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Minnesota | Upper Minnesota River Valley
Minnesota River
Harkin Store to Buessman Bridge
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
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
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 Harkin Store and take out at Buessman Bridge for a short Map 4 connector that ends where the existing Buessman-to-Riverside card begins. The Mankato gauge is downstream, so same-day visual checks are required.
Put-in
Minnesota River, Harkin Store Public Water Access SiteOpen mapHarkin Store resolves as WAS02302 at GIS river mile 152.0, and Buessman Bridge resolves as WAS00804 at GIS river mile 143.0.
Take-out
Minnesota River, Buessman Bridge / County Road 14 Public Water Access SiteOpen mapDNR Map 4 documents the lower part of this split and the Buessman Bridge access; Harkin Store is supported by the official public-access GIS.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Harkin Store resolves as WAS02302 at GIS river mile 152.0, and Buessman Bridge resolves as WAS00804 at GIS river mile 143.0.
- DNR Map 4 documents the lower part of this split and the Buessman Bridge access; Harkin Store is supported by the official public-access GIS.
- Do not assume private banks, WMA edges, or field roads are legal exits, rest stops, or campsites.
Watch for
- Wind exposure, muddy approaches, floating debris, overhanging trees, and strainers.
- A downstream proxy gauge that may lag local conditions; postpone if the route has fresh rain, rising water, or poor landing visibility.
- The planned take-out is Buessman Bridge. Continue downstream only if you intentionally join the separate Buessman-to-Riverside route plan.
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 Mankato, MN |
| 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 | 4,550 cfs to 17,900 cfs |
| Low threshold | 567 cfs |
| High threshold | 22,500 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 Minnesota River at Mankato |
| 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 corridor mapHarkin-area split to Buessman RM 143.3
MN DNR Map 4 documents the lower part of this split with Eight Mile Creek, Boesch WMA, River Valley WMA, and Buessman Bridge trailer access before the existing Riverside Park route begins.
- Public access recordsWAS02302 to WAS00804
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Harkin Store and Buessman Bridge / County Road 14 with coordinates, administrators, directions, launch types, and river-mile fields.
- Official DNR bands566.9 / 4,550-17,900 / 22,500 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Mankato gauge as Scrapable below 566.9 cfs, Low from 566.9 to 4,550, Medium from 4,550 to 17,900, High from 17,900 to 22,500, and Very High above 22,500.
- Current gauge check4,250 cfs at 2026-07-16 21:30 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Mankato just below the official medium band during this run, so the card keeps a low/visual-check posture.
- DistinctnessEnds where existing New Ulm card starts
The selected route ends at Buessman Bridge, where the existing PaddleToday Buessman-to-Riverside card starts, avoiding overlap while filling the upstream public-access gap.
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 Mankato, MN and treats 4,550 cfs to 17,900 cfs 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, Harkin Store Public Water Access Site and ends at Minnesota River, Buessman Bridge / County Road 14 Public Water Access Site, about About 9.0 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.