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Minnesota | Brainerd Lakes Area
Mississippi River
Kiwanis Park to Crow Wing State Park
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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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 Kiwanis Park and take out at Crow Wing State Park for the Mississippi Headwaters Board / DNR-linked Brainerd day route. Use the Brainerd DNR gauge as the official near-upstream corridor check.
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.
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, Kiwanis Park Public Water Access SiteKiwanis Park resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as a Brainerd city access at river mile 1001.1.
Take-out
Mississippi River, Crow Wing State Park Public Water Access SiteUse the Crow Wing State Park Mississippi River access as the planned finish; the nearby Crow Wing public access is a different record and should not replace the state-park plan without checking signs.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Kiwanis Park resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as a Brainerd city access at river mile 1001.1.
- Use the Crow Wing State Park Mississippi River access as the planned finish; the nearby Crow Wing public access is a different record and should not replace the state-park plan without checking signs.
- The Brainerd gauge is upstream of the put-in, so pair the official bands with visual checks for wind, landing condition, and post-rain debris.
Watch for
- Wind and motorboat wake on broad Mississippi bends.
- Faster current, floating debris, cold water, and harder landings after rain or rising water.
- Private banks, state-park rules, and extending downstream without a separate longer-route plan.
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 Brainerd, 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 | 1,800 cfs to 7,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 908 cfs |
| High threshold | 10,000 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 Brainerd |
| 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 route supportAbout 10.7 miles / 3 to 3.5 hours
The Mississippi Headwaters Board Kiwanis route map describes Kiwanis Park to Crow Wing State Park as approximately 10.7 miles and a 3 to 3.5 hour paddle.
- DNR map contextMap 6 additional day trip
MN DNR Mississippi Map 6 and the segments page refer paddlers to the Mississippi Headwaters Board Kiwanis Park to Crow Wing State Park Landing day trip.
- Public access recordsWAS01003 to WAS00990
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Kiwanis Park and the Mississippi River Crow Wing State Park access with public endpoint coordinates and river-mile records.
- Official DNR bands908 / 1,800-7,000 / 10,000 cfs
MN DNR interprets Brainerd as Scrapable below 908 cfs, Low from 908 to 1,800, Medium from 1,800 to 7,000, High from 7,000 to 10,000, and Very High above 10,000.
- Current gauge check952 cfs at 2026-07-22 14:30 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Brainerd in the official low band during this run, so this route should stay conservative until levels rise.
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 Brainerd, MN and treats 1,800 cfs to 7,000 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, Kiwanis Park Public Water Access Site and ends at Mississippi River, Crow Wing State Park Public Water Access Site, about 10.7 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.