route remains remote despite the campground finish, so missed-shuttle or weather problems still feel expensive.
Watch for
- Class I to II rapids, rock riffles, and scout-first drops with brushy or undeveloped portage options.
- Scraping and stalled progress when the Silverdale gauge falls toward the 400 cfs floor.
- Cold water, wood hazards, and fatigue over a long northern day with few easy exits before Samuelson.
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.
Sources
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.
Why this scoreToday'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.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Little Fork River nr Silverdale, MN65 |
| 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 | 500 cfs to 1,301 cfs |
| Low threshold | 400 cfs |
| High threshold | 2,835 cfs |
| Data confidence 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 Little Fork River near Silverdale / MN 65 |
| 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.
- DNR bands400 / 500-1,300.5 / 2,835 cfs
MN DNR interprets site 295 as Scrapable below 400 cfs, Low from 400 to 500, Medium from 500 to 1,300.5, High from 1,300.5 to 2,835, and Very High above 2,835.
- Map supportHighway 73 RM 126.8 to Samuelson RM about 104
DNR Map 1 places the Highway 73 bridge carry-in at river mile 126.8 and shows Samuelson County Park farther downstream on the same corridor near river mile 103.5.
- Access evidenceSamuelson WAS00502
Minnesota public-water-access data resolves Samuelson Park on river left with coordinates and a 104.0 river-mile value, matching the named county-park finish on the DNR map.
- Camping supportSamuelson County Park tent sites
DNR Map 1 says Samuelson County Park has a carry-in access, picnic table, toilet, drinking water, and tent sites, making it a legitimate endpoint-campground finish.
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
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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
Little Fork River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Little Fork River?
Paddle Today watches Little Fork River nr Silverdale, MN65 and treats 500 cfs to 1,301 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 Highway 73 bridge carry-in access and ends at Samuelson Park Public Water Access Site, about 22.8 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.