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See all 3 routes on Long Prairie River

Minnesota | Central Minnesota

Long Prairie River

Reynolds Township to Long Prairie

Check current paddling conditions for this Long Prairie River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.

Route location

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Open access map
DistanceAbout 7.3 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 2.5 hr to 4 hr
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Long Prairie River flows past wooded banks in rural Minnesota.
River contextLong Prairie River river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Tim Kiser

Need to know

Why this call
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Conditions

Gauge history and hourly forecast

The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.

Gauge detail

Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

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Weather

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Short-route forecast

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Route overview

Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

Quick facts

On-water distanceAbout 7.3 miReynolds Township to Long Prairie
DifficultyeasyThis is a short, narrow, winding connector into town. It is easier than the full Browerville day, but low bridges, culverts, wood, private banks, and low-water dragging keep it from being a blind beginner recommendation.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage Long Prairie first, then drive west to Reynolds Township. Check bridge and culvert clearance before launching, especially after rain or when the gauge is low.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Follow posted public-access, city, WMA, boating, and PFD rules at Reynolds Township and Long Prairie.
CampingOptions nearbyTreat this as a day route. DNR's Long Prairie map has general designated-site-only camping rules, but no on-route campsite is assumed between Reynolds Township and the city access.
SeasonApr-SepDNR says the Long Prairie is usually best in spring and early summer, and that summer lows can make portions slow, shallow, or impassable. This upper-town connector needs bridge, culvert, and wood checks before launch.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Launch at Reynolds Township and finish at the City of Long Prairie access, just above the existing Long-Prairie-to-Browerville card. The direct in-town gauge is useful, but this upper-town connector still needs low-bridge, culvert, and wood checks.

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Prepare this trip

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Start

Put-in

Long Prairie River, Reynolds Township Public Water Access Site
Open map

Both endpoints resolve in Minnesota public-water-access GIS; use the named carry-ins instead of private farm banks.

Finish

Take-out

Long Prairie River, Long Prairie Public Water Access Site
Open map

DNR Map Long Prairie places multiple bridges and culverts above town, so high water can create portage or clearance problems.

Plan this segment

Skip map

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Both endpoints resolve in Minnesota public-water-access GIS; use the named carry-ins instead of private farm banks.
  • DNR Map Long Prairie places multiple bridges and culverts above town, so high water can create portage or clearance problems.
  • Low summer water can make the route slow, shallow, or intermittently impassable even when a short shuttle looks simple.

Watch for

  • Low bridges, culverts, deadfall, sweepers, and tight bends above Long Prairie.
  • Private banks and DNR's no-riverbed-camping-next-to-private-property rule.
  • Low-water dragging in summer and faster current after rain.

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.

The Long Prairie River flows past wooded banks in rural Minnesota.
Long Prairie River river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Tim Kiser
CC BY-SA 2.5

Score & sources

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
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Gauge inputChecking

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Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking

Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

Why
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Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteLong Prairie River at Long Prairie, MN
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Target band200 cfs to 500 cfs
Low threshold53 cfs
High threshold650 cfs
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreMN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Long Prairie River at Long Prairie
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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.

  • Map supportReynolds Township RM 54.8 to Long Prairie RM 47.5, about 7.3 miles

    MN DNR Map Long Prairie places Reynolds Township, County Road 11, and the City of Long Prairie carry-in in downstream order above the DNR recommended Long-Prairie-to-Browerville day trip.

    Source

  • Public access recordsWAS02344 to WAS02429

    Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Reynolds Township and Long Prairie with coordinates, directions, and river-mile records.

    Source

  • Official DNR bands53 / 200-500 / 650 cfs

    MN DNR interprets the Long Prairie gauge as Scrapable below 53 cfs, Low from 53 to 200, Medium from 200 to 500, High from 500 to 650, and Very High above 650.

    Source

  • Current gauge check88.6 cfs at 2026-07-23 21:15 CDT

    The current MN DNR feed placed Long Prairie in the official low band during this run.

    Source

  • Safety and camping rulesLow bridges, culverts, private-bank limits

    The DNR page and map warn that the Long Prairie can become slow and shallow, that low bridges and culverts are common above town, and that riverbed camping next to private property is not permitted.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

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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.

More in Minnesota

All 232 routes
Minnesota route guideBrowse every tracked Minnesota route.Central MinnesotaJump to routes in this region.

More on Long Prairie River

All 3
Lake Carlos State Park to Highway 29Central MinnesotaModerate · About 1.8 miLong Prairie to BrowervilleCentral MinnesotaEasy · 13.3 mi

Nearby routes by distance

Sauk RiverSauk Centre Dam to Mill Pond · about 17 mi awayEasy · About 16.6 miSauk RiverMill Pond to Oak Township County Park · about 22 mi awayModerate · About 12 miMississippi RiverPike Creek Landing to Royalton Sportsman's Club · about 27 mi awayModerate · About 9.7 miCrow Wing RiverGreen Oak Landing to Lake Placid Reservoir Landing #3 · about 27 mi awayModerate · 14.6 mi

Quick answers

Long Prairie River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Long Prairie River?

Paddle Today watches Long Prairie River at Long Prairie, MN and treats 200 cfs to 500 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Long Prairie River route start and end?

This route starts at Long Prairie River, Reynolds Township Public Water Access Site and ends at Long Prairie River, Long Prairie Public Water Access Site, about About 7.3 mi on the water.

Is this Long Prairie River route good for beginners?

This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.

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