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Minnesota | Southern Minnesota
Minnesota River
Morton Access to Highway 4
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 Morton and paddle the DNR-listed 26.3-mile section to Highway 4. The route's value is a full public-access chain with real campsite structure, but the known logjam and long distance require conservative planning.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Put-in
Minnesota River, Morton Access Public Water Access SiteOpen mapMorton and Highway 4 both resolve as public-water-access GIS records, but this is a long rural section with limited fast exits.
Take-out
Minnesota River, Hwy 4 Public Water Access SiteOpen mapCheck the river mile 184 logjam status locally before committing to the full route.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Morton and Highway 4 both resolve as public-water-access GIS records, but this is a long rural section with limited fast exits.
- Check the river mile 184 logjam status locally before committing to the full route.
- Franklin, Mack Lake, and Kettner Landing are mapped public accesses. Fort Ridgely is useful park/campground context, but do not assume a river landing there.
Watch for
- Large logjam near river mile 184 that DNR says may be impassable at times.
- Wind, broad bends, muddy exits, floating debris, private banks, and cold shoulder-season water.
- Long-day fatigue and slow travel when the Morton gauge is in the official low band.
Route gallery
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Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
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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 Morton, MN19 |
| 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 | 1,330 cfs to 3,750 cfs |
| Low threshold | 307 cfs |
| High threshold | 10,900 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 Morton |
| 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 recommended sectionMorton to Highway 4, 26.3 mi
MN DNR's statewide recommended paddling list identifies Morton Access to Highway 4 as a 26.3-mile Minnesota River section.
- Map supportMorton RM 189.9 to Highway 4 RM 163.6
MN DNR Map 4 places Morton, the direct river-level gauge, Franklin, Mack Lake, Kettner's, Fort Ridgely, and Highway 4 in sequence.
- DNR bands307 / 1,330-3,750 / 10,900 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Morton gauge as Scrapable below 307 cfs, Low from 307 to 1,330, Medium from 1,330 to 3,750, High from 3,750 to 10,900, and Very High above 10,900.
- Current gauge check1,260 cfs at 2026-07-23 18:00 CDT
The official DNR feed placed Morton in the low band during this run, just below the medium recommendation band.
- Public access recordsMorton WAS00670 and Highway 4 WAS00644
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves both endpoints with administrators, coordinates, and river-mile records.
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.
Share your trip
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 Morton, MN19 and treats 1,330 cfs to 3,750 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, Morton Access Public Water Access Site and ends at Minnesota River, Hwy 4 Public Water Access Site, about 26.3 mi on the water.
Is this Minnesota River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.