See all 3 routes on Pomme de Terre River
Minnesota | West Central Minnesota
Pomme de Terre River
Larson Landing to Appleton
Check current paddling conditions for this Pomme de Terre River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
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Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
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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 Larson Landing and finish at Appleton for the clearest short beginner trip on the lower Pomme de Terre. The gauge decision is straightforward, but low water, wood, farm fences, and the constructed rapid immediately before the take-out still require attention.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Larson Landing public water accessBoth endpoints are backed by Minnesota public-water-access records, which is the main trust reason this route clears the bar cleanly.
Take-out
Appleton public water accessAppleton is the stronger landmarked finish because the live gauge and route town line up there. Inspect the landing and constructed-rapid approach before launching, and let same-day signage win over any saved note.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Both endpoints are backed by Minnesota public-water-access records, which is the main trust reason this route clears the bar cleanly.
- Appleton is the stronger landmarked finish because the live gauge and route town line up there. Inspect the landing and constructed-rapid approach before launching, and let same-day signage win over any saved note.
Watch for
- Dragging and scrape-heavy shallow spots when Appleton drops toward 3.5 ft.
- Fallen trees, strainers, debris, or farm fences, especially after storms or rapid level changes.
- The constructed rapid entering Appleton City Park immediately before the carry-in take-out.
- Wind exposure on the more open lower-river bends approaching Appleton.
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
Why this score
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 | Pomme De Terre River at Appleton, MN |
| 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 |
| Target band | 4.50 ft to 6.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 3.50 ft |
| High threshold | 7.50 ft |
| 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 Pomme de Terre River at Appleton |
| 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.
- DNR bands3.5 / 4.5 / 6.0 / 7.5 ft
MN DNR interprets this gauge as Low from 3.5 to 4.5 ft, Medium from 4.5 to 6.0, High from 6.0 to 7.5, and Very High above 7.5. Below 3.5 ft is below the published low band and should be treated as too low.
- Route characterBeginner-friendly short day trip
MN DNR recommends Larson Landing to Appleton as a 6-mile beginner trip on the Pomme de Terre River water trail.
- Route hazardsFallen trees, farm fences, and constructed rapid
MN DNR warns about fallen trees and farm fences on the Pomme de Terre and places a constructed rapid immediately before the Appleton water access.
- Access confidenceVerified
Both Larson Landing and Appleton are resolved in the MN DNR public-water-access GIS and align with the official water-trail segment naming.
- Chart behaviorCurrent DNR level panel
The current product supports MN DNR gauges with a current-level fallback panel when recent chart samples are unavailable, so this route still has a working live-data presentation in-product.
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
Pomme de Terre River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Pomme de Terre River?
Paddle Today watches Pomme De Terre River at Appleton, MN and treats 4.50 ft to 6.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Pomme de Terre River route start and end?
This route starts at Larson Landing public water access and ends at Appleton public water access, about 6 mi on the water.
Is this Pomme de Terre 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.
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