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Minnesota | Upper Minnesota River Valley
Minnesota River
Harkin Store to Buessman Bridge
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
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
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
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
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
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.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Minnesota River, Harkin Store Public Water Access SiteHarkin 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 SiteDNR Map 4 documents the lower part of this split and the Buessman Bridge access; Harkin Store is supported by the official public-access GIS.
Plan this segment
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
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Data and sources
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
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.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
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 |
| 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 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
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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More routes to check next
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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
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.