See all 5 routes on Namekagon River
Wisconsin | St. Croix National Scenic Riverway
Namekagon River
Fritz Landing to Riverside Landing / St. Croix River
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
A lower Namekagon day or overnight route from Fritz through McDowell, Namekagon Trail, the St. Croix confluence, and Big Island channels to Riverside Landing.
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
Fritz LandingThe Leonards gauge is far upstream for this route; near the floor, call the Namekagon visitor center or make a local visual check before launching.
Take-out
Riverside Landing / St. Croix RiverRiverside Landing is on the St. Croix below the Namekagon confluence. Missing the take-out extends the trip onto a larger river corridor.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Leonards gauge is far upstream for this route; near the floor, call the Namekagon visitor center or make a local visual check before launching.
- Riverside Landing is on the St. Croix below the Namekagon confluence. Missing the take-out extends the trip onto a larger river corridor.
- Use only public Riverway landings and signed campsites; do not assume private banks, islands, or sandbars are legal overnight stops.
Watch for
- Long mileage, remote shoreline, limited rescue options, wind on wider pools, cold water, and quick rises after rain.
- Strainers, wooded islands, shallow riffles, confluence current, and Big Island channel choices.
- Private or restricted banks outside signed Riverway access and campsite areas.
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 | Namekagon River at Leonards, WI |
| 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 103 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Miles Paddled lower Namekagon Leonards gauge recommendation |
| 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.
- WTG N5 routeFritz to Riverside, 17.5 miles
WTG N5 documents the exact Fritz-to-Riverside route, 8-hour / multi-day timing, Class I rapids, access details, and WGS84 coordinates.
- Lower Namekagon level evidence103 cfs / 1.7 ft at Leonards
Miles Paddled recommends the recorded 103 cfs / 1.7 ft level for County K to Riverside while warning that Leonards is about 55 miles upstream and visitor-center checks remain useful.
- Camping and route characterTwenty-four N5 Riverway campsites
WTG says N5 has extensive backcountry campsite support and describes wooded islands, Class I rapids, the St. Croix confluence, and the Riverside group-camp context.
- Current gauge check58.6 cfs / 1.46 ft at 2026-07-23 00:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Leonards discharge and stage during this run, below the selected minimum-only floor.
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
Namekagon River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Namekagon River?
Paddle Today watches Namekagon River at Leonards, WI and uses 103 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Namekagon River route start and end?
This route starts at Fritz Landing and ends at Riverside Landing / St. Croix River, about About 17.5 mi on the water.
Is this Namekagon 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
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.