See all 4 routes on Otter Tail River
Minnesota | West Central Minnesota
Otter Tail River
Phelps Mill County Park to West Lost Lake
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
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.
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
Otter Tail River, Phelps Mill Public Water Access SitePhelps 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 SiteWest Lost Lake resolves as DNR access WAS02421 at river mile 81.4 with no restroom listed in the public-water-access record.
Plan this segment
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.
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 | 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 |
| 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 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
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
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
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.