See all 4 routes on Otter Tail River
Minnesota | West Central Minnesota
Otter Tail River
Phelps Mill County Park to West Red River Lake
Check current paddling conditions for this Otter Tail River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
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 Red River Lake for the official 11.8-mile Otter Tail River day trip. The Elizabeth gauge is downstream, so wind, lake conditions, and visual level checks remain part of the decision.
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
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 Red River Lake Public Water Access SiteOpen mapWest Lost Lake is the midpoint public access and shorter-route take-out; West Red River Lake resolves as WAS00822 near river mile 73.3 for the longer day.
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 is the midpoint public access and shorter-route take-out; West Red River Lake resolves as WAS00822 near river mile 73.3 for the longer day.
- The Elizabeth gauge is downstream of this route, so it is a corridor indicator rather than a direct reading at West Red River Lake.
Watch for
- Wind and boat wake on West Lost Lake and West Red River Lake near the access points.
- Low-water dragging, vegetation, shallow riffles, culvert/bridge obstructions, and low headroom.
- Private shorelines, cold water, and slower travel if the downstream gauge falls toward 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 Red River Lake, 11.8 river miles
MN DNR lists Phelps Mill County Park carry-in access at river mile 85.0 to West Red River Lake trailer access at river mile 73.2 as a recommended day trip.
- Public access recordsWAS00559 to WAS00822
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Phelps Mill and West Red River Lake with coordinates, administrators, and river-mile records; West Lost Lake WAS02421 is the official midpoint access.
- Official DNR bands100 / 300-700 / 1,200 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 1,200, and Very High above 1,200.
- Current gauge check324 cfs at 2026-07-22 19:00 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed the downstream Elizabeth gauge in the official medium band during this run.
- HazardsDam/portage, bridges, obstructions, 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.
- Image reuseWikimedia Commons Phelps Mill endpoint photo
The route reuses an existing rights-clean Commons Phelps Mill image already present in the local gallery for this exact longer-route folder.
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 Red River Lake Public Water Access Site, about About 11.8 mi on the water.
Is this Otter Tail 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.