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See all 19 routes on Minnesota River

Minnesota | Southern Minnesota

Minnesota River

Le Sueur to Henderson

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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Open access map
DistanceAbout 7.1 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 2.5 hr to 4 hr
ShuttleCar shuttle
Brown marsh grasses and calm water fill a broad river-edge wetland below a wooded bluff.
Route photoLower Minnesota River valley wetland scenePhoto by Debbie Koenigs/USFWS

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

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Next 8 hours

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 7.1 miLe Sueur to Henderson
DifficultyeasyThis is one of DNR Map 5 better day-length options and is usually a gentle wide-river paddle, but the Minnesota is still a large floodplain river with snags, muddy banks, private property constraints, and limited mid-route exits.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at Henderson, then launch from Le Sueur. Henderson Station is a useful final-mile landmark, but the planned take-out is the Henderson trailer access by the DNR gauge.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Use the named public accesses, follow Minnesota boating/PFD rules, and check city, county, DNR, and campsite permit postings before overnight use.
CampingOptions nearbyDNR Map 5 shows a watercraft campsite at Le Sueur with a permit required. Treat it as endpoint support only; use designated sites and do not camp on riverbeds next to private property.
SeasonApr-OctDNR describes this part of the Minnesota as a gentle, widened river with exposed sandbars at medium and low levels. Heavy rain can raise the river, cover bars, and move large debris; wind can also slow this open valley section.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Paddle the short DNR-recommended Le Sueur-to-Henderson Minnesota River section with the direct Henderson interpreted gauge. The reach is generally gentle and wide, but wind, floodplain current, floating debris, and private banks require conservative go/no-go judgment.

DirectionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap
Plan a shorter segmentOptional

Access planner

Pick a shorter segment

This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.

On-water distanceAbout 7.1 miLake to creek
On-water timeAbout 5 to 7 hrFull route option
ShuttleSelf-shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.

Prepare this trip

Take the plan with you

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Start

Put-in

Le Sueur public access
Open map

Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Le Sueur, Henderson Station, and Henderson with river-mile records and coordinates.

Finish

Take-out

Henderson public access
Open map

The Henderson gauge is at the take-out, so high or rising readings should be treated as route-local warnings.

Plan this segment

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Le Sueur, Henderson Station, and Henderson with river-mile records and coordinates.
  • The Henderson gauge is at the take-out, so high or rising readings should be treated as route-local warnings.
  • DNR says designated campsites only; do not treat exposed bars by private property as legal camps.

Watch for

  • Wind and small waves on a wide open river valley.
  • Floating trees, snags, muddy banks, and stronger current after rain or during high water.
  • Private-bank constraints and limited practical exits between mapped public accesses.

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.

Brown marsh grasses and calm water fill a broad river-edge wetland below a wooded bluff.
Lower Minnesota River valley wetland scenePhoto by Debbie Koenigs/USFWS
USFWS asset: public domain

Score & sources

Why this score

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

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

Next stepChecking

Waiting on enough data to give the next step.

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
  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

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

Gauge siteMinnesota River at Henderson, MN19
Gauge heightChecking
DischargeChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Target band710.00 ft to 725.00 ft
Low threshold675.00 ft
High threshold728.00 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreMN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Minnesota River at Henderson
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.

  • DNR recommended one-way7.1 mi, Le Sueur to Henderson

    MN DNR lists Minnesota River LeSueur Trailer Access to Henderson Trailer Access as a recommended one-way paddle.

    Source

  • Public access recordsWAS02350 to WAS00793

    Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Le Sueur, Henderson Station, and Henderson public access sites with coordinates and river-mile records.

    Source

  • Official DNR bands675 / 710-725 / 728 ft

    MN DNR interprets the Henderson gauge as Scrapable below 675 ft, Low from 675 to 710, Medium from 710 to 725, High from 725 to 728, and Very High above 728.

    Source

  • Current gauge check715.87 ft at 2026-07-23 10:30 CDT

    The current MN DNR feed placed the direct Henderson gauge in the official medium band during this run.

    Source

  • Camping and river characterLe Sueur watercraft campsite; gentle widened river

    DNR Map 5 shows Le Sueur with a watercraft campsite requiring a permit and describes the Le Sueur-to-Henderson section as an easier stretch where the river widens and exposes sandbars at medium and low levels.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

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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

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More on Minnesota River

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Nearby routes by distance

Cottonwood RiverHighway 15 Access to Courtland Access · about 28 mi awayModerate · About 10 miCottonwood RiverFlandrau State Park to Highway 15 Access · about 30 mi awayEasy · About 4.1 miCannon RiverFaribault to Dundas · about 34 mi awayEasy · 13.75 miCannon RiverCannon River Wilderness Area to Riverside City Park, Northfield · about 34 mi awayEasy · About 8.5 mi

Quick answers

Minnesota River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Minnesota River?

Paddle Today watches Minnesota River at Henderson, MN19 and treats 710.00 ft to 725.00 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 Le Sueur public access and ends at Henderson public access, about About 7.1 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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