Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

See all 39 routes on Mississippi River

Minnesota | Grand Rapids Area

Mississippi RiverBlackberry Bridge to County Road 72

Downstream half of the MN DNR Steamboat-to-County-Road-72 planner route, filling the missing public-access pair below the existing Steamboat-to-Blackberry card with a conservative Grand Rapids gauge check.

Route location

Loading the route map.

Open access map
DistanceAbout 9.5 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 3 hr to 4.5 hr depending on wind
ShuttleCar shuttle
Sunset reflects across the Mississippi River backwaters near Weaver, Minnesota.
River contextMississippi River near Weaver, Minnesota river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Tom Fisk / Pexels
View primary source
Embed this route

Route alerts

Email me when this route improves

We'll email you when this route climbs into Good or Strong. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

We only email on a new threshold crossing.

Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.

Permits, camping and season
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Follow posted MN DNR public-water-access rules at Blackberry Bridge and County Road 72.
CampingDay tripNo established watercraft campsite is documented on this short split. Plan it as a day trip unless a legal off-route campground is independently reserved.
SeasonMay-OctLate spring through fall is the usual window. The Grand Rapids gauge is upstream of this specific pair, so treat it as a corridor check and verify level, wind, and debris at Blackberry Bridge before launching.

Access and shuttle

Launch at Blackberry Bridge and take out at County Road 72 for a 9.5-mile upper-Mississippi day section below Grand Rapids. Use the upstream Grand Rapids DNR gauge as a corridor check and make a same-day wind, debris, and shallow-riffle call.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

Mississippi River, Blackberry Bridge Public Water Access Site
DirectionsOpen map

Blackberry Bridge is a DNR public access already used as the downstream endpoint of the existing Steamboat-to-Blackberry card.

Finish

Take-out

Mississippi River, Co Rd 72 Public Water Access Site
DirectionsOpen map

County Road 72 resolves in the DNR public-water-access layer as a DNR-managed Mississippi River access at river mile 1161.4 with no restroom listed.

Road shuttle

Stage the take-out at the County Road 72 DNR access south of Blackberry, then drive upstream to Blackberry Bridge. This is the missing lower half of the DNR Steamboat-to-County-Road-72 planner outing, not a new full-corridor overlap.

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Additional access notes
  • The Grand Rapids gauge is upstream of this split. It is official and same-corridor, but not a take-out reading.
More route and safety guidance
  • Low water can expose shallow riffles and bars even when the broader DNR gauge band is usable.
  • Wind, cold water, floating debris, and a limited number of clean intermediate exits make the 9.5-mile split more committing than a short town float.
Terms and safety
Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.

Browser plans

Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.

Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

Conditions

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

------------
Detailed weather

Weather

Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

Loading today's forecast.

Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
----Loading--

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Photos and recent reports

Share a recent access update, hazard observation or photo.

Add a photo or report

Access changes, obstructions and dated hazard photos are especially useful.

Photos

Upload route photos

Add access, hazard, or on-water photos.

No files selected yet.

Sources and methodology

Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.

NotesPublished evidence and verification notes

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Official route splitBlackberry Bridge river mile 1170.9 to County Road 72 river mile 1161.4

    MN DNR recommended-one-ways lists Steamboat Landing to County Road 72 as a 17.5-mile Map 3 route; the existing app card covers Steamboat-to-Blackberry, leaving this 9.5-mile downstream public-access pair.

    Source

  • Public access recordsWAS02539 to WAS01345

    Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Blackberry Bridge and Mississippi River, Co Rd 72 with DNR access IDs, coordinates, public administrators, and matching river-mile records.

    Source

  • Official DNR bands30 / 44-1410 / 1910 cfs

    MN DNR interprets the Grand Rapids gauge as Scrapable below 30 cfs, Low from 30 to 44, Medium from 44 to 1410, High from 1410 to 1910, and Very High above 1910.

    Source

  • Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-16251 cfs at 2026-07-16 02:45 PM

    This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.

    Source

  • Route characterEasy upper-Mississippi day water

    DNR describes the broader planner route as farmland and wooded banks with no significant rapids, while noting small riffles can appear at low water.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

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

Other routes nearby

More on Mississippi River

All 39
Aitkin Campground to Highway 6Mississippi HeadwatersModerate · About 25.7 mi

Nearby routes within 75 miles

St. Louis RiverFloodwood to Paupores · about 29 straight-line mi awayHard · About 11.3 mi including the Floodwood River access approach

Flag a change

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.

Report a changeEmail update