See all 10 routes on Little Fork River
Minnesota | Northern Minnesota
Little Fork River
Samuelson Park to Silverdale
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 at Samuelson Park and finish at Silverdale for the shortest official Little Fork Map 1 continuation currently in the app. The mileage is approachable, but the route still carries the same rapid-and-wood story as the longer Highway 73 starts.
Put-in
Samuelson Park Public Water Access SiteOpen mapSamuelson Park is the developed endpoint with campground services; Silverdale is a simpler public access finish.
Take-out
Silverdale Public Water Access SiteOpen mapUse only the named public accesses rather than improvised roadside stops or private banks along the wooded corridor.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Samuelson Park is the developed endpoint with campground services; Silverdale is a simpler public access finish.
- Use only the named public accesses rather than improvised roadside stops or private banks along the wooded corridor.
- Short mileage does not remove the need to scout wood or read the ledges carefully when the channel is high or obstructed.
Watch for
- Class I to II rapids, rocky riffles, and wood hazards on a narrow remote northern channel.
- Scraping and slower-than-expected progress when the Silverdale gauge is below the 400 cfs floor.
- Cold water, brushy banks, and limited quick exits between the named public accesses.
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.
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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 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.
- Direct live gaugeSilverdale gauge 72.8 cfs
The official MN DNR river-level dataset reported 72.8 cfs at 2026-07-14 01:00 AM for Little Fork River near Silverdale / MN 65, confirming the current same-river gauge path used for this route.
- 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 supportSamuelson RM 104.0 to Silverdale RM 99.9
DNR Map 1 and the public-water-access layer place Samuelson Park at river mile 104.0 and Silverdale at river mile 99.9, supporting a 4.1-mile official continuation.
- Public access recordsSamuelson WAS00502 and Silverdale WAS00501
Minnesota public-water-access data resolves both named accesses with coordinates and matching water-trail river miles on the Little Fork corridor.
- 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, giving this short split real endpoint campground support at the put-in.
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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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 Samuelson Park Public Water Access Site and ends at Silverdale Public Water Access Site, about 4.1 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.