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Minnesota | Upper Minnesota River Valley
Minnesota River
Camp Release to Prien's Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this Minnesota 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 Camp Release and take out at Prien's Landing for a short upper Minnesota River connector with the Montevideo gauge inside the selected reach. The route has a mapped watercraft campsite and a Class I feature, but it is not a highlighted DNR recommended one-way.
Put-in
Minnesota River, Camp Release Public Water Access SiteOpen mapCamp Release resolves as WAS01022 at public-access river mile 265.6, and Prien resolves as WAS01053 at river mile 257.3 in the Minnesota public-water-access service.
Take-out
Minnesota River, Prien's Landing Public Water Access SiteOpen mapDNR Map 2 places the Montevideo river-level gauge near river mile 258.5 and Prien near river mile 257.6, so same-day gauge and landing checks are unusually close to the take-out.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Camp Release resolves as WAS01022 at public-access river mile 265.6, and Prien resolves as WAS01053 at river mile 257.3 in the Minnesota public-water-access service.
- DNR Map 2 places the Montevideo river-level gauge near river mile 258.5 and Prien near river mile 257.6, so same-day gauge and landing checks are unusually close to the take-out.
- End at Prien's Landing unless you have a separate lower-corridor plan. Do not casually extend toward Granite Falls dam and rapids context.
Watch for
- Class I riffle current, floating wood, muddy banks, railroad-bridge context, and debris around the Montevideo corridor.
- Low-water scraping below the official medium band and pushier current after rain.
- Private banks and designated-campsite limits; stop only where access and camping are clearly legal.
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 | Minnesota River at Montevideo |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 | 5.00 ft to 9.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 3.00 ft |
| High threshold | 14.00 ft |
| 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 Minnesota River at Montevideo |
| 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 map access chainCamp Release RM 265.6 to Prien RM 257.6
MN DNR Map 2 lists Camp Release trailer access, an on-route watercraft campsite at river mile 261.1, a Class I rapid near mile 259.0, the Montevideo river-level gauge near mile 258.5, and Prien's Landing trailer access near mile 257.6.
- Public access recordsWAS01022 to WAS01053
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Camp Release and Prien's Landing with coordinates, administrators, directions, and water-trail river-mile fields.
- Official DNR bands3 / 5-9 / 14 ft
MN DNR interprets the Montevideo gauge as Scrapable below 3 ft, Low from 3 to 5, Medium from 5 to 9, High from 9 to 14, and Very High above 14.
- Current gauge check6.10 ft at 2026-07-16 21:00 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Montevideo inside the official medium band during this run.
- Camping and safety rulesDesignated campsite only
DNR Map 2 says river levels affect speed and safety, paddlers should avoid overhanging and dead trees, and camping should use designated campsites rather than private riverbanks.
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.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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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
Minnesota River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Minnesota River?
Paddle Today watches Minnesota River at Montevideo and treats 5.00 ft to 9.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Minnesota River route start and end?
This route starts at Minnesota River, Camp Release Public Water Access Site and ends at Minnesota River, Prien's Landing Public Water Access Site, about About 8.0 mi on the water.
Is this Minnesota 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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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.