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Minnesota | Mississippi Headwaters
Mississippi River
Kimball to Aitkin County Campground
Check current paddling conditions for this Mississippi River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
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
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Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
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
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 Kimball and take out at the Aitkin Campground / Mississippi River boat access for the short signed MHB/Aitkin County excursion. The Aitkin DNR gauge is near the finish and has official DNR interpretation bands.
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, Kimball Public Water Access SiteKimball resolves as WAS01037 at river mile 1062.6, and Aitkin resolves as WAS01042 at river mile 1055.7 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
Take-out
Mississippi River, Aitkin Public Water Access Site / Aitkin CampgroundAitkin County lists the campground at 814 4th Ave NW with Mississippi River boat access and campground amenities; check current fees and rules before counting on camping or overnight parking.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Kimball resolves as WAS01037 at river mile 1062.6, and Aitkin resolves as WAS01042 at river mile 1055.7 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
- Aitkin County lists the campground at 814 4th Ave NW with Mississippi River boat access and campground amenities; check current fees and rules before counting on camping or overnight parking.
- DNR Map 4 warns about the Rice River diversion channel and diversion dam near Aitkin during high flow. Stay with the signed Mississippi route and planned campground take-out.
Watch for
- Rice River diversion-channel and dam context near Aitkin, especially at high water.
- Snags, downed trees, private banks, shallow bars, fishing traffic, and campground landing congestion.
- Cold water, storms, rising water, and debris after rain.
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
Why this score
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 Aitkin, 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 | 1,500 cfs to 6,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 712 cfs |
| High threshold | 8,000 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 Aitkin |
| 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.
- MHB signed route2.5-hour excursion
The Mississippi Headwaters Board lists Kimball to Aitkin County Campground as an Aitkin County signed excursion with a downloadable map and endpoint directions.
- Route mileageAbout 6.9 river miles
Minnesota public-water-access GIS places Kimball at river mile 1062.6 and Aitkin at river mile 1055.7, supporting a short 6.9-mile route to the campground corridor.
- Endpoint campgroundAitkin Campground boat access
Aitkin County says the campground is on the Mississippi River, has nine campsites, showers, drinking water, picnic tables, and boat access to the Mississippi River.
- Public access recordsWAS01037 to WAS01042
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Kimball and Aitkin as Aitkin County Mississippi River access sites with directions, river miles, and coordinates.
- Official DNR bands712 / 1,500-6,000 / 8,000 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Aitkin gauge as Scrapable below 712.3 cfs, Low from 712.3 to 1,500, Medium from 1,500 to 6,000, High from 6,000 to 8,000, and Very High above 8,000.
- Current gauge check681 cfs at 2026-07-22 13:30
The current MN DNR feed placed Aitkin below the official scrapable floor during this run, so this card should score as too low until flows recover.
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
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Quick answers
Mississippi River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Mississippi River?
Paddle Today watches Mississippi River at Aitkin, MN and treats 1,500 cfs to 6,000 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, Kimball Public Water Access Site and ends at Mississippi River, Aitkin Public Water Access Site / Aitkin Campground, about About 6.9 mi on the water.
Is this Mississippi 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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