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Minnesota | Mississippi Headwaters
Mississippi River
Schoolcraft State Park to #10 Access
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 at Schoolcraft State Park and take out at #10 Access for the official 4.1-mile DNR short option on the upper Mississippi. This keeps the easy access pair separate from the longer Schoolcraft-to-Sylvan commitment.
Put-in
Mississippi River, Schoolcraft SPK Public Water Access SiteOpen mapSchoolcraft State Park and #10 both resolve as public Mississippi River access sites in the Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
Take-out
Mississippi River, #10 Public Water Access SiteOpen mapThe Days High Landing gauge is just upstream of the short reach and should be paired with a visual check for low-water shallows and fresh wood.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Schoolcraft State Park and #10 both resolve as public Mississippi River access sites in the Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
- The Days High Landing gauge is just upstream of the short reach and should be paired with a visual check for low-water shallows and fresh wood.
- Continuing below #10 becomes the longer Schoolcraft-to-Sylvan corridor and needs a separate shuttle, daylight, and stamina plan.
Watch for
- Low-water scraping, shallow bars, riffles, sweepers, and fresh strainers.
- Cold water outside summer and limited informal exits even on a short route.
- Private banks and state-park rules around stops, parking, and camping.
Route gallery
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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 River 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 route4.1 river miles
MN DNR recommended one-way materials list Schoolcraft State Park Trailer Access at river mile 1198.8 to #10 Trailer Access at river mile 1194.7.
- Map supportSchoolcraft RM 1199.5-1198.2 to #10 RM 1194.7
DNR Mississippi Map 2 places Schoolcraft State Park, the upstream Days High Landing gauge bridge, Leaning Willow campsite, and #10 access in sequence.
- Public access recordsSchoolcraft WAS01351 to #10 WAS00988
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Schoolcraft State Park and #10 as public Mississippi River access sites with coordinates and river-mile records.
- Official DNR bands1,272.9 / 1,273.8-1,274.5 / 1,275 ft
MN DNR interprets the Days High Landing gauge as Scrapable below 1,272.9 ft, Low from 1,272.9 to 1,273.8, Medium from 1,273.8 to 1,274.5, High from 1,274.5 to 1,275, and Very High above 1,275.
- Current gauge check1,273.57 ft at 2026-07-17 01:30 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Days High Landing in the official low band during this run, below the medium target.
- Camping and access contextSchoolcraft State Park basecamp; no informal banks
DNR identifies Schoolcraft State Park as having camping, public access, rest area support, and drinking water; the short route should still use legal public stops and designated camping rules.
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
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More routes to check next
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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 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, Schoolcraft SPK Public Water Access Site and ends at Mississippi River, #10 Public Water Access Site, about 4.1 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.