See all 42 routes on Mississippi River
Minnesota | Grand Rapids Area
Mississippi River
County Road 72 to County Line Access
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
Loading the route coverage map.
Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
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
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
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 County Road 72 and take out at County Line for the 15.9-mile Map 3 connector above the existing Jacobson route. Use the upstream Grand Rapids DNR gauge as an official corridor check, then make the final call from local depth, wind, and debris.
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
Mississippi River, Co Rd 72 Public Water Access SiteCounty Road 72 resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS01345 at DNR river mile 1161.4.
Take-out
Mississippi River, County Line Public Water Access SiteCounty Line resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS01336 at DNR river mile 1145.5.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- County Road 72 resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS01345 at DNR river mile 1161.4.
- County Line resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS01336 at DNR river mile 1145.5.
- The Grand Rapids gauge is upstream of this split. It is official same-corridor evidence, not a take-out reading.
Watch for
- Low-water riffles, exposed bars, floating debris, and slower current below Grand Rapids.
- Wind, cold water, and limited exits over a 15.9-mile day.
- Private banks and campsite assumptions; use mapped public accesses or designated campsites only.
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
Data and sources
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 | Mississippi River at Grand Rapids, 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 | 44 cfs to 1,410 cfs |
| Low threshold | 30 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,910 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 Mississippi River at Grand Rapids |
| 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 map sequenceCounty Road 72 to County Line
MN DNR Mississippi Map 3 places County Road 72 access, Split Hand Creek, Swimming Bear campsite, and County Line access in downstream order on the same map section.
- Public access recordsWAS01345 to WAS01336
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Mississippi River, Co Rd 72 and Mississippi River, County Line with DNR access IDs, coordinates, public administrators, and matching river-mile records.
- 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.
- Current gauge check251 cfs at 2026-07-16 11:45 PM
The current MN DNR feed placed the upstream Grand Rapids gauge in the official medium band during this run.
- Route character and camping supportFlat-water corridor with mapped watercraft camping
DNR Map 3 describes this section as flat to slow with no major rapids and marks watercraft-camping context including Swimming Bear, while DNR safety notes warn about private property, wind, obstacles, and changing conditions.
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.
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
Mississippi River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Mississippi River?
Paddle Today watches Mississippi River at Grand Rapids, MN and treats 44 cfs to 1,410 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, Co Rd 72 Public Water Access Site and ends at Mississippi River, County Line Public Water Access Site, about About 15.9 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.