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Minnesota | Mississippi Headwaters
Mississippi River
Knutson Dam Recreation Area to West Winnie Campground
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 Bimijiwan / Knutson Dam and paddle the official DNR day trip through Mississippi Meadows to West Winnie Campground. The route links quiet headwaters channel with big-lake edge exposure, so wind and dam context matter as much as gauge height.
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.
Put-in
Mississippi River, Knutson Dam Public Water Access SiteOpen mapKnutson Dam resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS02961 at DNR river mile 1258.1.
Take-out
Lake Winnibigoshish (W) Public Water Access Site / West Winnie CampgroundOpen mapBig Fish access is an optional intermediate / bailout point, not the default take-out.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Knutson Dam resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS02961 at DNR river mile 1258.1.
- Big Fish access is an optional intermediate / bailout point, not the default take-out.
- West Winnie resolves in Minnesota public-water-access GIS as WAS00969 at river mile 1246.4 and is the planned finish.
Watch for
- Dam and former-dam / short-rapid context around the upstream recreation areas.
- Wind, waves, cold water, and poor visibility on Lake Winnibigoshish; stay close to shore and avoid crossings.
- Strainers, private shoreline, occupied campsites, and remote rescue spacing.
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.
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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 R at Days High Landing nr Deer River, MN |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 | 1273.80 ft to 1274.50 ft |
| Low threshold | 1272.90 ft |
| High threshold | 1275.00 ft |
| 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 Days High Landing |
| 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 day tripKnutson Dam to West Winnie, 11.8 mi
MN DNR Map 2 recommends putting in at Bimijiwan/Knutson Dam Recreation Area at river mile 1258.2 and taking out at West Winnie Campground at river mile 1246.4.
- Public access recordsKnutson Dam WAS02961 / West Winnie WAS00969
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Knutson Dam, Big Fish, and Lake Winnibigoshish West with coordinates and river-mile records for the selected access chain.
- Official DNR bands1272.9 / 1273.8-1274.5 / 1275 ft
MN DNR interprets Days High Landing as Scrapable below 1272.9 ft, Low from 1272.9 to 1273.8, Medium from 1273.8 to 1274.5, High from 1274.5 to 1275, and Very High above 1275.
- Current gauge check1273.49 ft at 2026-07-23 04:30 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Days High Landing in the official low band during this run.
- Safety and camping contextDams, big lakes, designated campsites
DNR warns about dams, large open water on Cass and Winnibigoshish, obstacles, private property, and camping only at designated campsites or with landowner permission.
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.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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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 R at Days High Landing nr Deer River, MN and treats 1273.80 ft to 1274.50 ft 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, Knutson Dam Public Water Access Site and ends at Lake Winnibigoshish (W) Public Water Access Site / West Winnie Campground, about 11.8 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
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.