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Minnesota | Mankato Area
Minnesota River
Judson Access to Land of Memories Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Minnesota River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
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
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 Judson and finish at Land of Memories Park for the DNR-recommended Mankato-area Minnesota River day. The gauge gives a real official flow ladder, but wind and sandbars still matter a lot on this bigger river.
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
Judson public water accessBoth endpoints now have state-backed public-water-access records, which is the main thing this route was missing before.
Take-out
Land of Memories Park public water accessLand of Memories is a city park with a real boat landing, but same-day parking and ramp conditions should still be checked before you commit to the shuttle.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Both endpoints now have state-backed public-water-access records, which is the main thing this route was missing before.
- Land of Memories is a city park with a real boat landing, but same-day parking and ramp conditions should still be checked before you commit to the shuttle.
Watch for
- Wind and waves on the wider open reaches.
- Sandbars and shallower braided sections when flow falls toward the low band.
- Floating debris, muddy banks, and busier landing activity near the Mankato finish.
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
Why this score
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 bands566.9 / 4,550 / 17,900 / 22,500 cfs
MN DNR interprets this 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.
- Recommended trip11.1 river miles
MN DNR treats Judson Access to Land of Memories Park as the recommended day trip on this Mankato-area Minnesota River segment.
- Endpoint authorityState access records on both ends
Minnesota public-water-access data identifies Judson Public Water Access at river mile 116.0 and Land of Memories Park Public Water Access at river mile 105.0.
- Primary cautionsSandbars, wind, larger-river exposure
MN DNR highlights many sandbars on this stretch and warns paddlers not to underestimate wind and waves on larger open-water corridors.
- Take-out supportCity park with boat landing
Mankato describes Land of Memories Park as having a boat landing for Minnesota River access, along with campground and park amenities.
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 Judson public water access and ends at Land of Memories Park public water access, about 11.1 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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