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Minnesota | Twin Cities Metro
Mississippi River
Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park to Riverfront Regional Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Mississippi 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 below Coon Rapids Dam and take out at Anoka County Riverfront Regional Park for the official DNR Map 9 metro Mississippi day trip. The Hwy 610 DNR gauge is inside the reach and was in the official low band during this run.
Put-in
Mississippi River, Coon Rapids Dam Public Water Access SiteOpen mapCoon Rapids Dam resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS02630 at river mile 863.0. Launch below the dam and obey posted dam-area restrictions.
Take-out
Mississippi River, Anoka County Riverfront Regional Park Public Water Access SiteOpen mapRiverfront Regional Park resolves as WAS01210 at river mile 860.3 and is the planned take-out before the downstream North Mississippi / Minneapolis corridor.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Coon Rapids Dam resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS02630 at river mile 863.0. Launch below the dam and obey posted dam-area restrictions.
- Riverfront Regional Park resolves as WAS01210 at river mile 860.3 and is the planned take-out before the downstream North Mississippi / Minneapolis corridor.
- The Hwy 610 gauge is direct for this reach, but it cannot show same-day debris, bridge turbulence, wake traffic, or water quality after storms.
Watch for
- Swift current below Coon Rapids Dam, bridge approaches, motorboat wakes, floating debris, and urban stormwater after rain.
- Durnam Island Rapids Class I near the lower end of the route, especially at low or high water.
- Private banks, fishing lines, cold water, and complacency on a short but still pushy metro river reach.
Route gallery
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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 | Mississippi River at Hwy 610 in Brooklyn Park, 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 | 8,670 cfs to 28,300 cfs |
| Low threshold | 3,060 cfs |
| High threshold | 33,000 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 Mississippi River at Hwy 610 |
| 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.
- Official recommended tripCoon Rapids Dam RM 866.4 to Riverfront RM 860.3, 6.1 miles
MN DNR recommends this metro Mississippi day trip and describes swift current, scenic islands, and a two- to three-hour average paddle.
- Public access recordsWAS02630 to WAS01210
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Coon Rapids Dam and Anoka County Riverfront Regional Park as public Mississippi River accesses with coordinates and river-mile records.
- Official DNR bands3060 / 8670-28300 / 33000 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Hwy 610 gauge as Scrapable below 3,060 cfs, Low from 3,060 to 8,670, Medium from 8,670 to 28,300, High from 28,300 to 33,000, and Very High above 33,000.
- Current gauge check3,790 cfs at 2026-07-23 02:00 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Hwy 610 in the official low band during this run.
- Rapid and dam contextBelow Coon Rapids Dam; Durnam Island Rapids Class I
MN DNR Map 9 places Coon Rapids Dam immediately upstream of the launch area and marks Durnam Island Rapids as Class I near the Riverfront Regional Park finish.
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.
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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Mississippi River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Mississippi River?
Paddle Today watches Mississippi River at Hwy 610 in Brooklyn Park, MN and treats 8,670 cfs to 28,300 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Mississippi River route start and end?
This route starts at Mississippi River, Coon Rapids Dam Public Water Access Site and ends at Mississippi River, Anoka County Riverfront Regional Park Public Water Access Site, about 6.1 mi on the water.
Is this Mississippi 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.