See all 7 routes on North Fork Crow River
Minnesota | Central Minnesota
North Fork Crow River
Highway 4 to Manannah
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.
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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
Launch at Highway 4 and take out at Manannah for a short upper North Fork Crow gap above the current Manannah-to-Highway-22 tree-alert reach. Use the downstream Highway 22 gauge as a conservative corridor check and make a same-day wood/bridge-clearance call.
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
North Fork Crow River, Highway 4 Public Water Access SiteMinnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Highway 4 as WAS02280 at river mile 128.5 and Manannah as WAS00681 at river mile 122.8.
Take-out
North Fork Crow River, Manannah Public Water Access SiteThe DNR alert says to avoid the downstream section between Manannah and Highway 22 until a large tree is cleared; take out at Manannah for this route.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Highway 4 as WAS02280 at river mile 128.5 and Manannah as WAS00681 at river mile 122.8.
- The DNR alert says to avoid the downstream section between Manannah and Highway 22 until a large tree is cleared; take out at Manannah for this route.
- The Highway 22 gauge is downstream of the selected reach and does not publish a separate very-high cutoff, so high or rising water should be treated conservatively.
Watch for
- Easy rapids, low bridge clearance, shallow gravel, underwater branches, overhanging trees, and strainers.
- Private banks and limited public exits between Highway 4 and Manannah.
- Fast rises after rain and cold water in shoulder seasons.
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 | North Fork Crow River nr Manannah, MN22 |
| 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 80.50 ft |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| 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 North Fork Crow River near Manannah / Highway 22 |
| 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 route shapeHighway 4 river mile 128.5 to Manannah river mile 122.8
MN DNR North Fork Crow Map 1 places Highway 4 and Manannah public accesses in sequence on the upper river above the Highway 22 gauge corridor.
- Public access recordsWAS02280 to WAS00681
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Highway 4 and Manannah with source-backed coordinates, river-mile records, and DNR administration.
- Official DNR bands80.5 ft low floor; 80.5-82 ft medium
MN DNR interprets the downstream Highway 22 gauge as Low below 80.5 ft, Medium from 80.5 to 82 ft, and High above 82 ft. The current feed does not publish a separate very-high cutoff for this site.
- Current gauge check81.37 ft at 2026-07-17 02:30 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed the Highway 22 gauge inside the official medium band during this run.
- Alert boundaryManannah-to-Highway-22 tree alert remains excluded
The DNR North Fork Crow page warns of a large tree between Manannah and Highway 22; this route finishes at Manannah and tells paddlers not to continue into that reach.
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.
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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
North Fork Crow River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling North Fork Crow River?
Paddle Today watches North Fork Crow River nr Manannah, MN22 and uses 80.50 ft as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this North Fork Crow River route start and end?
This route starts at North Fork Crow River, Highway 4 Public Water Access Site and ends at North Fork Crow River, Manannah Public Water Access Site, about About 5.7 mi on the water.
Is this North Fork Crow 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.
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