See all 10 routes on Little Fork River
Minnesota | Northern Minnesota
Little Fork River
Lofgren Park to Kuttes Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this Little Fork River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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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 from Lofgren Park and paddle the lower Little Fork to the Rainy River confluence, then finish at Kuttes Landing. This is a long, remote-feeling route that depends on the direct Little Fork DNR gauge and local rapid checks.
Put-in
Little Fork River, Lofgren Park Public Water Access SiteOpen mapLofgren Park resolves as WAS02245 near DNR river mile 21 and Kuttes resolves as WAS02155 on the Rainy River in Pelland.
Take-out
Rainy River, Kuttes Public Water Access SiteOpen mapDNR Map 2 places rapids and the river-level gauge near the Highway 217 bridge just upstream of the main lower route commitment.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Lofgren Park resolves as WAS02245 near DNR river mile 21 and Kuttes resolves as WAS02155 on the Rainy River in Pelland.
- DNR Map 2 places rapids and the river-level gauge near the Highway 217 bridge just upstream of the main lower route commitment.
- The take-out is not at the Little Fork mouth itself; plan the extra Rainy River travel to Kuttes Landing and account for wind or motorboat traffic.
Watch for
- Rapids near Highway 217, rapidly changing levels, strainers, cold water, and remote rescue exposure.
- Scrapable conditions below the official 400 cfs floor; DNR notes summer rapids may be impassable without recent rain.
- Rainy River wind, current, motor traffic, border-water exposure, and long mileage fatigue.
Route gallery
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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 at Little Fork, 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 |
| Target band | 600 cfs to 1,500 cfs |
| Low threshold | 400 cfs |
| High threshold | 2,100 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 at Little Fork |
| 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.
- Official route shapeLofgren Park RM 20.8 to Rainy River mouth plus Kuttes Landing
MN DNR Little Fork Map 2 places Lofgren Park, Highway 217 rapids and gauge, the Rainy River confluence, and Kuttes Landing in sequence.
- Public access recordsLofgren Park WAS02245 to Kuttes WAS02155
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves both staging points with official names, administrators, and coordinates.
- Official DNR bands400 / 600-1500 / 2100 cfs
MN DNR interprets Little Fork at Little Fork as Scrapable below 400 cfs, Low from 400 to 600, Medium from 600 to 1500, High from 1500 to 2100, and Very High above 2100.
- Current gauge check86.5 cfs at 2026-07-23 16:30 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Little Fork at Little Fork below the official scrapable floor during this run.
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.
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
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 Little Fork River, Lofgren Park Public Water Access Site and ends at Rainy River, Kuttes Public Water Access Site, about About 21.8 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.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.