See all 4 routes on Otter Tail River
Minnesota | West Central Minnesota
Otter Tail River
Phelps Mill County Park to West Lost Lake
Check current paddling conditions for this Otter Tail 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 from Phelps Mill County Park and take out at West Lost Lake for DNR Map 2's short Otter Tail section. The route is gentle, but dam-portage context, low-water obstructions, and lake wind still need same-day checks.
Put-in
Otter Tail River, Phelps Mill Public Water Access SiteOpen mapPhelps Mill is a county-administered public access below the Phelps Mill dam/portage context; do not run the dam or improvise above-dam launch choices.
Take-out
West Lost Lake Public Water Access SiteOpen mapWest Lost Lake resolves as DNR access WAS02421 at river mile 81.4 with no restroom listed in the public-water-access record.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Phelps Mill is a county-administered public access below the Phelps Mill dam/portage context; do not run the dam or improvise above-dam launch choices.
- West Lost Lake resolves as DNR access WAS02421 at river mile 81.4 with no restroom listed in the public-water-access record.
- The Elizabeth gauge is downstream of this short route, so it is a corridor indicator rather than a direct reading at West Lost Lake.
Watch for
- Wind and boat wake on West Lost Lake near the take-out.
- Low-water dragging, vegetation, shallow riffles, and bridge or culvert obstructions.
- Private shorelines, cold water, and slower travel if the downstream gauge is near the low band.
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.
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 | Otter Tail River nr Elizabeth, 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 | 300 cfs to 700 cfs |
| Low threshold | 100 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,200 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 Otter Tail River near Elizabeth |
| 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 routePhelps Mill Park to West Lost Lake, 3.5 river miles
MN DNR Otter Tail Map 2 highlights Phelps Mill Park to West Lost Lake as a short recommended section from river mile 85.0 to about 81.5.
- Public access recordsWAS00559 to WAS02421
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Phelps Mill and West Lost Lake with coordinates, administrators, and river-mile records.
- Official DNR bands100 / 300-700 / 1200 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Elizabeth gauge as Scrapable below 100 cfs, Low from 100 to 300, Medium from 300 to 700, High from 700 to 1200, and Very High above 1200.
- Current gauge check359 cfs at 2026-07-16 07:00 PM
The current MN DNR feed placed the downstream Elizabeth gauge in the official medium band during this run.
- HazardsDam/portage, obstructions, low water, and lake wind
DNR Otter Tail materials warn paddlers to review dam, culvert, bridge, obstruction, low-water, and windy-lake conditions before paddling this water trail.
- Wikimedia Commons endpoint imagePhelps Mill / Otter Tail River, CC BY-SA 2.0
The existing rights-clean Phelps Mill endpoint photo is reused as route-gallery context for this short segment.
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.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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
Otter Tail River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Otter Tail River?
Paddle Today watches Otter Tail River nr Elizabeth, MN and treats 300 cfs to 700 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Otter Tail River route start and end?
This route starts at Otter Tail River, Phelps Mill Public Water Access Site and ends at West Lost Lake Public Water Access Site, about About 3.5 mi on the water.
Is this Otter Tail 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
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.