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Minnesota | Brainerd Lakes Area
Mississippi RiverLum Park to Kiwanis Park
Short Brainerd connector from Lum Park through the official Potlatch Dam portage to Kiwanis Park, using the direct Brainerd interpreted gauge in the portage corridor.
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at Lum Park, portage Potlatch Dam on river right, and finish at Kiwanis Park. This is a short Brainerd connector for groups that intentionally want the dam carry, not a casual no-portage float.
Access map
Put-in
Rice Lake / Lum Park Public Water Access SitePotlatch Dam is the central hazard. Portage river right for 201 yards exactly as mapped by DNR and stay out of restricted or unsafe dam water.
Take-out
Mississippi River, Kiwanis Park Public Water Access SiteLum Park resolves in public-water-access GIS as a Rice Lake access at river mile 1004.7, immediately above the dam corridor.
Road shuttle
Stage Kiwanis Park first, then launch at Lum Park. Walk or scout the Potlatch Dam portage before committing; if the carry or landing is not clearly usable, do not launch this connector.
Additional access notes
- Kiwanis Park resolves as WAS01003 at river mile 1001.1. Confirm city park parking and landing condition before leaving the take-out vehicle.
More route and safety guidance
- Treat this as a short portage connector only. If the group does not want a dam carry, use Lum Park as the take-out for the upstream Trommald route or start downstream at Kiwanis.
- Watch for low-water scraping, urban bridge current, wind, floating wood, cold water, and private banks outside the named public parks.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
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| Gauge site | Mississippi River at Brainerd, MN |
| Discharge | Checking |
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| Preferred range | 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 |
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NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- DNR map routeLum Park RM 1004.7 to Kiwanis Park RM 1001.2
MN DNR Mississippi Map 6 lists Lum Park, the Potlatch Dam portage, Evergreen, Lyman P. White Park, and Kiwanis Park in downstream order through Brainerd.
- Mandatory portagePotlatch Dam, river-right 201-yard portage
DNR Map 6 marks Potlatch Dam at river mile 1004.1 and directs paddlers to portage right for 201 yards.
- Public access recordsWAS00357 to WAS01003
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Lum Park and Kiwanis Park with coordinates, administrators, and Mississippi water-trail 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.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-23886 cfs at 2026-07-23 09:30 CDT
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
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