See all 10 routes on Little Fork River
Minnesota | Northern Minnesota
Little Fork River
Veterans Park to Highway 73 Bridge
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 Veterans Park in Cook and take out at the Highway 73 bridge. MN DNR recommends this 15.2-mile Little Fork route for paddlers with experience running Class II rapids.
Put-in
Veterans Park carry-in access, CookOpen mapVeterans Park is the practical town-side put-in, while the downstream Highway 73 bridge access is a bridge/gauge-area carry-in rather than a developed park.
Take-out
Highway 73 bridge carry-in accessOpen mapThe route is remote enough that weather, daylight, and shuttle reliability should be checked before launch.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Veterans Park is the practical town-side put-in, while the downstream Highway 73 bridge access is a bridge/gauge-area carry-in rather than a developed park.
- The route is remote enough that weather, daylight, and shuttle reliability should be checked before launch.
- Some Little Fork portages can be brushy; do not rely on an easy roadside exit between the endpoints.
Watch for
- Multiple rock riffles and Class I-II rapids; scout larger rapids before committing.
- Scrapable or too-shallow rapids when the Highway 73/Linden Grove flow falls toward the low band.
- Downed trees, sweepers, cold water, and limited quick exits on a long northern route.
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 nr Linden Grove, TH73 |
| 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 | 175 cfs to 500 cfs |
| Low threshold | 100 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,000 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 Linden Grove |
| 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 bands100 / 175-500 / 1,000 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Linden Grove / Highway 73 gauge as Scrapable below 100 cfs, Low from 100 to 175, Medium from 175 to 500, High from 500 to 1,000, and Very High above 1,000.
- Recommended trip15.2 river miles
MN DNR recommends Veterans Park to Highway 73 bridge as a 15.2-mile Little Fork route for paddlers with experience running Class II rapids.
- Map supportVeterans Park RM 142 to Highway 73 RM 126.8
DNR Map 1 places Veterans Park carry-in at river mile 142.0 and Highway 73 bridge carry-in at river mile 126.8, with the river level gauge at the take-out bridge.
- Route characterClass I-II rapids and rock riffles
DNR says to expect several rock riffles and multiple rapids, and to scout larger rapids before attempting them.
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
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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 nr Linden Grove, TH73 and treats 175 cfs to 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 Veterans Park carry-in access, Cook and ends at Highway 73 bridge carry-in access, about 15.2 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
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.