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Minnesota | Brainerd Lakes Area
Mississippi River
Trommald to Lum Park
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 Trommald and take out at Lum Park on Rice Lake for a 13.6-mile Brainerd-lakes reach above Potlatch Dam. The app uses the DNR Brainerd interpreted site at Potlatch Dam because it is the same Map 5 corridor gauge just below the planned finish.
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, Trommald Public Water Access SiteOpen mapTrommald resolves as WAS02294 at river mile 1018.3; Lum Park / Rice Lake resolves as WAS00357 at river mile 1004.7.
Take-out
Rice Lake / Lum Park Public Water Access SiteOpen mapLum Park is the required finish for this route. Potlatch Dam and the Brainerd gauge are just downstream; do not drift past the park into dam approach water.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Trommald resolves as WAS02294 at river mile 1018.3; Lum Park / Rice Lake resolves as WAS00357 at river mile 1004.7.
- Lum Park is the required finish for this route. Potlatch Dam and the Brainerd gauge are just downstream; do not drift past the park into dam approach water.
- Half-Moon campsite is mapped near river mile 1017.0, but campsite conditions and occupancy must be checked before assuming an overnight.
- The Brainerd gauge is slightly downstream of the route and below Rice Lake influence, so verify flow, wind, and lake approach conditions at Lum Park before launching.
Watch for
- French Rapids area current, shallow riffles, and rocky/gravel bars when the Brainerd site is in the low band.
- Wind and boat traffic on the Rice Lake / Lum Park approach.
- Floating wood, strainers, cold water, private banks, and limited mid-route exits.
- Potlatch Dam downstream of Lum Park; missing the planned take-out changes the risk profile immediately.
Route gallery
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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 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 |
| 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 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.
- Map routeTrommald RM 1018.3 to Lum Park RM 1004.7
MN DNR Map 5 places Trommald, Half-Moon campsite, Little Rabbit Lake, French Rapids, Lum Park, and the Brainerd gauge/Potlatch Dam area in downstream order.
- Public access recordsWAS02294 to WAS00357
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Trommald and Lum 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.
- Current gauge check960 cfs at 2026-07-22 20:30 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Brainerd in the official low band during this run, just above the scrapable floor.
- Camping and safety contextHalf-Moon campsite; Potlatch Dam downstream
MN DNR Map 5 maps Half-Moon watercraft campsite above French Rapids and the Potlatch Dam portage just below Lum Park.
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.
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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 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, Trommald Public Water Access Site and ends at Rice Lake / Lum Park Public Water Access Site, about About 13.6 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.