See all 10 routes on Little Fork River
Minnesota | Northern Minnesota
Little Fork RiverSamuelson Park to Silverdale
Short official Little Fork continuation from Samuelson Park to Silverdale. It keeps the same MN DNR gauge ladder as the longer Map 1 routes, but trims the commitment down to a compact rapid-and-wood corridor with a campground-supported put-in.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
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.
Access map
Put-in
Samuelson Park Public Water Access SiteSamuelson Park is the developed endpoint with campground services; Silverdale is a simpler public access finish.
Take-out
Silverdale Public Water Access SiteUse only the named public accesses rather than improvised roadside stops or private banks along the wooded corridor.
Road shuttle
Use a short two-car shuttle from Samuelson Park to Silverdale and still check both accesses before launching. The miles are modest, but this is not a casual roadside float when wood or low-water rapids complicate progress.
Additional access notes
- Short mileage does not remove the need to scout wood or read the ledges carefully when the channel is high or obstructed.
More route and safety guidance
- The run is shorter than the Highway 73 starts, but it is still a remote northern channel with cold water, brushy banks, and few easy unplanned exits between the named public accesses.
- Fresh wood and undercut outside bends remain part of the normal risk story after storms or high water.
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Conditions
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Photos and recent reports
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Recent notes from paddlers
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Little Fork River nr Silverdale, MN65 |
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| Preferred range | 500 cfs to 1,301 cfs |
| Low threshold | 400 cfs |
| High threshold | 2,835 cfs |
| Evidence strength 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 |
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NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-14Silverdale gauge 72.8 cfs
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- 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.
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